Latest / Kentucky Business News / 8.12.26

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8.12.26 · Kentucky Business News

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  Speaker 1: Hello. Today, I'll be reading from business sources in Lexington
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  Speaker 1: and Louisville, including The Lane Report and others from around
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  Speaker 1: the Commonwealth. Your reader today is Julia Shane. As a reminder,
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  Speaker 1: RADIOI is a reading service intended for people who are
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  Speaker 1: blind or who have other disabilities that make it difficult
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  Speaker 1: to read printed material. Our first article comes from the
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  Speaker 1: August sixth, twenty twenty sixth edition of The Lane Report
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  Speaker 1: and is titled Pine Mountain State Resort Park to receive
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  Speaker 1: six point nine million dollars in upgrades. Improvements will enhance
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  Speaker 1: the visitor experience and support tourism and economic growth. Today,
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  Speaker 1: Governor Andy Basheer announced that Pine Mountain State Resort Park
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  Speaker 1: will receive six point nine million dollars in hospitality upgrades
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  Speaker 1: to enhance the visitor experience and attract new travelers. This
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  Speaker 1: project is part of Team Kentucky's historic investments in Kentucky
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  Speaker 1: State parks to support tourism and economic growth. People travel
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  Speaker 1: from all over to ex experience all that Pine Mountain
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  Speaker 1: State Resort Park has to offer, said Governor Bisheer. These
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  Speaker 1: improvements will make every visit better for the Kentucky families
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  Speaker 1: that no one loved this park and the out of
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  Speaker 1: state travelers fueling the record breaking tourism Kentucky has seen
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  Speaker 1: over the past few years. In April of twenty twenty seven,
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  Speaker 1: the lodge rooms will undergo updates, including new finishes, flooring, bathrooms,
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  Speaker 1: and many fridges. The restaurant, lobby and convention center meeting
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  Speaker 1: rooms will also receive improvements. While renovations are under way,
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  Speaker 1: guests can still enjoy hiking trails, miniature golf amphitheater, golf course, playground,
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  Speaker 1: and pool cottages will remain available to book while the
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  Speaker 1: park is under construction. Pine Mountain has welcomed generations of visitors,
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  Speaker 1: and these upgrades will guarantee that the park will be
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  Speaker 1: here for generations to come, said Kentucky State Park's Interim
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  Speaker 1: Commissioner Mark Kellen. These upgrades will preserve the parks historic
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  Speaker 1: charm while adding the modern amenities today's traveler expects. Governor
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  Speaker 1: Basheer recently announced that Kentucky State Parks generated one point
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  Speaker 1: one billion dollars in economic impact in twenty twenty four,
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  Speaker 1: supporting eighty six hundred jobs and helping fuel economic growth
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  Speaker 1: across the Commonwealth. During the twenty twenty four legislative session,
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  Speaker 1: Governor Basheer signed House Joint Resolution fifty six, releasing seventy
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  Speaker 1: one million dollars for capital construction projects, including improvements to
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  Speaker 1: Pine Mountain State Resort Park and projects throughout the park
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  Speaker 1: system such as building system upgrades, accommodation improvements, and recreational
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  Speaker 1: amenity enhancements. Governor basher also signed House built six, allocating
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  Speaker 1: over sixty six million dollars for upgrades to various state parks.
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  Speaker 1: The next article from the Lane report is titled Amazon
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  Speaker 1: celebrates five year operational milestone of its Northern Kentucky Air Hub.
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  Speaker 1: Amazon is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its Amazon Air
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  Speaker 1: Hub at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport CVG, marking five
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  Speaker 1: years of growth that has transformed the facility into the
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  Speaker 1: centerpiece of the company's global air cargo network and one
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  Speaker 1: of Kentucky's largest economic engines. Since launching operations on August fifth,
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  Speaker 1: twenty twenty one, the six hundred acre Amazon Air Hub
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  Speaker 1: has created more than four thousand local jobs, processed more
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  Speaker 1: than one point five billion packages, and now operates more
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  Speaker 1: than three dozen flights daily. The facility is Amazon's largest
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  Speaker 1: field operation worldwide and serves as the flagship hub for
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  Speaker 1: the company's global Amazon Air network. Amazon executives joined local
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  Speaker 1: elected officials, policymakers, nonprofit partners, and community leaders Wednesday to
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  Speaker 1: commemorate the milestone during an outdoor celebration that included employee
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  Speaker 1: recognition in live entertainment and the announcement of new community investments.
