Finally, verification that someone besides the UofL basketball team will use the new arena

From the Louisville Courier-Journal:

Two major religious conventions have signed deals to come to Louisville and will use the new downtown arena for a major part of their activities, Gov. Steve Beshear announced Friday in Frankfort.

The two conventions – the 24th annual Church of the Nazarene Global National Youth International Conference in 2011 and the 2013 North American Youth Conference of the United Pentecostal Church International – will have a combined economic impact estimated at $10 million for the Louisville economy, local convention officials said.

The $238 million arena rising at Second and Main streets is scheduled to open in November 2010 for the start of the University of Louisville Cardinals' basketball season. But Friday's announcement of the signing of the two convention groups that will use the arena was the first affirmation that the stadium will also grow Louisville's travel, tourism and trade-show business.

“We decided to build this arena for two reasons,” Beshear said at the news conference at the Capitol. “First, to create a new home and new excitement for U of L basketball, and (also) to create economic development by attracting visitors and events to downtown Louisville. It's already paying off on the economic-development front.”

Linda Edwards, vice president of sales and marketing for the Kentucky State Fair Board, who helped recruit the conventions, said both groups chose Louisville because of its central location, affordability and the number of attractions within walking distance downtown.

The Nazarenes will bring about 13,000 people – about 10,000 high school-age youth and most of the rest parents -- to Louisville July 3-11, 2011. The convention will have an estimated economic impact of $7 million and translate into about 13,000 hotel room nights, Edwards said.

Comments

[Ryan Arave]

National FFA convention will use it in 2013