The new Paddock experience at Churchill Downs
Louisville, Ky.
BEST PROJECT
Sent by: Calhoun Building Services
Owner: Churchill Downs
Main design company: village
General contractor: Calhoun Building Services
Civil Engineer: QK4
Structural Engineer: Walter P Moore
MEP Engineer: ME Engineers
The paddock at a racetrack is where thoroughbreds are driven before a race to show off their power as they are saddled and the jockey takes the mount. The Churchill Downs Paddock Experience project turned a simple viewing venue into an immersive experience.
Photo by Jeff Palmquist
Several new amenities include a horseshoe-shaped structure with a spacious second-level patio under the shadows of the twin spiers and covered seating flanking the promenade ring, accented by two massive video boards, two new clubs offering views of the stalls and paddock and the Twin Spire suites.
Photo by Denise Jewell
The project team’s most significant feat was exposing the original architecture of the 1895 grandstands where patrons can once again admire the original look of the twin spiers.
Photo by Jeff Palmquist
The horses at Churchill Downs always race on the first Saturday in May, so the team faced an inflexible schedule that required seven-day work weeks and 12-hour days. Effective schedule management and business flow were also crucial to the project’s success.
Photo by Jeff Palmquist
