AMAZON FULFILLS KENTUCKY’S GOAL TO BE WORLD’S LOGISTICS LEADER Fulfillment kingpi ’s decision to build $1.5 billion Prime Air hub at CVG could shift retail industry’s center of gravity Page 24 lanereport.com KY 40150 KY Lebanon Junction Lebanon Permit #327 #327 Permit PAID LANE ONE-ON-ONE: ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED SERVICE ELECTRONIC U.S. POSTAGE U.S. ELI CAPILOUTO PRST STD PRST 201 E. Main St. Ste. 1402, Lexington KY 40507 KY Lexington 1402, Ste. St. Main E. 201 President, University of Kentucky TLR_April2017coverFinal.indd 1 4/3/17 9:30 AM Our energies go to: offering more solar options for customers. Opportunities are growing for customers who are interested in solar energy – from helping businesses install solar at their facilities to offering a subscription-based Solar Share program. Recognized as a top utility leader in the U.S. for economic development, LG&E and KU are committed to providing customers with a variety of energy options. Our energies go to serving you. lge-ku.com/solar TLR_April2017coverFinal.indd 2 4/3/17 9:30 AM 95395_LGEku_SolorOpt_8_125x10_875c.indd 1 1/24/17 11:11 AM April Lane 1-23.indd 1 Corporate Government Access Healthcare Regulation Real Estate Litigation Intellectual Property Hospitality Law just another law firm. like bourbon is just “brown water.” 201 East Main Street, Suite 900 Lexington, Kentucky 40507 (859) 231-8780 | www.mmlk.com 4/3/17 9:37AM DISRUPT THE DISRUPTORS Disruptive ideas are coming from every direction. Welcome to ONE: The Alltech Ideas dis rup tion Conference. Three days to embrace current disruption and perhaps create your own. e [dis-'r pt-she n] noun : a radical change in an industry, business strategy, etc., especially involving the introduction of George Lisa Peter Dr. Pearse a new product or service that Blankenship Bodell Diamandis Lyons Former Executive at Tesla Founder and CEO, futurethink Founder and Executive Founder and President, Alltech Motors, Apple Computer Chairman, XPRIZE Foundation creates a new market. and GAP Inc. and Singularity University ©2016 Random House Dictionary Boundless Potential Why Simple Wins A World of Abundance Realize Your Dreams In a world of constant What are the key rules In an age of finite Through Disruption change and fluctuation, of simplicity? Come resources, come learn Nothing will feed your what are the principles hear how you can how our most valuable hunger for making a and the practical steps escape complexity resource, human difference more than that will make the traps and focus on the innovation, has brought pursuing your dreams. difference between work that matters. us to where we are What can you do today your business being today and where it to go after your dreams? disrupted and your might take us tomorrow. business being the disruptor? 70 SESSIONS • 3 DAYS • ONE VISION • MAY 21 – 24 • LEXINGTON, KY, USA TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO, VISIT ONE.ALLTECH.COM April Lane 1-23.indd 2 4/3/17 9:37 AM DISRUPT THE DISRUPTORS Disruptive ideas are coming from every direction. Welcome to ONE: The Alltech Ideas dis rup tion Conference. Three days to embrace current disruption and perhaps create your own. e [dis-'r pt-she n] noun : a radical change in an industry, business strategy, etc., especially involving the introduction of George Lisa Peter Dr. Pearse a new product or service that Blankenship Bodell Diamandis Lyons Former Executive at Tesla Founder and CEO, futurethink Founder and Executive Founder and President, Alltech Motors, Apple Computer Chairman, XPRIZE Foundation creates a new market. and GAP Inc. and Singularity University ©2016 Random House Dictionary Boundless Potential Why Simple Wins A World of Abundance Realize Your Dreams In a world of constant What are the key rules In an age of finite Through Disruption change and fluctuation, of simplicity? Come resources, come learn Nothing will feed your what are the principles hear how you can how our most valuable hunger for making a and the practical steps escape complexity resource, human difference more than that will make the traps and focus on the innovation, has brought pursuing your dreams. difference between work that matters. us to where we are What can you do today your business being today and where it to go after your dreams? disrupted and your might take us tomorrow. business being the disruptor? 