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  Speaker 1: Five years ago, we open this facility with a bold
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  Speaker 1: vision to build the most advanced air cargo operation in
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  Speaker 1: the world, right here in northern Kentucky, said Mike Berg,
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  Speaker 1: Amazon director of Operations. Today, KCVG is the jewel of
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  Speaker 1: Amazon Air, our flagship hub, and the gold standard for
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  Speaker 1: operational excellence. But what I'm most proud of is that
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  Speaker 1: we haven't just created thousands of jobs. We've created pathways.
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  Speaker 1: Berg highlighted Amazon's workforce development efforts, noting that more than
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  Speaker 1: one three hundred and forty employees at the hub are
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  Speaker 1: currently enrolled in the company's Career Choice Education program, which
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  Speaker 1: provides fully funded college tuition, certifications and technical training. When
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  Speaker 1: someone walks across that graduation stage, that's what this investment
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  Speaker 1: is really about, he said, major economic driver. As part
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  Speaker 1: of the celebration, Amazon publicly released new figures detailing the
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  Speaker 1: company's long term economic impact in Northern Kentucky. Since twenty ten,
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  Speaker 1: Amazon has invested more than thirty billion dollars in Boone
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  Speaker 1: County through infrastructure development and employee compensation, contributing more than
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  Speaker 1: twenty billion dollars to the local economy while supporting approximately
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  Speaker 1: seventeen thousand indirect jobs. Across Kentucky, Amazon has invested more
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  Speaker 1: than seventy five billion dollars since twenty ten, generating more
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  Speaker 1: than fifty five billion dollars in economic activity. The company
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  Speaker 1: employs more than nineteen thousand full and part time workers
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  Speaker 1: statewide and supports an estimated thirty thousand indirect jobs through
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  Speaker 1: its operations and supply chain. Kentucky has become one of
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  Speaker 1: Amazon's most significant logistics hubs, with the network that includes
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  Speaker 1: twelve fulfillment and sortation centers, five delivery stations, three rural
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  Speaker 1: delivery stations, solar farms, and the Amazon Air Hub. Investing
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  Speaker 1: in communities, Amazon also announced one hundred thousand dollars in
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  Speaker 1: new charitable donations benefiting organizations throughout Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati.
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  Speaker 1: The company will provide fifty thousand dollars to the Life
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  Speaker 1: Learning Center, which helps individuals overcome barriers to employment through education,
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  Speaker 1: workforce development, and support services. Another fifty thousand dollars will
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  Speaker 1: be distributed among several organizations, including Crayons to Computers, Kentucky
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  Speaker 1: Homeland Heroes, and the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky. The
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  Speaker 1: latest donations bring Amazon's total community contributions in the region
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  Speaker 1: to more than one point five million dollars since the
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  Speaker 1: air Hub opened. Over the past five years, Amazon's community
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  Speaker 1: impact has included more than one point five million donated
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  Speaker 1: to over twenty five local nonprofit organizations, more than one
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  Speaker 1: point five million meals delivered through food banks and nonprofit partners,
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  Speaker 1: more than two thousand employees participating in volunteer activities, more
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  Speaker 1: than ten thousand students and teachers reached through educational programs,
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  Speaker 1: more than two hundred thousand computer science learning hours supported.
