Lexington, Louisville to partner in effort to attract regional economic development

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky's two largest cities plan to study ways they can partner to attract regional economic development.

Mayors from both cities say they specifically are interested in becoming more competitive in advanced manufacturing, such as the automobile industry.

Lexington Mayor Jim Gray and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer noted that the region already has two Ford plants and a Toyota plant, but said there is room for more.

Businessman Jim Host has been chosen to lead an 18-month study that will be undertaken by a committee appointed by the mayors. Host told the Lexington Herald-Leader he expects the first meeting to be in August or September.

Host, who lives in Lexington, oversaw development of the KFC Yum Center in downtown Louisville. He said being involved with that project helped him learn a good deal about Louisville.

"Up until last October, I drove every day from Lexington to Louisville to work on that facility and drove back at night," he said. "I've learned what makes Louisville work and have felt for many years that the Lexington-Louisville corridor should be like the Dallas-Fort Worth corridor."

Host said the formal partnership of the two cities will build on an informal one that began a few years ago.

"These two communities have always been at opposite poles, and it's crazy in this state for these two communities to not work together," Host said.

The Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy research firm in Washington, D.C., will assist the committee with the study and Laura Chandler, who worked with Host on the Louisville Arena Authority, will be the project manager.

The mayors plan to explain more about the study and its goals during luncheons next month in Louisville and Lexington.

Host said the study will have statewide significance.

"There's nothing more important to this state than the cooperation between Lexington and Louisville," he said. "Forty cents of every tax dollar generated in Louisville helps the rest of Kentucky, and 20 cents of every tax dollar generated in Lexington helps the rest of Kentucky.

"The better we can help economic development in the two cities, the better it helps the state.