70 SESSIONS • 3 DAYS • ONE VISION • MAY 21 – 24 • LEXINGTON, KY, USA TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO, VISIT ONE.ALLTECH.COM April Lane 1-23.indd 3 4/3/17 9:37 AM APRIL LThe ane Report 2017 Kentucky’s Business News Source For 32 Years Volume 32 Number 4 24 COVER STORY AMAZON FULFILLS KENTUCKY’S GOAL TO BE WORLD’S LOGISTICS LEADER Fulfillment kingpin’s decision to put $1.5 billion Prime Air hub at CVG could shift retail industry’s center of gravity 29 WOMEN WEAR HARD HATS TOO Construction remains mostly male, but female worker and manager ranks are a rising trend 32 CONSTRUCTION KEEPS VISITOR CASH FLOW STRONG Louisville and Lexington CVBs in midst of major facilities expansion; Northern Kentucky is laying its plans 36 LAKE CUMBERLAND TOURISM AT FULL POOL Region expects another high water mark for visitor numbers and spending in 2017 40 HOME SALES ARE BREAKING NEW GROUND With residential real estate finally back above pre-recession levels, demand for new construction builds Departments 6 Perspective 44 Emerging Lane 8 Fast Lane 46 Spotlight on the Arts 16 Interstate Lane 47 Lane List 17 Kentucky Intelligencer 48 Exploring Kentucky 18 Corporate Moves 50 Passing Lane 19 On the Boards 52 Kentucky People 20 Lane One-on-One: Dr. Eli Capilouto President, University of Kentucky On the Cover lanereport.com When Amazon, the world’s largest retail chan- Kentucky Business News Online nel, locates its first Air Prime hub at Cincinnati- Read up-to-the-minute Kentucky business news stories, Northern Kentucky International Airport, that current and archived copies of The Lane Report, $1.5 billion facility will be Kentucky’s third global Market Review, BG – A way of life, Next – Your Future After shipping hub, joining the UPS’s massive World- High School in Kentucky, Health Kentucky, Research Kentucky port in Louisville and the DHL Express Americas special reports, white papers and community profiles. Hub at CVG. Photo illustration by Faster Lane Paul Blodgett/pjb-marketing Email news bulletin Three or more times a week, the editors of The Lane Report publish Faster Lane – email bulletins of fast breaking and important Kentucky business and economic news. Visit lanereport.com to sign-up for this free, must-have, at-your-fingertips news service. April Lane 1-23.indd 4 4/3/17 9:37 AM make your next event enjoyablesociableoriginal makeitNKY Authentically American. Unforgettably Kentucky. meetNKY.com /meetNKY /meet_NKY April Lane 1-23.indd 5 4/3/17 9:37 AM LThe ane Report PERSPECTIVE Kentucky’s Business News Source for 32 Years EXECUTIVE EDITOR/VICE PRESIDENT lobbyists found guilty of bribery and Mark Green FREE PRESS SHOULD fraud in the wake of the “Boptrot” ASSOCIATE EDITOR NOT TAKE SIDES investigation. One of those ultimately Karen Baird Politicizing reporting will sully convicted was the speaker of the Ken- DIGITAL EDITOR tucky House of Representatives. Jonathan Miller history of dedicated journalists I was in my seat on the floor of the CREATIVE DIRECTOR House of Representatives on March 31, Jessica Merriman BY PAT FREIBERT 1992, when FBI agents with subpoenas in CREATIVE SERVICES hand started peeling off certain legisla- Stone Advisory tors and escorting them to adjacent Paul Blodgett offices for interviews. That was not a CORRESPONDENTS UR country’s founders recog- proud day for Kentucky, but it brought Michael Agin; Katherine Tandy Brown; nized the value of a “free press” about the birth of a strict Code of Ethics Russ Brown; Chris Clair; Shannon Clinton; and memorialized it with consti- for legislators, overseen by the Kentucky Kevin Gibson; Susan Gosselin; Robert Hadley; Otutional protection – and hurrah for Legislative Ethics Commission. The Task Lorie Hailey; Debra Gibson Isaacs; Kara Keeton; Abby Laub; Tim Mandell; Esther Marr; that. That guarantee carries with it an Force that recommended and developed Greg Paeth; Robin Roenker; Josh Shepherd; expectation that a free press, both print this code did so without the approval of Sean Slone; Katheran Wasson; and electronic, report responsibly by legislative leadership, some of whom Gary Wollenhaupt; Dawn Yankeelov informing citizens rather than propa- were targets of the investigation. Today PUBLISHER/CEO gandizing. In some cases, today’s media Kentucky’s ethics laws serve as the model Dick Kelly yields to the temptation to “take sides” for many other states that have followed ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER in political matters. A recent example Kentucky’s example. Donna Hodsdon was a three-day period in mid-March Melissa McGarry when nearly every mainstream network DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS was dominated by reports that Presi- Nicole Conyers White dent Trump “abruptly” dismissed 46 MARKETING CONSULTANT federal U.S. attorneys. Curtiss Smith Federal attorneys are appointed by the CIRCULATION/IT currently serving president through his/ Josiah White her attorney general. Releasing those U.S. attorneys could hardly be considered FOUNDER “abrupt” since it occurred 53 days into the Ed Lane new presidency. The attorneys released had been appointed by the previous presi- SYNDICATED COLUMNS dent and, since they are not appointed Creators Syndicate for lifetime positions but rather serve at Do you remember the days when PRINTING & CIRCULATION SERVICES the pleasure of the current president, Americans considered “news reporting” Publishers Printing Co. their service concluded when the presi- publications in places like South Ameri- WEB MARKETING & PUBLISHING dent who appointed them was no longer can countries and Russia as propa- Able Engine in office.