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State awards $16 million for Bowling Green Riverfront Park; commission accepts funds
Summary
City staff announced a $16 million state appropriation for phase four of Riverfront Park (House Bill 900), allocated $8 million per fiscal year across two years; commission approved acceptance and staff said the funding will enable completion of park phases within five years.
Jeff Meisel told the commission that the Kentucky General Assembly included $16 million for phase four of Bowling Green’s Riverfront Park project through House Bill 900 — $8 million per fiscal year for two years. Staff said phase four covers the park area to the right of the river bridge (as viewed from River Street) and that the grant will allow completion of all four park phases within five years; phase one already has broken ground.
Why it matters: The appropriation commits a substantial state investment to a long-running local project and is intended to accelerate construction of playgrounds, turf fields and riverfront amenities that staff said will serve families and attract events.
Vote and next steps: The commission unanimously authorized acceptance of the funds and asked parks staff to coordinate project phasing and reporting; staff committed to quarterly updates and to coordinate with state legislators on implementation details.
Speakers and context: Parks director Brent Belchure and city staff thanked state lawmakers and thanked volunteers and partners who researched the park’s historic resources. The riverfront appropriation was discussed alongside other FY27 budget items during the meeting.
