rupp arena task force report

8/3/2019 Rupp Arena task force report

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PROCESS

CASE STUDIES

NEED, USE & BENEFIT

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

PLANNING & DESIGN

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

RUPP ARENA FEASIBIL ITY STUDY

DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PLAN SUMMARY

FINANCE & IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES


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LETTER FROM THE TASK FORCE

January 31, 2012

In the spring of 2011, a group of 47 community leaders were asked to tackle dicult quesons about our citys future

and, just as importantly, the incredible opportunies that exist for the redevelopment of 46 acres of public property

around the Lexington Center.

We took this charge seriously, gathering facts and thoughully considering the multude of issues associated with

redeveloping this key part of Downtown. In our discussions, one thing became exceedingly clear: The potenal to

create a dynamic, urban entertainment district in and around Rupp Arena can enliven the enre city of Lexington.

With the promise of new and expanded convenon facilies, arts and entertainment venues, new retail and housing,

and public space, the resultant District Development Plan can play a transformave role in Lexingtons growth into

the next great American city.

The Rupp Arena, Arts and Entertainment District Task Force worked diligently to accomplish its mission -- to create

a plan that elevates the entertainment and convenon experience, to promote cultural expression and to leverage

the uniqueness of our city so that the District envisioned will match the aspiraons of the great people of Lexington.

We dreamed big, conducted almost 40 meengs, visited three cies for case studies and hired the best talent available

-- all with private funds. One commiee diligently researched the needs, uses and benets of such a vision for a

District. Another carefully considered the crical queson of whether Rupp Arena should be renovated or rebuilt

in the context of a larger plan to create an arts and entertainment district. Yet another commiee with technical

experse researched and learned the intricacies and challenges of the citys current facilies. A nal commiee

looked to innovave public/private funding sources and partnerships that could implement the resulng plan. To

aid our work, we retained naonally recognized arena and convenon consultants and selected a world-class rm to

build community consensus around the vision.

I would like to thank each and every one of the Task Force members for their service and all those who supported

and parcipated in this eort, including hundreds of cizens who joined the discussions.

Throughout Lexington, momentum for the project is growing. And Governor Beshears recent proposal of state

funding has provided even more energy to advance to the next steps. I welcome you to review the following pages

and see our summary of the immense amount of work that has taken place over the past 10 months, and the

excing vision of Downtowns future that has taken shape. I hope that you will seriously consider our aached

recommendaons, steps we believe are important to advance one of the most important economic development

projects in our region.

