Kentucky Venues anticipating a far busier year for big events in 2022

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Kentucky Exposition Center and Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) are home to some of the biggest events in Louisville and the state.

The company that owns those properties, Kentucky Venues, is already noticing a huge difference between last year and this year. In comparing January 2021 to January 2022, the company has nearly doubled the number of events it's hosting.

"2021 displayed our perseverance and 2022 we see a path to recovery," said Kentucky Venues Spokesperson Ian Cox.

Cox says the 23 events being held this month alone will have a more than $20 million estimated economic impact.

Between the Expo Center and KICC, a dozen 2022 events made it on Louisville Tourism's top 15 list of events with the highest estimated economic impact. That list doesn't include other large Kentucky Venues events such as the Kentucky State Fair.

"Those 12 events will bring $165 million in estimated economic impact, over 800,000 attendees," said Cox.

He's expecting the momentum to continue, even amid the pandemic.

"I don't feign to be a doctor, but I have to say that I think over the time we've had COVID, we've learned to adapt and we've learned to address some of the core concerns of COVID and spread of COVID," Cox said.

Some of the events working with Kentucky Venues, like the Kentucky Winter Classic gymnastics meet, agree.

"I think the vaccination helps. I think we're smarter. You know, we're hand sanitizing. We're doing things that we didn't normally do," said Shannon Wickel, owner of Kentucky Gymnastics Academy.

Wickel says last year there were a lot of virtual or no-spectator meets. Now, with fans back, she says their athletes get the full experience they've worked so hard for.

"It was great, the energy was high, and it just made all the difference in the world," Wickel said.

She's noticing other industries and businesses are bouncing back along with them.

"We're just so happy to be back here in Louisville downtown, the restaurants are coming back, there's people around, there's the energy," said Wickel.

Cox says their work is truly a partnership with the hospitality and tourism industry as a whole. Their goal to support one another for what they hope to be a great year, which Cox says is already off to a promising start.

"It's all we could hope for," Cox said. "And I think we're all fighting to make sure that 2022 continues to be something that we are proud of at the end of the year."

So far, Kentucky Venues has 150 events booked for this year. But Cox says they'll continue filling up the calendar at both properties.

He also recommends anyone attending events at the Expo Center or KICC to check online beforehand to learn about the latest health safety protocols and procedures in place.