Owensboro's on the move...

Downtown Update

Owensboro is moving aggressively to begin the rebuilding of our riverfront district and historic downtown. In February, 2009 the City of Owensboro and Daviess County Fiscal took unprecedented joint action and approved an $80 million dollar funding plan to implement our Downtown Master Plan.Included in that plan are:

• a new 100,000+ sq. ft. indoor events center. The new center is scheduled to open in 2013. Built to accommodate a wide variety of sporting events, concerts, trade shows and conventions the center will be the cornerstone piece of our downtown revitalization. In addition, a privately-owned convention center class hotel will be built adjacent to the events center.
• across from the new hotel and convention center the community is building a public plaza that will serve as the grand promenade from our main street to the signature fountain section of our new “destination” riverfront park.
• the new riverfront park is scheduled for completion in 2011 and will feature an outdoor children’s interactive park where visitors can learn about our river heritage through numerous interactive features. The park will also feature numerous water features including signature fountains and spray park venues for youngsters to frolic and play.
• several new restaurants are in the planning stages to offer visitors even more wonderful dining experiences in our downtown. Outside dining opportunities are being developed by our existing downtown dining establishments and our new restaurants will have the same focus. Downtown Owensboro offers delightful downtown dining experiences with a variety of menus and ambiance.
• by summer of this year you will see a “grand lawn” on the old Executive Inn sit. You will be able to wander over 20 acres along the Ohio River to picnic, enjoy family games, or just lie back and enjoy “the view”. Development plans for that site are underway and before long you will see some exciting things happening there including a facility that will allow boaters to dock and explore downtown Owensboro.
• over the 5 next years we anticipate several multi-million dollar private projects being development on our riverfront and in our downtown.

As excited as we are about our future, we are equally excited about what is already happening in downtown Owensboro. From the numerous Broadway shows presented in our RiverPark Center to simply strolling our historic downtown there is plenty to do to keep everyone in your family smiling and having a wonderful time in Downtown Owensboro. Come join us and watch the construction take place while you enjoy some of the finest shopping and dining experiences in the midwest.