When Cleo Battle joined Louisville Tourism as executive vice president in 2013, he was drawn to what he describes as the city’s “great people and great bones as a strong meetings destination.” More than a decade later, those bones are getting even stronger. Louisville is increasingly appearing on consideration lists for a wide range of corporate and association meetings.
“The most dramatic shift has been how we’ve evolved into a meetings destination that feels more vibrant and compelling on arrival,” said Battle, who has served as CEO since 2021.
For attendees, the arrival often begins with a 10-minute drive from Muhammad Ali International Airport to Louisville’s downtown, which includes properties such as the new 168-room Hotel Bourré Bonne and the 122-room Hotel Genevieve, named one of Esquire’s Best New Hotels in 2024. The city boasts a downtown collection of more than 7,000 rooms within walking distance of the Kentucky International Convention Center, where planners can take advantage of more than 200,000 square feet of exhibit space and a 40,000-square-foot ballroom.
When the meeting wraps up for the day, attendees will step outside to discover a city in the midst of visible transformation. Downtown Louisville is undergoing continued development, with $2.5 billion in investment across 80 major projects, including new hotel rooms, retailers, restaurants, bars, and attractions that will enhance the attendee experience.
“Louisville has moved into a different category,” Battle said.
Even as the city evolves, it has retained a defining part of its appeal. “We’ve achieved that momentum without pricing ourselves out or losing our personality,” Battle said. “Louisville still feels approachable. Many cities are either exciting or easy to navigate. Louisville is both.”
Easy Arrival and a Downtown Built for Meetings
Part of Louisville’s appeal as a walkable meetings destination is rooted in the Bluegrass State’s most recognizable export. Attendees arriving in the city can explore the history of bourbon across more than a dozen distilleries and tasting rooms, including Old Forester, Angel’s Envy, and a recently opened WhistlePig brand outpost, The Vault, housed in a historic bank.
The key selling point for meeting planners is proximity: Louisville is the world’s only walkable spirits destination, allowing groups to move between venues without relying on shuttle bus logistics.
That layout has enabled planners to rethink the structure of off-site events. Some opt for curated downtown experiences that blend architecture, food, and spirits into a program designed to unfold in stages.
“Instead of one big reception, the group moves in chapters: a welcome toast, a local bite, a short cultural stop, then a final gathering space with live bluegrass music,” Battle said. “It works because it’s immersive, and it has that ‘only-in-Louisville’ quality.”
When those events conclude, Louisville’s compact downtown continues to shape the attendee experience. “Attendees don’t feel trapped in a hotel box. They feel like they’re in a city built for discovery,” he continued.
Unique Venues That Reflect Louisville’s Identity
Beyond giving attendees reason to explore on their own, Louisville offers planners a range of one-of-a-kind venues that help groups connect with the city’s character in more deliberate ways. Last Refuge, for example, sits in a converted 1880s church that retains its stained glass and vaulted ceilings, serving as the flagship tasting space for Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Whiskey.
For planners looking to take their groups beyond downtown, Hermitage Farm, located about 30 minutes from the city, includes a farm-to-table restaurant, art installations, bourbon tastings, and tours to meet the thoroughbred horses that may one day compete at the legendary Churchill Downs — the home of the Kentucky Derby.
Churchill Downs itself has become a natural setting for elevated VIP experiences. From opening a reception with the “Call to the Post” performed by the Derby’s bugler to meeting horse trainers who can offer betting tips, events there provide a rare combination of history, spectacle, and access.
“It’s not just about hosting an event at an iconic place,” Battle said. “It’s about letting attendees step into the tradition themselves.”
What’s Next for Meetings and Conventions in Louisville
As attendees step into that sense of tradition, Louisville is also emerging as a meetings and events destination with national and global relevance. The destination earned the title of Destination of the Year from Groups Today in 2024, and several major associations, including the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and the American Physiological Society, have selected Louisville for their annual meetings over the next three years.
Despite this momentum, the city is focused on what comes next. A slate of upcoming investments reflects a broader effort to expand the attendee experience while reinforcing accessibility and ease of arrival.
By the end of 2026, the Kentucky Exposition Center will debut a new 350,000-square-foot multi-purpose facility — the first chapter in a $460 million multi-phase expansion.
For off-site experiences, The DOT Museum, housed in the American Printing House for the Blind, is also set to open its doors this year, offering what AFAR has described as “a quest to create the most accessible museum in the world,” aligning closely with the growing emphasis on inclusion among meeting planners. Meanwhile, the Louisville Zoo is planning an expansion that includes a Kentucky-style safari with bison, elk, and other wildlife, along with a new restaurant and event space. And the Muhammad Ali International Airport is undergoing a $500 million renovation aimed at improving both the traveler experience and sustainability, including a transition to geothermal energy.
“The future is about continuing to raise the bar,” Battle said. “It’s about bringing more creativity to how meetings plug into our culture and continuing to invest in smart infrastructure. We want Louisville to stay in that sweet spot: fresh and exciting, but still human, still welcoming, and still a great value.”
Learn more about planning meetings in Louisville and submit an RFP at gotolouisville.com/meeting-planners.
This content was created collaboratively by Louisville Tourism and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.
