With two massive renovation projects—each at or approaching half a billion dollars—Louisville, Kentucky, has much to raise its bourbon snifters to, and its generous pour of offsite venues is nothing to sniff at, either.
“The Kentucky Exposition Center is undergoing a $400 million renovation over the next couple of years that will result in it being the sixth-largest facility of its type in the U.S.,” said Cleo Battle, president and CEO of Louisville Tourism. “Other renovation news includes a $500 million project at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport that will convert the facility to geothermal energy and upgrade ticket counters, the baggage claim area and jet bridges and walkways.”
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The other big news on the Louisville meetings front was the April 2025 opening of the elegant Hotel Bourré Bonne, a Hilton Curio Collection property, bringing 168 guest rooms, 11,000 square feet of meeting space and an event-friendly rooftop bar and restaurant to the city.
Speaking of bourbon, or Bourré Bonne, as the case may be, Louisville offers nearly 25 bourbon experiences that get locals and visitors alike bellied up to the bar to enjoy the mellow, brown elixir that has earned Kentucky a top-shelf reputation worldwide.
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“What’s really neat about these experiences is they’re built by bourbon companies, but they’re building them for the visitor experience,” Battle offered. “When you think about our destination, it’s hotels, it’s distilleries, it’s the airport, it’s the Expo Center. We’ve got a lot going on in our community; folks are invested in the future of trying to bring meetings, conventions, events and leisure visitors to Louisville.”
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4 Outstanding Offsite Event Venues in Louisville
Billed as “The Urban Bourbon Experience,” Louisville boasts scores of whiskey-related activity options, including distilleries, tasting rooms, the Urban Bourbon Trail (which begins in the city) and even hidden speakeasies scattered throughout town.
WhistlePig’s new Louisville flagship, The Vault, is set in a 1911 historic bank. Born from an off-the-grid craft rye, bourbon and single-malt whiskey operation in Vermont, its brand-new, 5,000-square-foot Louisville venue boasts a cocktail that’s mixed in an old bank pneumatic tube system. Tastings are by appointment only. The Vault also offers dedicated event space.
This fascinating venue is located in the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), which is undergoing a $55 million renovation and expansion expected to wrap in 2026. The APH offers 100,000 square feet of meeting space and the new Dot Experience celebrates the first-person experiences of blindness, including exhibits such as Helen Keller’s desk and archives and Stevie Wonder’s piano.
Named for native son Ali, “The Greatest of All Time” boxer, exhibits and collections commemorate the life and legacy of the legend, including his unflinching dedication to civil rights. Located downtown, the center offers six meeting venues, including an auditorium and the outdoor Brown-Forman Pavilion.
Getting There
Louisville is served by Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF), located approximately six miles from downtown. The airport offers nonstop service to 35 destinations on eight airlines, and more than 460 destinations worldwide via a one-stop flight.
Connection
