City officials took their meeting on the road Tuesday, touring several major construction projects across Owensboro during a special-called meeting of the Owensboro Board of Commissioners.
Instead of gathering in the Commission Chambers, commissioners boarded a trolley at City Hall and visited active project sites around the city. The meeting was not livestreamed.
Assistant City Manager Lelan Hancock said construction on the City’s new indoor sports facility is progressing well, with major structural work already completed.
“The sports facility is up and out of the ground and looking good,” Hancock said. “All of the concrete work inside is finished, and within the next couple of weeks, the heating unit should be set, and the building envelope closed in.”
Once the structure is sealed, crews will begin conditioning the interior to remove humidity and prepare for the installation of the hardwood playing surfaces. The facility will feature seven courts.
“They’ll start conditioning the building to dry the concrete and pull the humidity out,” Hancock said. “That will make room by the end of April for the floor to be delivered, and it will sit for a period of time to acclimate before they start laying it.”
The courts will feature high-grade hardwood, which Hancock said was chosen to meet the expectations of basketball and volleyball players and tournament organizers.
City officials are currently targeting a July opening, though Hancock noted the timeline remains dependent on weather and construction progress.
Hancock said the facility is already drawing interest from tournament organizers and could bring a wide range of events to Owensboro.
“You’ve got cornhole, archery, dance, cheer, pickleball — everything that can go on in there,” Hancock said. “There’s a lot of interest from travel groups because it will be a nice facility and it’s close to downtown hotels, restaurants, and other things to do.”
Commissioners also received an update on the City’s new Fire Station No. 3, which Hancock said is nearing completion.
“Most of the exterior work is finished, and you’ll see exterior lights and signage going up for Station 3,” Hancock said.
The station will feature modern firefighter health and safety measures, including decontamination areas designed to limit exposure to harmful substances encountered during firefighting.
“Cancer prevention is a huge push across the country in the fire industry,” Hancock said. “This station allows firefighters to decontaminate their gear and themselves before going into their living quarters, which helps them work and live in a healthier environment.”
The station was also designed with future growth in mind as development continues on Owensboro’s east side.
“That station serves a growing part of the City,” Hancock said. “As those neighborhoods continue to develop, that area will keep expanding.”
Another major project moving forward is the new Senior Community Center of Owensboro-Daviess County. Hancock said construction is progressing steadily, with drywall work underway inside the building.
“You’re seeing drywall being hung and finished on the interior now,” Hancock said. “Next up will be painting.”
The project is expected to open in September, a timeline Hancock said remains on track.
Meanwhile, construction is continuing on a new pickleball complex at Ben Hawes Park. Parks Director Amanda Rogers said the facility will feature more than a dozen courts along with amenities designed to support tournaments and community gatherings.
“We’ve got 18 courts here,” Rogers said. “We’ll have a food truck and social area, power and water access, and the ability to make renovations to the restrooms.”
Rogers said the goal is to have the complex completed by mid- to late summer.
The pickleball project is being built through a partnership between the City and River City Pickleball Inc., which has committed up to $700,000 toward the facility through fundraising and sponsorship efforts.
City officials have said the complex will expand recreational opportunities while also positioning Owensboro to host regional pickleball tournaments.
In addition to the projects visited during Tuesday’s tour, commissioners also discussed the 121-acre Massie Property, which the City purchased in 2025 as part of its long-term economic development strategy.
Officials say the site could become one of the City’s next major industrial locations as available acreage at the Owensboro AirPark becomes increasingly limited.
“We’ve submitted this site several times already, and now that the City owns it, we’re hoping to make it pad-ready,” Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Brad Davis said previously. “That means site studies, entrance and egress improvements off Parrish Avenue, and potentially grading to prepare for construction.”
GOEDC has applied for $1 million through the Kentucky Product Development Initiative to support early infrastructure work at the site. Officials say utilities are already located near the property, and its proximity to the bypass makes it attractive to prospective industry.
City officials say the combination of recreational investments and industrial development projects reflects Owensboro’s continued growth and long-term planning efforts.
