The Kentucky Horse Park, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, today opened a major venue that organizers hope will secure the park’s standing as a leading equestrian facility.

The $45 million arena includes 5,700 stadium seats. The arena floor, equal in size to a football field, features footing designed specifically for equestrian use. Additionally, the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation is in the process of constructing a three-barn stabling complex adjacent to the arena.

Executive Director John Nicholson described the new arena as an “elegant expression of what we stand for here at the Horse Park.”

While the 2010 Games, the world championships of the eight disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, might have provided the impetus for the project, presenters including Nicholson and Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry emphasized the lasting impact the facility will have on the park and community