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  Speaker 1: More than six thousand disaster relief items distributed to assist
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  Speaker 1: communities recovering from natural disasters. Workforce development focus, education, and
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  Speaker 1: career advancement remain a cornerstone of Amazon's investment strategy. More
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  Speaker 1: than thirty percent of the air Hub workforce, over one thousand,
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  Speaker 1: three hundred and forty employees is enrolled in Amazon's Career
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  Speaker 1: Choice program, representing more than one hundred percent increase in
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  Speaker 1: participation over the past year. Earlier this year, nearly one
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  Speaker 1: hundred ten employees graduated after earning degrees, certifications, and professional credentials.
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  Speaker 1: The program partners with more than four hundred educational institutions nationwide,
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  Speaker 1: including eleven in Kentucky. Local partners include Northern Kentucky University,
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  Speaker 1: Thomas Moore University, Cincinnati State, Southern New Hampshire University, One
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  Speaker 1: six to Zero Driving Academy, and Go Fluent. Since twenty nineteen,
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  Speaker 1: Amazon has upskilled more than four thousand Kentucky employees through
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  Speaker 1: Career Choice and other technical education initiatives. The company also
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  Speaker 1: recognized two hundred thirty four employees who have remained with
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  Speaker 1: the air Hub since its opening day in twenty twenty one.
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  Speaker 1: Supporting small businesses, Amazon said the air Hub also plays
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  Speaker 1: an important role in helping regional entrepreneurs reach customers across
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  Speaker 1: the country. More than sixty percent of products sold through
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  Speaker 1: Amazon's marketplace come from independent sellers. In twenty twenty five,
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky and Ohio based businesses sold nearly one hundred million
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  Speaker 1: items through Amazon, with Kentucky sellers alone, moving more than
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  Speaker 1: seventeen million products. The average Kentucky based independent seller generated
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  Speaker 1: more than two hundred ten thousand dollars in annual sales,
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  Speaker 1: according to Amazon Sustainability Leadership. The Amazon air Hub also
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  Speaker 1: serves as a model for the sustainable logistics operations. Every
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  Speaker 1: piece of ground support equipment and vehicle operating on the
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  Speaker 1: airport ramp is powered by electricity, making KCVG one of
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  Speaker 1: the largest all electric air cargo ground operations in the world.
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  Speaker 1: The initiative supports Amazon's Climate Pledge commitment to achieve net
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  Speaker 1: zero carbon emissions by twenty forty five. Years after its launch,
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  Speaker 1: the Amazon air Hub has become more than a logistics facility.
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  Speaker 1: It has emerged as a major employer, an educational partner,
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  Speaker 1: a contributor to regional nonprofits, and a significant economic catalyst,
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  Speaker 1: reinforcing Northern Kentucky's position as one of the nation's premier
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  Speaker 1: logistics and distribution centers. The next article from the Layton
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  Speaker 1: Report is titled Fisher Homes expands into Lexington market. Fisher Homes,
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  Speaker 1: one of the nation's largest private home builders, announced its
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  Speaker 1: expansion into the Lexington market. The company's first Lexington area community,
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  Speaker 1: Montera in Versales, is an estimated forty million dollar development
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  Speaker 1: in the first of several planned investments as Fisher Homes
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  Speaker 1: establishes its presence in the region and continues its growth
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  Speaker 1: across Kentucky. The expansion reflects Fisher Homes confidence in Central
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky's strong economic foundation, steady household growth, and long term
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  Speaker 1: housing demand. As one of the nation's top thirty home builders,
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  Speaker 1: Fisher Homes is expanding into its tenth market, under scoring
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  Speaker 1: the company's disciplined growth strategy and long term investment in
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  Speaker 1: the region by bringing its personalized home building experience, thoughtfully
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  Speaker 1: designed homes, and customer first approach to the region. Fisher
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  Speaker 1: Homes is committed to serving home buyers while investing in
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  Speaker 1: the communities where they live, work and thrive. Expanding into
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  Speaker 1: the Lexington market marks an exciting milestone for Fisher Homes
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  Speaker 1: as we continue to grow our presence across Kentucky, said
