LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As downtown Louisville prepares for a major influx of state money to help launch several of Mayor Craig Greenberg's priority projects, the central business district's economic development arm is already predicting positive returns on investment.
"Make it attractive, that people want to take pictures and post them on social media," said Rebecca Fleischaker, executive director of the Louisville Downtown Partnership.
Thanks to a one-time spending bill approved by Kentucky lawmakers, the Derby city is set to receive $100 million over two years to revitalize the downtown area.
Once both state budget bills are signed by Governor Andy Beshear, projects like the mission to reenergize Louisville's Belvedere -- a historic space along the Ohio River -- will get the boost it needs to get going.
RELATED: Louisville gets more than $616 million in finalized state budget. Here's how it will be used.
Many of Greenberg's promises for downtown development are contingent on state funding and assistance, which he made clear in his legislative priorities proposal back in October of 2023.
"We can and must build an entirely new residential neighborhood here in downtown Louisville," he said last fall.
The mayor's relationship with Republicans in control of the state's legislature -- including members of Louisville's delegation -- appears to have paid off, as they've loosened the purse strings for a massive package totaling more than $600 million.
The Belvedere, once a hotspot for outdoor festivals and other crowd favorites, has been needing new life and more events.
"Right now, I think the Mayor said there's only seven a year -- maybe," Fleischaker said.
Over the course of two years, a chunk of that $100 million in state funding will also go toward launching the city's Community Care Campus to provide shelter and housing for Louisville's houseless population.
"The Community Care Campus is really important because I do think it'll help take care of our street population that needs to be taken care of and helped, and I think that will help -- especially the perception of safety in downtown," Fleischaker said.
And some of that money will go toward filling vacant lots, badly in need of development.
When asked whether she feels the state has made downtown Louisville a bigger priority than in years past, Fleischaker told WHAS11, "Yes, I think that's fair."
Big picture: It's a win for Craig Greenberg's administration. But now, the questions will be -- how exactly the money is divided, and when the community starts feeling the benefits.
Both state budget bills are on Governor Andy Beshear's desk for final approval. He hasn't yet made it public which items, if any, he'll veto.
Regardless, Republican lawmakers with a supermajority in the state's legislature have the power to override any of his vetoes.
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