One of the biggest employers in Louisville, Humana, occupied one of the most recognizable towers in that city since it opened in 1985—it became known as the Humana Tower.
But the company moved its operations a few blocks to the renovated Waterside Building in 2024. Now, the new plan for the Humana Tower has been revealed.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced in early February that construction will begin in 2027 on a 1,000-room hotel that will serve as the headquarters property for the Kentucky International Convention Center less than two blocks away. The hotel is expected to be open by 2030.
With the 1,310-room Galt House Hotel also two blocks from the convention center, a new 1,000-room hotel will expand the universe of citywide events that can come to Louisville. The 620-room Louisville Marriott Downtown is in the neighborhood as well.
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"A convention-headquarters hotel like this puts Louisville on a different map than we currently are on," said Hank Hillebrand, president of hotel development firm Poe Companies, according to this article from WHAS 11 in Louisville. "As far as a meeting space goes, this building will have 100,000-plus square feet, including a 40,000-square-foot ballroom."
"We host an event bigger than the Super Bowl every year already,” he added, referring to the Kentucky Derby. “So, we have the infrastructure, we have the people, we have the know-how to host big events in this town. That's what we're really good at.”
Further, Mayor Greenberg said the new convention hotel would not only attract more people to Louisville, but also “bigger and better events, conventions and festivals. …It’s going to help both the convention center and [Kentucky Exposition Center] by the airport to bring new events here that wouldn’t come without a 1,000-room hotel.”
