LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When you walk around downtown Louisville, you'll notice people walking around. It's a busy atmosphere. This is something that Louisville Tourism says wasn't the case two years ago. They say they're already seeing a huge gain in people coming to the city.
"Our convention center, if you didn't see it before it closed, well we used to call it a concrete fortress," said Karen Williams who is the CEO and President of Louisville Tourism.
The renovation and expansion cost $207 million. This is the first year it's been open since 2015.
This year is expected to rake in $95 million, compared to $56.7 million four years ago.
"Right now at the end of this year, we'll probably have 6,000 rooms within walking distance of the convention center. Three years ago we had about 3,400 rooms. So build it and they will come? They did," said Williams.
The center was built using a transit room tax, that means guests are taxed on hotel rooms.
"For two years we didn't have many people walking around downtown. Now they see 25 percent more people and the restaurants stay full, that means you can enjoy them. That was the restaurants stay full all year long as well as the bourbon experience," said Williams.
The success of the expansion is trickling down to small business owners. Mexa Taco recently opened up on Market right across from the Convention Center.
"We opened June 19," said Lorena Casas who is the owner of Mexa Taco. She says her restaurant is often packed, with a line out the door.
"It gives you a lot of exposure and a lot of new people will come to you if they're at the Convention Center."
Williams says with so many cities surrounding Louisville, it's important to stay competitive.
"We're not plateauing, we're going like this, so business looks really good."
As far as the future goes, "I would say that we'd probably sit here in 5 years and say we need to expand it more. But that's an interview we'll have in five years," said Williams.
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