Barring any last-minute political wrangling, $9.6 million will be included in the state budget to build a new conference center and entrance road at Audubon State Park.
The state Senate’s version of the budget passed late Wednesday night and included $8.575 million for construction of a new conference center. There’s also $1.025 million included for a road that meets at Watson Lane and will provide a second entrance.
It’s a huge victory for the local group, Friends of Audubon, which has been planning and advocating for a conference center at the park for at least 15 years, according to member Robbie Williams, who called it a “once in a generation opportunity.”
But it’s also a victory for local officials, including those with the city of Henderson, Henderson County government, Henderson Economic Development and Henderson Tourist Commission, all of whom made trips to Frankfort to lobby state officials for the funding, said Kurt Wilson, Friends of Audubon president.
Wilson called it “great news” and said the project will improve the appearance of the park by replacing a dilapidated beach house with the new two-story conference center. In addition to the other pieces of the project, the campground will also be expanded, Wilson said.
He said the new conference center will “bring awareness of nature to the public, which is part of the mission statement of the park.”
Williams said it will also be a driver for economic development.
“(The conference center will) create opportunities for people to visit Henderson, Kentucky, that otherwise would not have come to Henderson, Kentucky,” Williams said.
Similarly, local governmental officials all were excited about the news on Thursday.
“Sweet—with a bunch of e’s,” said Henderson City Commissioner Rodney Thomas. “It’ll put Audubon Park on the map. It’s really going to help the city of Henderson, too.”
Thomas pointed to the possibilities of increased tourism, which would help hotels and could also be a factor in investors building new hotels here.
According to Henderson Mayor Brad Staton, the conference center is the final piece—along with a new distillery that will be built on Main Street and the new sports complex on Airline Road—that will persuade hoteliers to invest here. Each of the developments could bring thousands more people to Henderson each year.
Henderson County Judge-Executive Brad Schneider said the conference center will fill a longtime community need.
“It’s meeting a need we have had for a big meeting space,” he said. “We’ve had this issue for many, many years.”
Another point Williams brought up was that the distance between Audubon and the nearest state park is greater than any other two parks in Kentucky, meaning “we don’t have many state parks in this region” and the park serves numerous counties “out here in the land of corn, soybeans and coal.”
“I think it’s a huge benefit to this region,” he said.
Henderson Tourist Commission Executive Director Abby Dixon said in an email to the Hendersonian that tourism dollars the conference center draws to the community will be significant.
Dixon cited a study done by Hunden Partners that said in the first year of the conference center being open there will be $1.35 million spending per year that occurs because of the center; by year five, that number will go up to $1.87 million.
“I’m very proud of the team that has come together to advocate for this dream that began with the Friends of Audubon many years ago– it’s a testament to the power of collaboration and vision,” Dixon said. “This center will be an amenity that enriches the lives of our residents, breathes new life into our state park, and serves as a valuable tool for bringing in visitors to our community, helping to fuel our growing tourism economy.”
Before construction can begin, geotechnical work and an environmental impact study must occur, and a memorandum of understanding between local governments and state agencies must be signed, officials said.
These negotiations and paperwork could take 12-15 months, said Henderson City Manager Buzzy Newman.
Staton said it could be 3-4 years before the construction is complete.
The allocation is contingent on matching funding from local governments. The city of Henderson and Henderson County Fiscal Court will need to come to an agreement on how the rest of the $15.2 million project—about $5.6 million, according to the Hendersonian’s figuring—will be funded.
Schneider’s not worried. “We’ll figure it out,” he said.
