LOUISVILLE, Feb. 13, 2015 — The massive project to enlarge and renovate the downtown Kentucky International Convention Center is set to begin in August 2016 and is targeted for completion in mid-2018, reports Sheldon Shafer of the Courier-Journal. Clifford “Rip” Rippetoe, fair board president and CEO, said that an accelerated schedule has been put in place, with a top priority to keep the project on schedule and within budget. The $180 million investment will increase the downtown center’s exhibit space from 146,000 square feet to more than 200,000 square feet, all within the existing footprint.