Nov. 21--The Owensboro-Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau endorsed Thursday the downtown master plan unveiled Saturday by the Fort Worth, Texas-based Gateway Planning Group.

"Change is painful, but it's needed," said Carole Macquarrie, co-owner of Colby's Fine Food & Spirits, a downtown restaurant.

The plan would spend $80 million in public money for an indoor events center (a combination arena and convention center), a parking garage, an arts academy, a farmers market area, traffic-pattern changes and developing Smothers Park

Fred Reeves, executive director of Downtown Development, said the plan is already bearing results.

"Three developers have a keen interest in doing an entire block on Veterans Boulevard," he said.

Reeves said the plans include residential development along the street.

"What will really make the difference is people living downtown," he said. "If everybody leaves downtown at 5 p.m., it won't be as successful."

The plan calls for the arena-convention center to be built in the block where the state office building is at Second and Frederica streets.

Reeves said the arena part would be the equivalent of a four-to five-story building, and the convention center section would have two to three stories of meeting rooms.

The arena part would be on about 40,000 square feet, but the entire facility could have up to 100,000 square feet, he said.

Reeves said the arena section would likely have 1,500 fixed seats with another 4,500 or so that could be pulled out.

Corporate boxes are possible, he said.

Reeves said the plans call for building a $5 million arts academy at the RiverPark Center.

"Kentucky does not have an arts academy," he said. "We think it could attract students from across Kentucky and southern Indiana."

The arts management program would be for students who are at least juniors in high school and continue through college graduation.

Reeves said the plan does not include the 17 acres of Executive Inn Rivermont property.

"It's still a nice piece of property and I would love to have it," he said. "But I wouldn't recommend putting a hotel there again."

Roger Buchanan, manager of the Comfort Suites hotel, said he's hearing talk about downtown needing a 225-room hotel.

That would cost $20 million or more, Buchanan said.

"It'll have to be a name franchise to draw people downtown," he said. "And parking will be a challenge."

Reeves said the hotel could have one level of underground parking.

"But parking is a challenge," he said.

The master plan includes a 500-vehicle parking structure at a cost of $7.5 million, and Reeves said other structures may need to be added.

Brian Smith, one of the owners of Diamond Lake Resort, said slowing down traffic on Second Street is a key component.

"When you feel the equivalent of a 2.3 earthquake in this building when a grain truck goes by," he said, people will be reluctant to live near Second Street.

"Second Street could be more attractive," Reeves said.

Plans also call for making Veterans Boulevard more of a pedestrian area with less traffic.

"There's a trendiness (in the plan) that may attract people to live here," said Meagan Magnus, manager of the Hampton Inn.

"I think there's a will to move forward," Reeves said. "But the elected officials have to be encouraged by the taxpayers."

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