KFC Yum! Center Opens to Fans, Fanfare

Louisville, KY — The long-awaited KFC Yum! Center in Louisville officially opened on October 10, 2010 with a grand opening ceremony on the outdoor plaza, followed by fans streaming into the facility, checking out the seats, and taking photos or shooting video of the building’s interior. According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, fan Terrence Lee said, “It’s mind-blowing. I’m overwhelmed.”

Mortenson’s latest sports facility was completed under budget and opened more than one month ahead of schedule. The earlier completion allowed the building owner to schedule more than a month of revenue-generating events that were not included in their original plan.

“I’m extremely proud of the team’s heroic effort to delight our customer and build what is sure to be considered the best arena in collegiate sports,” said Derek Cunz, vice president at Mortenson. “Their success in completing the project ahead of schedule is of great value to our customer and continues to solidify our position as the ‘Best Sports Builder in America.'”

The KFC Yum! Center is a 22,500-seat multipurpose venue and may be the largest in collegiate sports. It includes an underground parking garage and a Norton Healthcare urgent care clinic. Located in downtown Louisville along the waterfront, the facility is an integral part of a floodwall system that protects the city’s center from the cresting Ohio River each spring.

While the facility is the new home of the University of Louisville men’s and women’s basketball programs, it also is designed to accommodate a wide variety of other events including NCAA wrestling, swimming and volleyball, as well as concerts, circus, professional wrestling, boxing, and ice shows.