Lexington in Transition

It’s an amazing time to be living and working in Lexington, Kentucky. The city’s downtown sector has undergone many thematic changes over the years, from the busy district of family-owned shops, restaurants and department stores of the 1950’s and 60’s to the relatively moribund present state in which new residential and retail development is just emerging.

Recognizing the explosion of mall-based chain retail within and just outside the boundaries of Fayette County, a Downtown Entertainment Development Task Force was formed to support the growth of a competitive urban core distinguished by a variety of entertainment forms as well as an interesting arts scene that is a reflection of the city’s culture and character.

Created under the auspices of Vice Mayor Jim Gray, the task force is a response to both desire and concern.

By attracting members of the community representing a spectrum of interests who are willing to volunteer time, talent and effort, it’s evident that there is a shared and very strong desire among members of the business and professional communities, artists, civic activists, government leaders and residents in general to join cities worldwide that are experiencing an explosion of evening-hours economic development.

There are immediate concerns raised by the implications of winning the opportunity to become the first city outside of Europe to host the World Equestrian Games – the Equestrian Olympics. The event is expected to bring more than 600,000 international visitors to this medium size city over a 16-day period in 2010. What message about Lexington, Kentucky will be carried home by competitors and spectators from more than 80 nations?

There also is in our city a common long-term concern about Lexington’s role in today’s rapidly and often massively evolving national and world economies.

We’re in an “experience economy” these days in which “quality of life” is a measurement of a city’s attractiveness and, by extension, its competitiveness. The formation of the task force is an indication that Lexington is serious about working to retain the bright young talent its two universities are producing and to attract their peers from other areas of the planet. They are, after all, next in line to keep things up and running.

The task force is guided by the common belief that a future for Lexington’s downtown relies not on traditional retail but on its transformation into a desirable “destination” – a place that you just have to experience, where people flock to listen to live music, view and purchase art, shop in interesting boutiques, dine and just mingle and people-watch.

Lexington Fayette Urban County Government relies on a payroll tax for 83 percent of its operating revenues and is stressed to its fiscal limits in attempting to meet the demands of a bustling, growing, changing city. Under those circumstances, Lexington’s best hope of meeting the increasing demands brought by growth is to create more and better jobs.

Jobs creation relies on innovation. Today’s innovators are in their 20s and 30s and gravitate to cities that are accommodating to the arts and entertainment. They are looking for assurances that the city can offer not only decent employment, but also important urban amenities that offset the daily drill of working, commuting, rearing children and maintaining a home.

We are taking to heart the lessons provided by the experiences of other cities that have deliberately sought the enlightenment and pleasures of art and entertainment in their downtown areas: that achieving such goals demands sound, practical management strategies. And it requires the support of elected city officials who recognize music and nightlife as a viable economic resource in today’s world.

Safeguards will be created to prevent or mitigate many of the conflicts commonly experienced in hospitality zones, including safety, noise, trash and parking.

Creating such an environment will establish incentives for the development of extended-hour and mixed-use spaces as well as the recruitment of experienced business operators.