First Look: Check out Rupp Arena's new neighbor in downtown Lexington

(Photo: My Phone/Kentucky Sports Radio)

The renovation of Rupp Arena, the Lexington Center and the surrounding area is on pace to be completed in the year 2078, but there is some visible progress on the entertainment complex going across the street.

LexLive, the massive structure promising bowling lanes, movie screens and other exciting forms of entertainment, now looks like something more than a pile of rubble on the corner of Broadway and High. It even has a sign! And crashing bowling pins!

A California-based company called Krikorian Theaters is behind the project that was announced many moons ago with an original rendering that looked like this:

Once it is finally completed, LexLive will make a nice addition to the downtown Lexington landscape and hopefully the economy, but the timing certainly isn’t ideal.

As for the Lexington Center’s renovation, things seem to be in the financial nightmare stage. Matter of fact, the Herald-Leader published a story earlier today called, “Lexington council OKs new financing for troubled $275 million convention center expansion.”

Good luck to all of the renovating, but I think we’ll all be happy with regular ol’ basketball being played in Rupp Arena, however it looks on the inside and out.

Until then, what are your thoughts on what LexLive brings to the corner, visually?