Horse Park Requests Additional $3.5 Million in State Funding

by Brenna Angel, Kentucky Public RadioThe executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park is anticipating one of the “best years ever” for the sprawling tourist attraction, despite significant financial hurdles. John Nicholson is hoping lawmakers will approve a spending plan that allocates an additional $3.5 million to the horse park.“The current financial situation that we’re dealing with in the General Assembly is not related to how we are doing now," Nicholson said. "It’s related to what happened in ’07, ’08, and ’09 when the great recession hit us --and hit us hard-- at the same time that we were expanding vigorously and had a great deal of construction here at the park.”The Kentucky House approved a spending plan that would help the horse park eliminate its budget deficit but would not increase funding for the next two fiscal years. The proposal is now being considered by the Senate.Nicholson says the horse park-- and state tax revenues-- will benefit from the dozens of competitions and events scheduled at the park this year.