Commerce Cabinet
Commonwealth Seeks Developer for Hotel at Horse Park

“This project is a great way for the state to leverage private investment to benefit the Horse Park, the 2010 games and the entire state,” said Secretary Ward. “This is another first class amenity that can help attract new business to the park.”

The Finance and Administration Cabinet issued a formal request for proposals, commonly called an RFP, seeking bids from private developers. The solicitation specifies that the facility should have no fewer than 200 rooms and be at least a AAA, 3-diamond, large-scale hotel. The RFP also includes a conference center and a restaurant.

Bids are due by December 1, 2006. A short list of candidates will be created by December 15. A final decision will be made by April 15, 2007. Substantial completion of the construction is expected within eighteen months from the date of the approval of the work plan.

The project is being re-bid after efforts to negotiate a contract with the original bidder failed to produce a successful result.

“I believe the project will generate increased interest from potential developers now that the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games have been officially awarded,” said Secretary Ward. “This hotel will also benefit from new major events at the Horse Park well beyond the 2010 games.”

The Kentucky Horse Park is a 1200-acre working horse farm/theme park and equine competition facility dedicated to man’s relationship with the horse.  It has evolved into North America’s leading equine entertainment, event and learning facility. 

Horse Park officials predict that, due to a variety of improvements at the park, the facility will immediately generate six new, large shows of 500 horses or more lasting five to10 days. The initial projection for these events is an annual net income of $567,000 and an economic impact of $56 million.  This is in addition to the economic impact of $100 million from the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Park officials project an additional annual attendance of 350,000 and a net income of $1.5 million by 2015.

The Kentucky Horse Park is also home to the National Horse Center, a collection of 30 national, state and regional equine associations and organizations that have chosen to locate their headquarters at the center of Kentucky’s equine industry.  With nearly 300 full and part-time staff and field agents, these organizations not only have vital reach within the various portions of the horse world they represent, but they also have a strong economic impact on the Bluegrass Region.

The park hosted nearly 900,000 visitors and 15,000 competition horses in more than 100 special events and horse shows in 2005. 

The park is located at Exit 120, Interstate 75, just north of Lexington.

The RFP, Solicitation S-05235348 may be viewed online at: https://eprocurement.ky.gov/servlet/KYECServlet?object=ECOMMERCE&action=showMainPage

#####