LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — When the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center opened three years ago in the Russell neighborhood, it was meant to serve as a catalyst for development in Louisville’s west end. While the facility has attracted more than a half-million visitors since opening, including 250,000 athletes, concerns remain about its impact on the surrounding community.
"Nothing shows around here that this is giving back to the community or that it is earning anything for the west end in any kind of way," said Nora Harper, whose daughter has been involved with the facility since its inception.
Harper recalls the high hopes for the facility when it was still a dusty construction site.
"My daughter was in the original video when it was just dirt and an empty parking lot," Harper said.
Despite promises that the project would spark local revitalization, Harper adds, "Hopefully we will see construction, because there are lots of empty lots."
The facility boasts impressive stats: $40 million in spending and hosting marquee events like the 2023 ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships, with the 2025 championships already booked. However, for visitors like parent Jacalyn Eddings, basic amenities are sorely lacking.
"I have to Uber Eats or DoorDash to get food here," Eddings said. "The restaurants that are close are always too busy and backed up."
Food trucks occasionally service events in the parking lot, but not every event benefits from this convenience.
For some, the facility has been a lifeline. Event planner Erica Denise seized the opportunity to organize events like a summer lunch music series.
"When they started building that facility, I said, 'I’m going to be in here, providing entertainment in some capacity,'" Denise said.
Still, the series relied on attendees bringing their own meals, underscoring the need for more food and hospitality options in the area.
Denise is optimistic, pointing to new developments like the hospital on Broadway.
"I think the next step would be a hotel," Denise said.
A senior clinic has also opened nearby, signaling some progress for the area. But for frequent visitors like Eddings, the lack of nearby dining and lodging options feels like a missed opportunity.
"It’s not too soon. You should have thought about that when you were making the building," Eddings said.
The facility may have brought the people, but the community is still waiting for the kind of growth that keeps them there.
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