There’s a fresh stadium experience coming for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby.
There’s a fresh stadium experience coming for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. As part of a multi-year upgrade to the venue, the 2023 event on May 6 debuts the new First Turn Experience, a 50,000-square-foot hospitality space with an indoor area, trackside viewing and 5,100 additional stadium seats.
As part of the planned upgrades at the Louisville site, Churchill Downs has worked with architect Populous to create a fresh approach while hosting 150,000 guests each year for the Kentucky Derby. The projects started in 2015 and will culminate with updates for the 2024 event. But for 2023, the $90 million First Turn Experience leads the show.
The new area includes a 2,000-person capacity indoor space dubbed the First Turn Club with an open floorplan meant to be « grand and intimate, » Populous says. The premium space was designed with a modern touch in mind. Upon entry, a grand central bar features a mixed metal front and plenty of audio and visual experiences with a 360-degree wraparound LED screen visible from every vantage point. In a nod to the Kentucky Derby’s drink of choice, the mint julep, custom brass shelving above the bar will include live mint plants and bourbon bottles.