Sincerely,

Brent Rice, Task Force Chair


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TASK FORCE CHAIRS

Mayor J im Gray

TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP SUPPORT STAFF

MASTER PLANNING TEAM

ARENA FEASIBIL ITY TEAM

NEED, USE & BENEFIT

FINANCE COMMITTEE PLANNING & DESIGN

Brent Rice - Task Force Chair

J im OBr ien - Task Force Vice Chair

Pam Mil ler - Task Force Vice Chair

Kevin Atk ins - Mayors Off ice

John Wilk inson - Mayor s Off ice

Stan Harvey - Urban Col lage

Louis R. Johnson - Urban Col lage

Soumi Basu - Urban Col lage

Renee Jackson - DLC

Space Group

Omni Architects

Adams, Kara Taylor

BFMJ

Ins ide Outs ide

Atel ier Ten

360ArchitectureCarman

Global Spectrum

NBBJ

Skanska

Thornton Thomasett i

EOP Architects

Bi l l Owen - Advisory Group Chair

Mitch Barnhart

Frank Butler

Vince Gabbert

Joe B. Hal l

Royce Pul l iam

Alan Stein

Jul ian TackettCraig Turner

Woodford Webb

Wil James - Committee Chair

Linda Carrol l

J im C lark

Joe Costa

Ceci l Dunn

Bil l Far ish

Steve Grossman

David Lord

Everett McCorvey

Barry McNees

P.G. Peeples

Holly Wiedemann

Luther Deaton - Committee Chair

Bi l l Bishop

Sam BowieGreg Goodman

Pete Mahurin

Davis Marksbury

Ann McBrayer

John McCarty

Chris Sul l ivan

Jude Thompson

Paul Varga

Pam Mil ler - Committee Chair

Ray Bal l

Br itt BrockmanTom Cheek

Craig Greenburg

Bi l l Henkel

Stephen Huffman

Bi l l Lear

Debbie Long

Jamal Mashburn

Michael Speaks

Chris Young

REPORT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


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PLANNING PROCESS

In many ways, the Lexington Center is the center of

Lexington. Geographically, it lies near the heart of

downtown Lexington, and considering the potenalexpansions to the west part of downtown, it might serve

an even more important role as the gateway to the

surrounding neighborhoods. As we all know, its also the

center of Kentuckys sporng university - the UK Basketball

program has called Rupp home for 34 seasons, meaning

that the eyes of the state look upon the Lexington Center

when the Wildcats are playing at home. The Task Force

included the following working groups:

Technical AdvisoryGroupReview previous technical reports, create a preliminary

report on technical consideraons and provide

feedback on the development plan and implementaon

strategies.

Need, Use & Beneft (NUB) Commiee

Conduct feasibility and needs assessments for,

convenon/hospitality, sports facility, retail, arts and

culture. Created District NUB Report and reviewed

development plan

Planning & Design Commiee

Conduct physical assessments, idenfy issues related

both to urban, architectural and social context. Create

the Preliminary Planning & Design Report. Dra RFP

and work with consultant to conduct civic forums,

design charees and nal plan.

Finance Commiee

Explore nancing mechanisms, idenfy case studies, and

create preliminary implementaon recommendaons.

47 Community Leaders on Task Force

$350,000 in privateFundraising Goal

30+ Committee & Task Force Meetings

3 Committee Tours of Existing Facilities

2 Case Study Site Visits & 11 other Case StudiesReviewed

2 Public Meetings Held

Completion Date: January 31, 2012

Lexington ConvenonCenter Study

$115,000

Feasibility Study $75,000

Downtown Trac Study $465,000

Triangle Park

Improvements$1,300,000

Total $1,950,000

Additional Local Investment to Date


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CASE STUDIES

OTHER CASE STUDIES

The Task Force made two trips, to Columbus, OH

and Indianapolis, IN, to visit other urban arts and

entertainment districts. The Task Force in both cases wasgiven a tour by the design rms that led those projects,

allowing them to see behind the scenes details. In both

cies the Task Force met with city ocials including

Columbus, OH Mayor Michael B. Coleman, as well as

toured and met with business representaves who gave

insights to the day-to-day life within the districts. This

process allowed Task Force members to see projects

that have been through the planning process and been

implemented, catalyzing addional investment.

Nationwide Arena District, Columbus, OH

Last 10 Years - over $140 Million in Downtown Public

Infrastructure, including Arena District

Downtown, regions largest employer w/ 100,000 jobs

The arena district has an investment of over $1 Billion

The Arena District generates $20.4 million annually in

state and local income taxes

Wholesale Distr ict , Ind ianapol is , IN

Over the last 16 years since the districts incepon:

89 public & private projects have been built

2,538 hotel rooms

4,602 residenal units

$1.24 billion in total economic investment

Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS

CenturyLink Arena, Omaha, NE

KFC YUM! Center, Louisville, KY

Raleigh Convenon Center,

Raleigh, NC

Henry B. Gonzalez Convenon

Center, San Antonio, TX

Duke Energy Convenon Center,

Cincinna, OH

Boise Center, Boise, ID

Bricktown & Chesapeake energy

Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

Haymarket District, Lincoln, NE

American Tobacco Historic

District, Durham, NC


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CASE STUDY TAKEAWAYS

10 Plan for exibility, expansion and long-

term maintenance.

