Local, state-level officials get update on new spec building and race track projects in Corbin

“It’s like The Field of Dreams… If you build it, they will come.” Those were the words of Senate President Robert Stivers Tuesday when he joined other local and state-level officials at the site of what will soon be the newest speculative building to be constructed inside the Southern Kentucky Business Park located just off the Corbin Bypass near the Knox and Whitley County line.

“You all have done a really good job working on this together,” Stivers said in reference to Southern Kentucky Economic Development Director Bruce Carpenter, Whitley County Judge Executive Pat White, Jr., Knox County Judge Executive Mike Mitchell, Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus, and others.

“This is not just a city or a county,” Stivers added. “We’re a region, and this is a good regional project that will bring a lot of jobs, opportunity and revenue to the area.”

According to Stivers, over 40 percent of all searches for industrial development in Kentucky is taking place along the I-75 corridor. “That is a big statistic when think about the state as a whole,” he said.

The site of the new spec building is located approximately 3.5 miles from I-75 Exit 25 in south Corbin.

Carpenter thanked Stivers for visiting the site Tuesday, as well as 82nd District State Rep. Nick Wilson, Southern Kentucky Industrial Authority Board Chairman Alvin Sharpe, Cetco Geologist Hunter Hawkins, MSE Civil Engineer Joe Cook, Mike Mills with True Contracting and the other previously mentioned local officials.

Carpenter said that the new spec building is currently in the design phase, and it will be built with the potential for expansion in mind.

“What we were seeing with some of the RFI’s (request for information) and RFP’s (request for proposal) that we were getting from companies was people saying they would like to have a manufacturing facility that is adjacent to a warehousing or distribution facility, so that is how this is getting designed,” Carpenter explained.

Carpenter had said previously that once construction on this new spec building begins, it will take approximately 12 months to complete.

Gen. Manager Henry Graffeo talks with Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus, Senate President Robert Stivers and Economic Development Director Bruce Carpenter

Cumberland Run update provided

After the visit to the site of the new spec building, Carpenter joined Stivers, Razmus and Mitchell at the rapidly evolving Cumberland Run racetrack facility located just around the corner on the Corbin Bypass.

While there, General Manager Henry Graffeo offered an update on the facility, saying the indoor portion that will include about 50 historical horse racing machines and a bar area should be opening up sometime in mid-to-late-July. He also said that the facility is being built so that expansion will be possible in the future, similar to the Cumberland – Mint in Williamsburg.

As for the race track, Graffeo said Cumberland Run is still on pace to be able to host races in mid-October, and that a total of 12 race days are slated to be held.

During their visit, Graffeo escorted Stivers and company through the nearby horse barn, which contains a total of 112 stalls for racing horses.