A racetrack’s paddock is where thoroughbreds are led before a race to flaunt their power as they get saddled and the jockey takes the mount. The Churchill Downs Paddock Experience Project turned a simple viewing spot into an immersive experience.

Photo by Jeff Palmquist

Various new amenities include a horseshoe-shaped structure with a vast second level courtyard beneath the shadows of the twin spires and covered box seating flanking the walking ring, accentuated by two massive video boards, two new clubs that offer views of the stalls and paddock and the Twin Spire Suites.

Photo by Denise Jewell

The project team’s most significant feat was exposing the original architecture of the 1895 grandstands where patrons can once again admire the original look of the twin spires.

Photo by Jeff Palmquist

Horses at Churchill Downs always run on the first Saturday in May so the team faced an unyielding schedule that required seven-day work weeks and 12-hour days. Effective schedule management and trade flow were also crucial to the project’s success.

Photo by Jeff Palmquist

Back to ENR Midwest Best Projects 2024