7 Break down the large-scale box

that typies convenon centersand arenas and link them to their

immediate surroundings;

8 Pay aenon to details, Incorporate

high-quality materials; Create

vibrancy through technology, graphics

and signage;

9 Idenfy major private sector

partners and create public/private

partnerships;

1 Dream Big - these are 50 to 100-year

economic development investments;

2 Ensure authencity by reecng local

culture and allowing for incremental

organic growth;

3 Make strong connecons, tame wide

streets and distribute parking in

mulple parking decks;

4 Emphasize the pedestrian experience

and human scale to create a diverse

mixed-use district;

5 Ulize public space to catalyze private

development, but avoid designing

large public spaces that are only fullat peak events;

6 Recognize the value of water and

public art in creang a sense of place;


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NEED, USE & BENEFIT

The Need, Use & Benet Commiee (NUB) was charged

with conducng a feasibility and needs assessments for,

convenon/hospitality, sports facility, retail, arts and

culture. The Commiee kicked o at the inial task

force meeng on April 14th, 2011. and met 8 mes over

a period of four months.

Throughout the 4 month process the NUB Commiee

toured and reviewed a number of facilies including:

The Lexington Center/Rupp Arena, Lexington Opera

House, Singeltary Center, UK Fine Arts Building and the

Schmidt Building. The Commiee also reviewed current

and past reports which included the Retail Master Plan,

Retail & Mul Tenant Opportunies and the Downtown

Masterplan to name a few. Concurrently NUB worked

with a number of consultants including John Kaatz,

(Convenon Sports and Leisure) who reviewed the

current state of the Convenon Center and its needs,

and Libby Alexander who assessed the exisng Arts

Facilies and their current and future needs.

The NUB commiees rst hand knowledge of the

exisng state of Lexingtons arts and entertainment

facilies and eort to review and understand previous

studies led to the following 9 core recommendaons:

Establish the District.Roughly outlined by Oliver Lewis Way, Short Street, Broadway,

and High Street, the area around the current Lexington Center

should be considered as a potenal district of mixed-use, arts

and culture based development. The district should encourage

posive place-making based on the identy and authencityof the region. The success of the arena, the convenon

center, and the other assets will be successful to the extent

that they are imagined as a cohesive district. Create a District

Development Plan with mixed-use development, expanded

arts & cultural resources, and a greater sense of identy.

Expand the Convention Faci l ities.The current facilies of the Lexington Convenon Center, with

66,000 square feet of exhibion space and 40,000 square feet

of meeng rooms and ballrooms dramacally under-serves the

regions full potenal to aract convenons and events. Based

on a study by CS&L in 2011, we recommend that a convenon

facility with a minimum of 100,000 square feet of exhibion

space and 40,000 square feet of dispersed meeng room and

ballroom space would best serve the Lexington market. That

facility could be an expansion of the exisng facility or an

enrely new one. Study and compare scenarios that call for an

expansion of the exisng facility or a new facility all together.

Optimize Rupp Arena for Maximum FanExperience and Revenue Potential.

Rupp Arena, with basketball as the primary tenant, needs to

be updated to best serve the interests of the University of

Kentucky and the community as a world class facility. For the

needs of UK basketball and the Kentucky High School Athlec

Associaon (KHSAA) Boys State Basketball Sweet Sixteen,

the new arena needs new amenies - club seats, suites, and

enhanced scoreboards - to be compeve in the market. The

commiee, with the universitys agreement, has concluded

that the arena should remain downtown. A technical and

nancial study will be provided to assess the viability of

renovang/expanding versus rebuilding the arena. Per the

recommendaons of the technical study, explore how the

renovaon/expansion or rebuilding of the arena will impact

the overall urban design of the district.

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LexingtonConventionCenter Needs. . .

