SKyPAC breaks ground on 20,000 square foot annex
Published 6:00 am Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Community members gather to look at design plans and renderings of the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex as a groundbreaking ceremony is held for the facility next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Community members gather to look at design plans and renderings of the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex as a groundbreaking ceremony is held for the facility next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Community members listen to various speakers during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Andy Barker speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Warren County Judge-Executive Doug Gorman speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center President and CEO Jeff Reed speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
State Sen. Mike Wilson speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Robert Ramsey is recognized as Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center President and CEO Jeff Reed speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Community members listen to various speakers during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Former Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center President and CEO Jeff Reed speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
(From left) Robert Ramsey, former Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon, Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center President and CEO Jeff Reed, Warren County Judge-Executive Doug Gorman and State Sen. Mike Wilson break ground on the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center’s new Robert P. Ramsey Annex next to SKyPAC behind the Kentucky Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The facility, which is set to be completed in early 2026, will provide rehearsal halls, administrative offices, storage spaces, talent accommodations, props construction space and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
A chilly Tuesday morning did not stop a group of local and state elected officials and figures from breaking ground on the forthcoming 20,000 square foot expansion of SKyPAC, something Arts of Southern Kentucky head Jeff Reed said will help future generations of actors for years to come.
“Just think of all the other students who will be passing through this building,” Reed said during the groundbreaking ceremony. “That’s what we’re all about — changing people’s lives, making people happy.”
The Robert P. Ramsey Annex was funded through an $8.5 million allocation from the Kentucky General Assembly made last year. Reed said then that an increase in programs and events at SKyPAC necessitated the expansion.
“We have more than tripled the number of activities going on in this building in the last three years,” Reed said then.
The addition will sit between SKyPAC and the Historic Taylor’s Chapel Church in a space known as the “grassy knoll.” Once completed, the expansion will measure 20,000 square feet spread among four stories. Space will be provided for storage, set construction, rehearsals and administrative offices for the Ramsey Theatre Company.
Mike Buchanon, chair of the board for SKyPAC and the former Warren County judge-executive, said during the ceremony that the annex will allow for an expansion of programs, and spoke on SKyPAC’s growth since opening in 2012.
“We opened up with Vince Gill, and this past weekend we had ZZ Top and the Righteous Brothers,” Buchanon said. “It’s a tremendous amount of … world class entertainment that comes here to SKyPAC, and it creates a sense of pride for all of us who are connected to it.”
Arts of Southern Kentucky utilizes spaces around town for the different needs that will be housed in the annex. The organization estimated last year that it was losing at least $750,000 annually by not having a dedicated space available.
Space is used at Sugar Maple Square for rehearsals and set and prop construction, Reed said, while rehearsals are also done in SKyPAC’s main hall, which has led to some issues.
“We have been in situations many times where we just don’t have a space for anyone to rehearse,” he said. “This sort of enables us to be all on one campus for rehearsals and set-building.”
The annex is expected to open next summer and costs will fall within the $8.5 million allocation, Reed said, “which is amazing.”
“Bowling Green (and) Warren County are really blessed to have so many leaders who understand the importance of arts and entertainment,” Reed said. “Through their leadership we are able to grow our programming, and that’s just not something that you find in communities anywhere. It’s very unusual.”
Jack covers city government for the Daily News. Originally from Simpson County, he attended Western Kentucky University and graduated in 2022 with a degree in journalism.
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