Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky.
A new 10-year partnership between Levy Restaurants and the Kentucky State Fair Board is expected to bring fresh, local produce and meats to Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky.
On Sept. 9, Levy Restaurants was named the exclusive food and beverage provider for the year-round venue, and concessionaire officials hope to bring farm-raised food and protein to expo center events and the Kentucky State Fair.
The partnership takes effect on Oct. 2.
“It’s a great facility with very, very diverse clientele,” said Lee Ward, director of operations for Levy Restaurants. “Being a year-round facility means you have a very strong team that understands goals both in creative food and on the service side. We’re going to be investing a lot of money into the infrastructure of the concessions to cook more fresh (local) products and getting rid of frozen items. ”
Ward declined to give a figure on the investment, stating only that it’s substantial.
The facility has a wide-range of conferences and events each year, including the state fair. Yet, it’s not a traditional fairgrounds, Ward said.
“It’s really a very large convention center that happens to host the Kentucky State Fair,” he said.
The Kentucky Expo Center sits on 500 acres and has 1.2 million sq. ft. of exhibit hall space with 675,000 sq. ft. of Class A, prime exhibit space. It also has an 18,000-seat arena called Freedom Hall and an amusement park.
The Kentucky State Fair Board accounts for more than $482 million in annual economic impact to the area, according to the venue.
“We just see great things coming out of this partnership,” said Amanda Storment, vice president of communications at the expo center.
The fair board and employees are excited that Levy Restaurants will tout the Kentucky Proud emblem, which is a campaign that encourages Kentucky residents to buy locally, shop locally and support local farmers.
“Having a partner that understands the local food options is a tremendous partnership,” Storment said. “We have seasoned employees here at the Kentucky Expo Center, and we know that Levy is no stranger to large convention centers.”
Levy currently serves 14 convention centers across the United States.
Ward will lead the hospitality team in Kentucky — a job that the company’s CEO said will go well.
“There is an elevated focus on food, beverage and hospitality as an essential aspect of the overall convention center experience, and we are thrilled to partner with the fair board to spotlight local flavors at the Kentucky Exposition Center,” Levy Restaurants President and CEO Andy Lansing said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming show managers, exhibitors and attendees alike with an enhanced experience that reflects the best of what Louisville, Kentucky, has to offer.”
Ward plans on showcasing food in a different way, meaning that instead of using traditional chafing dishes that cover the food, he plans on using decorative pans with heating lamps.
“A lot of investment is going to go into catering where we’ll be displaying our food in a way that let’s the food shine,” he said. “There’s going to be some significant capital investments.”
Additionally, Levy has contracted with farmers to grow radishes, squash and tomatoes — to name a few. Levy will also be expanding the portable food options throughout the expo center, Ward said.
On the beverage side, Ward wants to showcase Kentucky’s robust bourbon industry by creating a portable that promotes and highlights different flavors of the bourbon business in Kentucky and Louisville, he noted.
Ward recently led Levy Restaurants in operating the popular Louisville venue Churchhill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Ward said of the expo center partnership.
Interviewed for this story: Lee Ward, (281) 831-5877; Amanda Storment, (502)367-5180