Contiguousevent space

Addit ionalexhibit spaces

Additonalbreakout rooms

To be withina walkablecenter with anentertainmentenvironment

Restaurantswith in or nearthe center

Dedicatedoutdoor spaces

Arts Venues inc lude:

Lexington Opera House

Lexingon Childrens Theater

Lyric Theater

KY Theater Bell House

Natashas Carnegie Center

Singletary Center for the Arts

Cheapside Park Arts Place

Downtown Arts Center Comedy o Broadway


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8 Expand Opportunit ies for New Pr ivateSector Development and Publ ic/Pr ivatePartnership.

With nearly 46 vacant or underulized acres in the district and

its immediate vicinity, the commiee recommends expanding

the opportunies for private sector development and public/

private partnerships. Residenal and commercial development

would greatly enhance the overall maturity of the district,

bringing people downtown and giving the neighborhood scale

and texture. The city government should make concessions

and agreements to encourage and facilitate such partnerships.

Study the potenal for private sector development as part of the

overall Development Plan.

Create a Retail Environment thatComplements the New ConventionFacil ity While Drawing More PeopleDowntown.

With nearly 46 vacant or underulized acres in the district and itsimmediate vicinity, the commiee recommends the creaon of

a retail cluster with specialized retail opportunies. In addion,

the commiee recommends that future retail should be

connected to exisng public spaces (Triangle Park) and potenal

new ones, with abundant external connecons, outdoor areas,

and windows. The exisng, Shops at Lexington Center, which

have historically struggled, should be reconsidered. Study the

opportunies to develop a retail environment thats connected

to the convenon facilies and draws patrons from downtown

and the surrounding community.

NEED, USE & BENEFIT

Create a Small Performing Arts Faci l ity.Several performing arts group such as the Lexington

Philharmonic and the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra, face

challenges that range from scheduling diculty and markeng

because of the lack of a professional facility. Given this, the

community has an acute need for a 800-1,000 seat performing

arts hall with world-class acousc and architectural character.

Study how such a facility, created through adapve reuse or

new construcon, would t into the broader scheme of the

District Development Plan.

Expand the Presence of Arts Educationin the Distr ic t .

Transylvania, the University of Kentucky and the Bluegrass

Community and Technical School have world-class arts

programs with certain needs for space and facilies. These

organizaons have expressed a willingness to explore

collaboraons with the new district and the opportuniestherein. In addion, Fayee County Public Schools (FCPS) has

an established performing and visual arts school; FCPS has

expressed interest in bringing some or all of these facilies

to the downtown area. Explore how arts educaons groups

in the city can contribute to the district either through new

facilies or the adapve reuse of exisng structures.

Create an Outdoor Gathering/Perfor-mance Space.

We recommend that an outdoor amphitheater with some level

of weather protecon could serve the district as an addional

performance venue and urban amenity. The amphitheaterwould be connected to a larger outdoor public space or plaza.

Study the design and locaon of such a public space.

Create Spaces for Visual Art.Lexingtons visual arts organizaons, including the UK Art

Museum and the Lexington Art League, among others, have

agreed that new facilies to exhibit (and produce) visual art

are needed in the community, and in downtown in parcular.

A range of ideas, from a contemporary art museum, to a

Kunsthal-type space, to a UK satellite have been discussed.

Study where and how the visual arts could play a role in thedevelopment of the district.

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The Planning & Design Commiee (PDC) was charged

with reviewing previous studies, documenng exisng

condions and issues and overseeing the preparaon of

the District Development Plan. The PDCs inial eorts

took place over a 3 month period in order to prepare

a report and dra an RFP to retain a master planning

consultant. The PDC led a number of meengs to

discuss the exisng issues and condions of the district

including:

Development Opportunies

Building Stock

Land Use

Zoning

Trac Paerns

Cultural Resources

Historic Assets

Streetscape Improvements

The PDC met both internally and with neighborhood

groups to discuss these issues as well as a number of

past reports and studies including: 6 convenon studies,

7+ Downtown development and subarea plans, as well

as the Louisville Urban Design Program Report.

