The City of Owensboro is continuing its investment in downtown development with the purchase of property at 315 Walnut Street, located adjacent to the block that will house the new indoor sports facility.
The Owensboro Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a municipal order authorizing the purchase from Trifecta LLC. City Manager Nate Pagan said the property will be used primarily for parking and future development opportunities as the surrounding area grows.
“We already own roughly just over 80% of that block,” Pagan said. “This particular home became available — it was vacant and the owner was willing to sell — so it made sense to go ahead and purchase it.”
According to the municipal order, the property is being acquired “for the purpose of expanding parking in downtown Owensboro.” Pagan said the site will likely serve as surface parking in the short term but could support other uses in the future.
“Boardwalk Pipeline uses a portion of that block now, and we’ll use part of it for downtown and sports facility parking,” Pagan said. “Purchasing the property gives us flexibility down the road if we ever want to do something different with that land.”
The purchase comes as groundwork continues just east of the site for the city’s 88,000-square-foot indoor sports facility, which broke ground in August 2024 and is slated for completion next summer.
The facility, located at 3rd and Cedar streets, will feature multiple basketball and volleyball courts, a modular turf field for sports such as futsal, pickleball, cornhole, cheerleading, and archery, and a 9,200-square-foot mezzanine for spectators.
Assistant City Manager Lelan Hancock emphasized the project’s long-term impact on local tourism and the economy, comparing early skepticism about the sports complex to initial doubts about the Greenbelt Trail.
“Sports tourism generates significant revenue for communities,” Hancock said. “Just like the Greenbelt has become one of Owensboro’s most popular amenities, we expect this facility to have a lasting positive impact.”
The new facility will be managed by OVG 360, which also oversees the Owensboro Convention Center, Sportscenter, and RiverPark Center.
