The Central Bank Center (formerly known as Lexington Center) is an entertainment, convention and sports complex located on an 11-acre (45,000 m2) site in downtown Lexington, Kentucky.[1] It features a convention center, the Hyatt Regency Hotel, and Rupp Arena. It opened in 1976.[2]

Central Bank Center
The Shops at Lexington Center
Map
Former namesLexington Civic Center
Lexington Center
Location430 West Vine Street
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
OwnerLexington–Fayette Urban County Government
OperatorLexington Center Corporation
SurfaceMulti-surface
Construction
Opened1976
General contractorHunt Construction

On January 27, 2020, it was announced that Lexington Center's overall naming rights were sold to Central Bank, a local community bank, by the Lexington Center Corporation and JMI Sports, which handles the multimedia rights for both the LCC and the University of Kentucky. The Rupp name will continue to receive primacy in the fourteen-year agreement for the arena portion of the complex, and be known as "Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center".[3]

Components

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Interior of Opera House, 1898
  • Rupp Arena, which at its opening in 1976 was the world's largest indoor arena, originally held 24,000. For much of the next 40-plus years, it remained the largest (by capacity) in the U.S. built specifically for basketball. During the 2019 basketball offseason, the capacity was reduced to 20,545 when nearly half of the original upper-level bleachers were replaced with chairback seating.[4]
  • The 1,000-seat Lexington Opera House, located at the corner of Broadway and Short Streets.
  • A 366-room Hyatt Regency Hotel.
  • A 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) convention center.
  • 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2) of meeting rooms and ballrooms. [5]
  • Triangle Park

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Lexington Center." Lexington Center Corporation. Brochure.
  2. ^ Berman, Michelle. "The road east new business, new life at the other end of Main." 27 December 1987. Herald-Leader [Lexington]. 9 November 2006.
  3. ^ "It's Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center as naming rights agreement rebrands Lexington's premier spot". Northern Kentucky Tribune. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  4. ^ Pilgrim, Jack (October 8, 2019). "Rupp Arena Unveils New Upper-Level Chair Back Seats". Kentucky Sports Radio. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  5. ^ "Central Bank Center Facilities". Retrieved November 8, 2022.
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38°02′58″N 84°30′10″W / 38.04944°N 84.50278°W / 38.04944; -84.50278