Charles E. Higginbotham

This strategic plan aims to support the promotion and development of Kentucky's tourism, arts, and heritage sectors to foster economic growth, education, and employment throughout the commonwealth. The vision is to create a flourishing quality of life for Kentuckians and welcome diverse visitors by offering premier experiences, preserving natural beauty and cultural heritage, and ensuring tourism's critical role in a thriving statewide economy. Key goals include growing Kentucky's economy through tourism development, protecting and strengthening local communities via collaboration, investing in education and workforce development, respecting Kentucky's history and heritage, ensuring operational excellence, and strengthening branding pillars to position Kentucky as an iconic U.S. destination.

The meeting covered various topics, including an update from the Kentucky Historical Society about upcoming events, particularly the Kentucky History Day celebration on June 1st. Discussion included staffing updates, the success of the state budget appropriations, particularly a capital project for the old state capitol and a grant program. The administrator's report highlighted staffing gaps, the need to refine the oral history coordinator position description, and ongoing grant processes. Challenges with the "Pass the Word" project website and its accessibility were also discussed, prompting a suggestion to re-evaluate its deployment strategy.

The Nominating Committee discussed the process for nominating new board members, focusing on filling expiring terms. The committee reviewed the current board's demographic makeup, considering diversity metrics such as geographic representation, race, gender, and profession. Discussion included strategies for attracting younger members and ensuring representation from underrepresented regions of Kentucky. The committee also discussed the status of archive recovery efforts following a flood in Eastern Kentucky and planned to provide an update at a future meeting.

The Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority (KTDFA) meeting will consider a request for final approval for Louisville Pickleball, LLC's entertainment facility project in Jefferson County, and requests for preliminary approval for Maker's Mark Distillery's entertainment facility project in Marion County and Rabbit Hole Spirits, LLC's entertainment facility project in Jefferson County. Each project proposal includes details on estimated costs, potential sales tax rebates, and projected visitor demographics.

The meeting involved the selection of a temporary chairperson. The agenda likely included discussions and presentations from various entities, including Atrium TRS II, LP; GN Event Hospitality, LLC; Hunden Partners; and TAH. Specific topics of discussion are not detailed in the provided excerpt.