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  Speaker 1: Jason Finch, Region president of Fisher Homes. Central Kentucky is
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  Speaker 1: a natural fit for our long term growth strategy, and
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  Speaker 1: we look forward to building homes, creating communities, and becoming
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  Speaker 1: a trusted partner throughout the region. Located in Woodford County,
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  Speaker 1: Montero will feature seventy five home sites across approximately thirty
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  Speaker 1: seven acres and showcase the Fisher Home Designer collection. Sales
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  Speaker 1: are anticipated to begin in late twenty twenty sive just
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  Speaker 1: minutes from downtown Versales, Montera offers convenient access to Lexington, Frankfort,
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  Speaker 1: and destinations throughout central Kentucky via US sixty, US sixty two,
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  Speaker 1: k Y thirty three in the Bluegrass Parkway. Homeowners will
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  Speaker 1: enjoy proximity to local shopping, dining, recreation, and entertainment, including
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  Speaker 1: Falling Springs Center, the Amston Wallace Station, Woodford Reserve, Distillery, Keeneland,
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  Speaker 1: the Kentucky Castle, Scenic Horse Farms Parks, and the region's
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  Speaker 1: renowned Bourbon Country attractions. As Fisher House expands into the
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  Speaker 1: Lexington market, the company will bring the innovative home designs,
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  Speaker 1: flexible floor plans, and exceptional customer experience that have made
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  Speaker 1: it a trusted builder across the Midwest and Southeast. Montera
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  Speaker 1: represents the first chapter in Fisher Home's long term vision
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  Speaker 1: for serving home buyers throughout Cinta Kentucky, with additional communities
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  Speaker 1: planned as the company continues to grow its regional footprint.
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  Speaker 1: Additional details about Montera, including home designs, pricing, and grand
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  Speaker 1: opening information, will be announced closer to the community's sales
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  Speaker 1: launch in early twenty twenty seven. About Fisher Homes. Since
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  Speaker 1: nineteen eighty, Fisher Homes has built more than forty thousand
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  Speaker 1: new homes, earning the trust of homeowners through an unwavering
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  Speaker 1: commitment to delivering an exceptional experience of quality, craftsmanship, outstanding
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  Speaker 1: customer care, and innovative design. Fisher Homes showcases award winning
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  Speaker 1: floor plans with unmatched personalization options in over two hundred
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  Speaker 1: new home communities across Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina,
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  Speaker 1: and Ohio. Recognized as a top Us home builder and
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  Speaker 1: a Proud Saint Jude Dream home builder, Fisher Homes is
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  Speaker 1: dedicated to creating thriving neighborhoods and lasting impacts. Our next
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  Speaker 1: article comes from the August eleventh, twenty twenty sixth edition
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  Speaker 1: of Business Lexington and is titled Walkon's Sports Bistro, a
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  Speaker 1: new game plan written by Shannon Clinton. Owners of a
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  Speaker 1: new sports bar coming to South Broadway are betting that
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  Speaker 1: Lexington's appetite for the University of Kentucky sports Louisiana inspired
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  Speaker 1: food and live events can support a unique restaurant partnership.
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  Speaker 1: Walkon's Sports Bistro is now expected to open just in
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  Speaker 1: time for football season at one zero three zero South Broadway,
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  Speaker 1: the former home of the Tilted Kilt. But the project
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  Speaker 1: is more than just a new restaurant. Walkons is partnering
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  Speaker 1: with neighboring KSR Bar and Grill to create a game
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  Speaker 1: day destination near the University of Kentucky campus. Walcon's, founded
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  Speaker 1: in Baton Rouge in two thousand and three three by
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  Speaker 1: LSU basketball Walkons, Brandon Landry and Jack Warner, has grown
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  Speaker 1: to more than eighty locations. The brand count's former New
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  Speaker 1: Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, former NFL players Dak Prescott
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  Speaker 1: and Derrick Brooks, and Clemson football coach Dabo Sweeney among
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  Speaker 1: its partners. Under the arrangement, Walkon's will operate as the
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  Speaker 1: full service restaurant, while the KSR Bar space will operate
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  Speaker 1: as an event venue that also serves Walkon's food on
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  Speaker 1: UK game days, Kentucky Sports Radio broadcasts, and other special events.
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky Sports Radio founder ks Bar co owner and Lexington's
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  Speaker 1: soon to be Walkon's co owner Matt Jones said he
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  Speaker 1: was ready to leave the day to day decisions of
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  Speaker 1: operating a sports bar like KS Bar to the career
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  Speaker 1: professionals who have the staffing, menu and other facets down
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  Speaker 1: to a science. Business partner, Jamie Daniel, will run the
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  Speaker 1: day to day operations while Jones can continue focusing on
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  Speaker 1: KSR along with marketing the new venture. Daniel, a former
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  Speaker 1: owner of Tilted Kilt, which closed in May after seven
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  Speaker 1: years in operation, also helped launch and create the original
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  Speaker 1: menu for KS Bar. He's involved with the new concept
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  Speaker 1: as food and beverage lead and co owner of Daniel
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  Speaker 1: Hospitality along with his father and brother. Daniel first became
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  Speaker 1: interested in Walkon's after visiting one of its restaurants during
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  Speaker 1: a twenty twelve trip to New Orleans. It was a
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  Speaker 1: great place, he said. It was close to the Superdome
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  Speaker 1: and we had a great time down there, and I've
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  Speaker 1: been following them ever since. Daniel said menu items such
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  Speaker 1: as redfish, shrimp and jumbalaya prepared from scratch in Walkon's
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  Speaker 1: kitchens were among the reasons he believed the concept would
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  Speaker 1: resonate in Lexington It's one of my favorite types of food,
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  Speaker 1: Daniel said. I love to fish, I love the coast.
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  Speaker 1: I think a lot of people in Lexington also like
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  Speaker 1: to visit the golf area. This will be the first
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky location for Walkons. The closest existing restaurants are currently
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  Speaker 1: in Clarksville, Indiana and Knoxville, Tennessee. A few years ago,
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  Speaker 1: Daniel contacted Walkon CEO Brandon Landry about bringing the concept
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  Speaker 1: closer to home. That conversation eventually led to the Lexington
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  Speaker 1: franchise and the partnership with Jones and ks Bar. Daniel
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  Speaker 1: is also working with country music artist Cole Swindle on
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  Speaker 1: a future walk Ons location in Nashville. Rather than replacing
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  Speaker 1: ks Bar with a new concept, the two brands will
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  Speaker 1: operate side by side. Walk Ons will handle day to
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  Speaker 1: day restaurant operations, while ks Bar will continue to serve
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  Speaker 1: as a gathering place for Kentucky fans during games, broadcasts
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  Speaker 1: and other special events. Jones said ks Bar was actually
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  Speaker 1: after the Walkons concept after he too was impressed during
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  Speaker 1: a visit in twenty twelve. Following the Cats to New Orleans,
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  Speaker 1: the idea of kind of a team themed bar came
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  Speaker 1: to me so when they approached us about this and
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  Speaker 1: being able to keep the branding and the game day
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  Speaker 1: experience that I think Ksbar was always really good with,
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  Speaker 1: this collaboration seemed a perfect fit, he said. Walkon's does
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  Speaker 1: it better than anybody in the country, he said. Our
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  Speaker 1: next article comes from the August seventh, twenty twenty sixth
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  Speaker 1: edition of Louisville Business First and is titled thirty million
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  Speaker 1: dollars Senior care facility coming to Crestwood, written by Zach Owens.
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  Speaker 1: Louisville based Trilogy Health Services is planning a thirty million
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  Speaker 1: dollars senior living in skilled nursing campus in Crestwood. The
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  Speaker 1: company announced August fourth that it intends to break ground
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  Speaker 1: on the project later this year, pending approvals. The campus
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  Speaker 1: will be built near the intersection of Interstate seventy one
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  Speaker 1: and KY three two nine and will include one hundred
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  Speaker 1: twenty three accommodations spanning independent living, assisted living, memory care,
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  Speaker 1: and skilled nursing services. Construction is expected to take about
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  Speaker 1: eighteen months once work begins. The development is expected to
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  Speaker 1: expand access to senior care in Oldham County while creating
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  Speaker 1: approximately one hundred twenty five new jobs. When the campus
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  Speaker 1: opens mostly full time positions. This new campus gives us
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  Speaker 1: the opportunity to serve more older adults and families in
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  Speaker 1: Crestwood and throughout Oldham County, while continuing our commitment to
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  Speaker 1: excellence in the experience we provide and the care we deliver.
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  Speaker 1: CEO Lee and Barney said in the release. A spokesperson
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  Speaker 1: for Trilogy says the company's in house construction department, Trilogy
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  Speaker 1: Builders Group, will serve as the general contractor for the project. Madison,
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  Speaker 1: Wisconsin based Erdman will serve as the project's architect. The
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  Speaker 1: company said the community will provide a full continuum of care,
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  Speaker 1: allowing residents to transition between independent living, assisted living, memory care,
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  Speaker 1: and skilled nursing services as their needs change. This campus
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  Speaker 1: is about more than growth, said Peter Massey, Senior vice
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  Speaker 1: president of Development and Facilities Management. It's about creating a
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  Speaker 1: place where residents can thrive, families can find support, and
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  Speaker 1: employees can build meaningful careers. Trilogy now operates more than
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  Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty senior living communities across Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan,
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  Speaker 1: and Wisconsin. According to the release, the company has one
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  Speaker 1: thousand Louisville area employees and more than seventeen thousand system wide.
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: The next article from Louisville Business First is titled Churchill
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: Downs n YRA announced new racing series written by Shay
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: van Hoy, Churchill Downs, incorporated in the New York Racing
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: Association n YRA, announced the creation of the Thoroughbred Championship Series.
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  Speaker 1: The new six race competition with a unified points system,
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  Speaker 1: will begin in twenty twenty seven and establish an annual,
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  Speaker 1: season long championship for America's leading three year old thoroughbreds.
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: According to a news release from Churchill Downs, several of
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  Speaker 1: the country's most iconic racing venues, Churchill Downs Racetrack, Bellmont Park,
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  Speaker 1: and Saratoga Racecourse will host the sixth series, beginning the
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  Speaker 1: first Saturday in May. Notably absent from the list is
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  Speaker 1: Pimlico Racecourse and the Premous Stakes. The Thorbough Championship Series
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  Speaker 1: will extend the excitement of the sport across a five
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  Speaker 1: month season, said Bill Kenshon, CEO of CDI. The Kentucky
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  Speaker 1: Derby and produces millions of fans to a new generation
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  Speaker 1: of thoroughbred stars each year, and this series gives those
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  Speaker 1: fans a reason to stay engaged with the sport's biggest
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  Speaker 1: stars throughout the season. By connecting these premier events through
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  Speaker 1: one championship, we're creating a season long storyline that benefits
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  Speaker 1: the future of thoroughbred racing. David Aroic, President and CEO
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  Speaker 1: of NYRA, said the return of the Belmont Stakes to
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  Speaker 1: a newly transformed Belmont Park makes for an exciting moment
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  Speaker 1: for the sport. The inaugural twenty twenty seven Thoroughbred Championship
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  Speaker 1: Series is expected to include Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
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  Speaker 1: Racetrack on May first, Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on
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  Speaker 1: June fifth, Matt Wins Stakes at Churchill Downs Racetrack in
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  Speaker 1: July date to be determined, Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga
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  Speaker 1: Racecourse and late July, early August date to be determined.