The PDCs reports and ndings served as a foundaon

of knowledge for design rms responding to the District

Development Plan RFP. The PDCs inial report included

the following eight recommendaons:

PLANNING & DESIGN

Develop a framework for organic growththat rel ies on economic developmentstrategies

The District Development Plan (DDP) will create a collecve

vision for the Arena, Arts, and Entertainment District as whole.

This vision will reach all facets of Lexingtons public life, fromthe urban design of the area to operaonal capacity of the

cultural assets in the region. However, the plan should not be

so inexible as to prescribe only set courses of acon. Instead,

it should serve as a framework for the development and the

design of the area, allowing for the appropriate phasing of the

district and the inclusion of mulple partners. The Develop-

ment Plan should be conceived as a exible document for

implemenng a world-class Arena, Arts, and Entertainment

District.

Create architectural character and

leverage Lexingtons unique identity.The Planning and Design Commiee urges the DDP to

celebrate iconic architecture and world class architecture

through reuse and new construcon. The design of any

new or renovated facilies must happen through the best

contemporary pracces in architecture, engineering, and

planning. In addion, ensure that great design reects the

unique character of Lexington and the Bluegrass Region by

including public art, historic reuse/adaptaon, and educaonal

assets. The Development Plan should set the standard for

contemporary design excellence that recognizes the unique

identy of the Bluegrass Region.

Plan for Complete Streets and considerthe impact of two-way streets

The city recently designed and implemented signicant

streetscape improvements in the downtown core. In addion,

the city is currently studying the impact of the changing

many of its one-way streets back to two-way in order to calm

downtown streets and make them less of thoroughfare and

more of a desnaon. The RAAED impacts several important

corridors, including Short Street, Broadway, Maxwell Street,

Jeerson Street, High Street, and Paerson Street and

connues the development of Main Street as a gateway to

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Current Issues &Opportunites

46 Acres ofPublic Land

3, 000 surfaceparking spaces

Surroundedby HistoricNeighborhoods

TownbranchCreek RunsUnder Rupp

Lack of Connectivi ty toTriangle Park

One-way traff ic

Previous studies include:

Lexington Disllery District

Town Branch Trail Master Plan, 2010

Downtown Lexington Master Plan, 2006

Louisville Arena Urban Design Program


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PLANNING & DESIGN

downtown. The development plan should take into account

current proposals and make suggesons about further

changes to the streetscape that would contribute to the

success of the district.

Foreground the pedestrian experience,both through their phys ical qual i tyand by making connections within thedistr ic t and to surrounding d istr ic ts

The result of the streetscape improvement programs

menoned above is a greatly enhanced pedestrian experience

that makes the connecon between Rupp AAED, Disllery

District, Downtown and UK. The improvements to the

district should consider the needs of the pedestrian user,

now hampered by the inhospitality of the superblocks

that characterize the area. From well-designed park spaces

to aracve retail and cultural assets, the district should

make the area and the enre downtown more walk-able. Byinvesng in structured parking and encouraging alternave

transportaon, the district can support this goal. In addion,

it should recognize the presence of the Town Branch Trail and

the larger movement to create greenways throughout the

region. The Development Plan should encourage pedestrian

acvity and connecons among the various conguous

neighborhoods and between Rupp AAED and the Downtown

Core.

Create h igh qual i ty publ ic spaces that

are well programmed and maintained.High quality public space systems are integral to successfulurban environments. Public spaces such as streetscapes, trails,

parks and plazas all play various roles in vibrant downtowns,

providing walkable connecons, inmate outdoor havens,

and large event gathering spaces. Well-designed public

spaces catalyze private investment and create value for

surrounding neighborhoods. The Development Plan should

include provisions for ulizing public spaces to catalyze new

development, but should maximize density and development

potenal.

