LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Keeneland has been synonymous with the change to spring for nearly a century.
Folks are gearing up to return to the grounds, and racetrack leaders have been working hard to prepare for it.
That has run in tandem with ongoing construction.
“They’ve been really busy since January in taking down the old administrative building that will make way for hospitality spaces that will stretch from our south gate,” Keeneland employee and patron experience director Kara Heissenbuttel said.
“We are building new facilities that will be able to accommodate a greater number of our fans and provide enhanced experiences that we know our fans are looking for.”
Keeneland is still in the early stages of close to $100 million in renovations, which will take place over the next year and a half.
A three-story paddock and a two-story visitor center are among the additions waiting to be built.
While those are still far off, you’ll already notice some changes on the grounds.
Particularly as you enter the south grandstand gate, you notice some nostalgia has gone.
“We have removed our old admission booths. Those booths were a little bit large and cumbersome and slowed the process for entry for our patrons,” Heissenbuttel said.
“We’ve gone to self-scanning ticket booths as well as handheld scanners.”
Many of the changes are geared toward accommodating more patrons on the grounds and creating more efficient operations to make that happen.
While much of the visitor’s center area is a construction zone, there will be no drop-offs in front of the gate.
Keeneland leaders have organized a shuttle drop-off system to help streamline getting people safely onto the grounds.
“So fans will be dropped off at our shuttle depot just a few steps away, or they’ll walk from the meadow. At this point, we’ll be divided into two pedestrian walkways,” Heissenbuttel said.
“They’ll either go here to my right to go to the grandstand south entrance that many are familiar with, or they will go to my left and walk to the barn area at the north gate.”
It’s a lot of change in progress, but leaders are excited for what’s to come.
“We want to make sure that we’re both preserving racing’s rich history and what people come to expect here at Keeneland but also growing and changing to accommodate what our fans want,” Heissenbuttel said.
The renovations are expected to be done by September of 2025.
Also, Keeneland leaders stress that the construction will be moved to overnight hours during live races when people visit the grounds during Spring Meet.
To learn more about current parking at Keeneland, check the map above or click here.
