LEXINGTON, KY (April 21, 2002) – Local and state leaders today celebrated the grand opening and dedication of the Central Bank Center. Completion of the $310 million Central Bank Center expansion project comes after over 10 years of planning and construction. The project includes a 100,000 plus square-foot exhibit hall space, a 25,000 square-foot multi-purpose ballroom, 16 meeting rooms of various sizes, configurations totaling 30,000 square feet and over 50,000 square feet of hospitality dining areas. Renovations to historic Rupp Arena include conversion of most of the bench seating in the upper tier to chair back seating and enlarged concourses. A new iconic architectural facade replaces the “big box” look of the original 1976 building.