Encourage mixed-used development,diverse land uses, and innovativeregulatory measures

As a framework for future development, the Development

Plan will suggest specic land uses. The Planning and Design

Commiee encourages the district to be mixed-use witha broad range of entertainment, arts, commercial, and

residenal development, as per the Need, Use, and Benet

Commiees recommendaons. To the extent possible, the

plan should recommend changes to the municipal regulatory

structure, including zoning and perming, that would support

the creaon of the RAAED. Create a development plan with

mixed and appropriate land uses that suggests changes to

land-use regulaon.

Leverage the RAAED study to encourageand promote ongoing planning efforts

Not occurring in the isolaon, the RAAEDss place in downtown

is complemented by other planning and development eorts

in the area, including the Disllery District, the Town Branch

Cultural District, CentrePointe and the Streetscape Master

Plan. The Development Plan should have a thorough awareness

of these ongoing eorts and make suggesons about how the

RAAED will t into the larger vision for downtown Lexington.

The Development Plan should set the tone for the quality and

character of future developments.

Ensure that the district faci l ities aremindful of ongoing mainteneance andsustainabil ity.

The success of the facilies of the RAAED area and its

public space will succeed only to the extent that they are

maintained and serviced. The large performing arts and

exhibion spaces needs service entrances and back-of-house

access. The streetscapes need landscaping and upkeep. New

parking structures need clear and thorough management.

The Development Plan should ensure that all planning and

design suggesons will not compromise the maintenance

of the districts assets and that a high level of sustainable

development best pracces are incorporated.

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Credit: Spacegroup/MIR


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Looking southwest across Triangle Park toward the re-

imagined Rupp Arena. The public space out front allows

for pre/post game acvity and new retail/commercial

opportunies.

Credit: Spacegroup/MIR


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FINANCE & IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

To achieve this transformaonal project, the following implementaon strategies are

recommended:

1) Hire dedicated sta and consultants under the Lexington Center

Corporaon to carry out the project.

a) Project Director

b) Project Planner

c) Program Manager

d) Legal/Bond Counsel

2) Create an advocacy and fundraising organizaon (the Town Branch

Partnership) for all projects along the proposed Town Branch

Commons, from the Disllery District to East End.a) Private Fundraising

b) Grant Wring

c) Advocacy

d) Events & Awareness

e) Communicaons

3) Create a detailed Business Plan for project nancing.

a) Economic Impact Analysis

b) TIF Feasibility

c) Financial Feasibilityd) First Bapst Feasibility (by others)

e) School for the Creave and Performing Arts Feasibility (by others)

4) Solicit and hire design and construcon professionals for Rupp Arena,

the Convenon Center and Town Branch Park.

a) Surveyor/Engineer/Environmental Engineer

b) Criteria Package Architect for Convenon Center

c) Design/Build Team for Convenon Center

d) Architect/Landscape Architect/Engineer for Rupp Arena, Town Branch Park

e) Construcon Manager-at-Risk for Rupp Arena, Town Branch Park

5) Solicit a Private Sector Development Partner(s) to build private

development in High St Lot, along Main St.

a) Housingb) Retail

c) Hotel

d) Commercial

e) Infrastructure

6) Create a detailed Financing Plan/Bond Package by exploring and

conrming the following potenal funding sources:

a) Ticket Revenue

b) Stock Oering

c) Adversing/Sponsorship Revenued) Concert/Event/Concessions Revenue

e) Facility Fee/Lease Revenue

f) Ground Leases/Sales

g) Local Funds (Parking, Water/Sewer, Parks, Others)

h) Hotel/Motel Occupancy

i) State General Funds/Economic Development Funds

j) State Road Funds

k) State Tourism Tax Incenves

l) TE/CMAQ Grants

m) TIF Revenuen) New Market Tax Credits

o) Other


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rupp arena task force report

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