November 21, 2008 — The American Morgan Horse Institute (AMHI) Board of Trustees adopted a resolution to build an American Morgan Horse Pavilion at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., with a targeted opening of spring 2010. The AMHA offices and the National Museum of the Morgan Horse will remain headquartered in Shelburne, Vt.
A committee of AMHI trustees has been appointed to oversee the project.
Designed by award-winning architect and Morgan owner Kee Fu of Dragonsmeade horse farm in Winchester, Ky., the main level of the 15,000 square foot pavilion will house an immersive theater; exhibits highlighting the Morgan in history, in art, in sport and the Morgan today; interactive kiosks showcasing Morgan farms throughout the nation and a gift shop. The upper level of the pavilion will include offices and a conference room that can be adapted to a classroom for hosting meetings and workshops. The pavilion will be surrounded by a traditional Kentucky stone fence and a pathway leading to a Legacy Garden.
A capital campaign has been initiated to raise the $5 million required to build and furnish the pavilion and theater, to develop and place the exhibits, and to landscape the Legacy Garden. This includes an endowment that will supplement the admission fees to support the operation, maintenance and ongoing development of the facility and exhibits.
“The American Morgan Horse Pavilion at the Kentucky Horse Park is a project that everyone in the Morgan world can participate in…from visiting the facility, to placing a brick in the Legacy Garden in honor of a beloved Morgan or equestrian friend, to sponsoring the immersive theater and other naming opportunities in the pavilion,” said Linda Hall of Carriage House Promotions, who has been contracted to provide project management and is spearheading the fundraising efforts.
The grand opening of the pavilion is targeted for May 2010, with full operations coinciding with the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which will draw 500,000 spectators, 800 exhibitors, 1,000 press entities, and will be televised. This is one of many events held at the Kentucky Horse Park, which has an annual park tourist attendance of approximately 120,000.
