LOUISVILLE, Ky. – If visitors to the National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) notice signs of renovation taking place on the grounds, they’re not just seeing things.

One year ago, Kentucky Venues broke ground during the 120th Kentucky State Fair on the largest expansion and renovation project in its history. Attendees of this year’s NFMS will see Phase I of the Kentucky Exposition Center’s $460 million transformation well underway.

“Beyond the excitement inside our exhibit halls, guests will notice the largest expansion and renovation in the Kentucky Exposition Center’s history taking shape on the northwest side of the property,” said David Beck, president and CEO of Kentucky Venues.

“By this time next year, our National Farm Machinery Show attendees will be among the first to experience the expanded show footprint of the new building. This strategic investment by the Kentucky General Assembly to grow the Kentucky Exposition Center into the nation’s fifth-largest facility of its kind underscores our shared commitment to keep these shows thriving for generations to come.”

Phase I, a $180 million investment, will deliver a 277,2225-square-foot multi-purpose facility (equivalent to six football fields) designed to host livestock competitions, equine events, sporting tournaments, trade shows and conventions. 

 Earlier this year, Newmarket Hall, once home to livestock sales, was demolished to make way for this modern space. The new facility will feature dedicated washrooms, a milking parlor suite, multiple major entrances, food service areas, and flexible meeting rooms to support agriculture and convention clients.

Keys to the building will be handed over on Dec. 31, 2026, just in time for the 61st National Farm Machinery Show.

Visitors to the 2025 Kentucky State Fair experienced the first wave of site enhancements. The newly built Gate Four entrance off Crittenden Drive reopened with a 50 percent increase in traffic lanes, expanded areas, digital signage, and the largest on-site queueing capacity of any entrance. Renovation of Gate 2 is nearly complete.

Looking ahead, Phase II will be a $213 million redevelopment of the West Wing, West Hall and Pavilion. This part of the project will add 249,000 square feet of interconnected Class A exhibit space, expansive pre-function lobbies, additional meeting rooms, and 40,000 square feet of upgraded food and beverage operations. Construction is anticipated to take 18 to 24 months and will follow the completion of Phase I.

The renovation is ideal for livestock shows, Beck said, and will include eight wash stations and one outdoor wash area. The facility will include trench drains for efficient water management, non-slip grooved concrete flooring, permanent tie-rails at multiple heights for different species, radiant heaters for year-round comfort and direct access to outdoor holding pens via overhead doors.

The Expo Hall will bring authentic farm experiences, with an exhibitor milking room with viewing windows, a milk tank room for hygienic storage, small office for supervision and record-keeping, grooved concrete floors for cow traction and multiple wall hydrants for thorough cleaning.

“These improvements go far beyond bricks and mortar, they are an investment in Kentucky’s future,” Beck said. “They open doors for farmers, businesses, athletes and families, while solidifying the Commonwealth’s role as a national leader in agriculture, events and tourism.”