A Jewel for Louisville

The state-of-the-art Louisville Urban League Sports and Learning Campus is an essential element in the changing landscape of Louisville’s West End. This history-making development is making a lasting community, economic, environmental, educational, and health and well-being impact for generations to come.

On what was once an uninhabitable brownfield, now sits the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center, a world-class facility that fills a void in the local, regional, national, and international track and field community. Spurring economic and community growth for Black businesses and families, this development is igniting a culture of change that passes asset and wealth building down to future generations.

Ground was broken for the facility at 30th Street and West Muhammad Ali Boulevard in late August 2019, and the indoor facility was completed in February 2021. The ribbon was cut on the Humana Outdoor Track and Field in June 2021. The 24-acre, multi-sport complex located in Louisville’s Russell neighborhood, hosts a variety of local, regional and national track meets, other sporting events, concerts and community programming. The facility features 90,000 square-feet of floor space with a 4,000 seat, 200-meter banked indoor track and competition areas for all jumps, vaults and throws and the aforementioned 400-meter outdoor track.

At a moment’s notice, the indoor track’s Mondo hydraulic floor can be lowered to provide space to add a stage and floor seating to host concerts and a variety of other events. Additionally, the complex includes a 4-lane mini-bowling alley, an interactive rock-climbing wall and a multi-purpose space that is used for educational programming for the Louisville community. The campus is managed by the world’s largest sports and live entertainment venue managers, ASM Global.

Reflecting on the importance of the campus before it opened, ASM Global Louisville’s General Manager, Eric Granger, had this to say about the project, “This truly is a jewel for Louisville. Not only will it fill the need for an indoor track facility in this region, it will bring a variety of exciting entertainment and educational options and provide a huge economic impact to the surrounding community. We are thrilled to work with the Louisville Urban League and the Louisville Sports Commission to bring this vision to life.”

The Louisville Sports Commission works with ASM Global to secure track and field events for the venue and anticipates a growing demand. The regional draw of the facility is increasing hotel stays and visitor spending in the area, bringing a large economic impact to the Louisville region.

“Through the collective vision and hard work of many, we are embarking on a new era of sports in Louisville,” said LSC President and CEO Karl Schmitt Jr. “Over time, there will be a wide range of indoor track and field events at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center, from youth competition for beginners to championships at the highest level. In year one, every available weekend is booked with either college, high school, youth, or adult events.”

The Louisville Urban League and its partners look forward to building on this strong foundation for the benefit of the community we have served for the last 100 years.

While We Were Building