Retailers, Restaurant Groups Zero In On Louisville to Meet City’s Robust Demand

Southeast Real Estate Business | Casey Smallwood, Sarah Shanks, Morgan Merrill Zant

As the nation’s 28th-largest city, Louisville is home to a dynamic, diversified economy. The Greater Louisville region draws workers from a 26-county area in Kentucky and southern Indiana, providing an ample and reliable source of educated and skilled employees. The geography of Louisville, specifically its accessibility to the Ohio River, central location nationally and mild climate, have contributed to its ability to grow and evolve.

Additionally, reducing the income tax rate in Kentucky is a goal of the current Republican majority State Representatives to further economic development, and the Democratic governor (Gov. Andy Beshear) is also supporting this reduction as a way to help ease the burden of inflation for residents. 

Legislation passed in 2022 dropped the individual tax rate from 5 percent to 4.5 percent for tax year 2023, and a bill signed earlier this year by Gov. Beshear drops it again for 2024 to 4 percent. The goal is to ultimately get income tax rates down to zero, or very close to zero, in 50-basis-point steps as certain budget metrics are hit. These measures seem to be working for growth in the Commonwealth.

One of the more notable capital investment projects is the Ford partnership BlueOval SK Battery Park going south near Elizabethtown. The project is estimated to employ over 5,000 people and add $800 million to the Elizabethtown area once complete. 

Following this trend are major retail projects such as Cedar Creek Crossings. The retail center, developed by Hogan Real Estate, is located on a little more than five acres near Bardstown and Cedar Creek roads. Hogan continues to produce high-quality projects such as Cedar Creek Crossings throughout the Louisville metro area. 

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