Department of Parks
Kentucky State Parks Equipping All Accommodations with Electronic Locks

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Department of Parks is undertaking a project that will result in electronic locks being installed on every lodge room and cottage at its state park facilities.

The first electronic locks will be installed at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in Prestonsburg, beginning March 20. That will be followed by installation of the locks at Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park in Buckhorn, Ky.

About 1,400 locks will be replaced. If the work goes according to schedule, then all the new locks will be in place by mid-May.

The electronic locks are safer and more efficient than traditional “keyed” locks. Each guest is issued a unique key code at check-in and all previously issued keys are disabled. When a card key is misplaced or lost, the lock can simply be recoded. In the past, the entire lock core had to be changed, which is labor intensive. Because of the coding system, unauthorized entrants to the room also can be tracked.

“This technology is long overdue,” said Parks Deputy Commissioner John Kington. “It’s just another step -- along with adding amenities such as shampoo and hair dryers -- in bringing our accommodations up to par with what the typical business or recreational traveler would expect.”

The locks and installation are being provided by SAFLOK, which is a global leader in developing and manufacturing electronic locking systems for the hospitality, multifamily, commercial and government markets.

The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 52 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov.