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Rupp (or New) Arena Announcement @ 1:00 p.m. (Updated w/ pic of possible locations)


I am little surprised that I hadn't seen this posted on here already.  So I guess the responsibility falls to me to report what I know. 

Mayor Jim Gray is holding a press conference today at 1:00 p.m. in the Cox Street parking lot behind Rupp Arena to announce...... well nobody really knows.  There is a lot of speculation that there will be an announcement about a new arena being built or major renovations to Rupp. 

I have placed a few phone calls to friends of mine that usually have the scuttlebutt on City Hall and I have heard from each of them that it is just a press conference to confirm the creation of the Task Force Mayor Gray campaigned on to discuss the possibility of a new arena. 

Here is the thing.  If this is true, then it would be extremely anti-climatic and an uncharacteristic misstep for the Gray administration.  There is a lot of excitement in Lexington today because of the Cat's win last night.  You will have a lot of disappointed people if the Mayor gets on the microphone to just  announce that we are going to talk about a new arena.  Yawn. 

I did have one friend that speculated with me that it is possible, not likely but possible, that a deal has already been reached and following the excitement of last night, they have moved the time table up for an announcement. 

So that is what I know.  Not much, but wanted to share what I could.  I am hoping that Gray continues to be Super Mayor and surprise everyone by digging the knife a little deeper into Louisville by announcing that the best arena in the Commonwealth will soon be in Lexington.  Of course reality will probably be a little more prosaic and we will just learn that the discussion we all knew was going to happen, was in fact actually happening.

 

UPDATE:

Props to Joe Sonka of Barefoot and Progressive for the information.

A committee is established to study possible new arena.  Privately funded.  The Chairman will be Brent Rice (a lawyer that I personally know.  His area of expertise is Real Estate, Public Utilities and Government Services.  His is a good fit).  The report is due early next year. 


Here is a map of possible locations.

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