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: Traverse Stakes at Saratoga Racecourse in late August, date to
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  Speaker 1: be determined. Championship Race at Churchill Downs Racetrack in September
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  Speaker 1: date to be determined. A unified points system is designed
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  Speaker 1: to encourage the nation's leading three year olds to compete
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  Speaker 1: against one another more frequently. In addition to individual race purses,
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  Speaker 1: a five million dollar prize pool will be awarded based
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: on the final standings. The next article from Louisville Business
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: First is titled SDF adds routes with Strategic Approach. One
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: Louisville event focuses on air travel economic development, written by
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  Speaker 1: Michael Jones. Since twenty nineteen, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
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  Speaker 1: SDF has grown seat capacity by fifteen percent across five
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: airlines and forty one destinations, according to Rhett Morgan, a
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: senior director at Alevon Pacific Aviation Consulting. Morgan said that
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: growth has outpaced pure markets including Lexington, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Memphis.
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: He cited bourbon tourism, a strong business community, and growth
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: in the healthcare sector as factors that have helped convince
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: airlines to invest in Louisville. It's the relationships that really
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: make a difference in this business, Morgan said. But you
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: also have to have a good market, right. I think
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: that's what Louisville has. It's a strong business community, but
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: also that leisure and fun component. Morgan made the remarks
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: during a July twenty ninth panel discussion hosted by Economic
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: Development Agency One Louisville at Hotel Distill. The discussion focused
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: on what it takes for a city to secure new
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: NonStop routes and why expanded air service is critical for
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: economic growth. One Louisville is the economic development organization and
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: the regional Chamber of Commerce for the Greater Louisville region.
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: It was formed in March through the merger of Greater
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: Louisville Incorporated and the Louisville Economic Development Alliance. The July
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: event was the first installment of One Louisville's revamped Region
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: on the Rise series, which replaces the Regional Economic Development
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: Update series previously hosted by Greater Louisville Incorporated. Other panelists
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: were Anthony Gilmer, vice President of Air Service Development in
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: Strategic Marketing at the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, and Mark Wiefer,
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: United Airlines Managing Director of Domestic Network Planning. The discussion
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: was moderated by Megan Atkins Thobin, the Airport Authority's Vice
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: president of Operations and Customer Engagement. Prior to the discussion,
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: One Louisville CEO Trevor Paul told the audience that NonStop
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: flights are critical economic development tools that signal global competitiveness
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: and facilitate the flow of ideas and innovation. When people
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: think about NonStop flights, they often think about convenience, Paul said,
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: But I would argue that thinking only of convenience sells
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: the big goal of NonStop flights short, because this conversation
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: isn't just about more airplanes and more options, It's about
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: more ideas. Morgan credited Louisville's success in adding new routes
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: to the relationships Gilmer has developed with airline partners, as
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: well as the data driven presentations his team has delivered
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: to carriers. He added that United Airlines alone has added
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: forty one percent to forty three percent more seats in
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: every Louisville market it serves since twenty nineteen. Gilmer said
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: travelers frequently suggest new routes, but hard data from local companies,
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: combined with investments in tourism promotion, are what helped the
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: airport make a compelling case to airlines. Travel data is huge,
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: Gilmer said. If there's a company that can definitely say
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: we wish we had this route because we would fly
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: ten people a day on this flight, we would buy
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: x amount of first class, that type of granular information
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: is one rare and two extremely valuable. With First said, data,
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: storytelling and promotional spending helped convince United to add service
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: to SDF. We really do rely on our communities and
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: having the right air service development team is crucial because
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: you have to make your case. With First explained, we
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: don't have airplanes to fly everybody's wish list of flights.
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: We have to prioritize and being able to understand what
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: the opportunity is for us is crucial. The airport recently
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: added new NonStop service through Breeze Airways, including flights to Pittsburgh, Hartford,
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: and Los Angeles. It also continues to be a major
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: cargo hub. This concludes the reading of the most recent
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: business news in Lexington, Louisville and around the state. Your
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: reader to day has been Julia Shane. If you have
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: any questions or comments about this program, please give our
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: Lexington Studios a call at eight five nine four two
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: two six three nine zero. Thanks for listening, and now
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: please stay tuned for readings from the Kentucky series here
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: on Radio I