Louisville to Get 1,000-Room Convention Hotel to Attract Bigger Meetings 

Louisville is moving to expand its meetings and conventions footprint by redeveloping two major downtown office towers into hotels, including converting the iconic 27-story Humana Building into a large-scale convention property.  

Located on Main Street adjacent to the Kentucky International Convention Center, the Humana Building is slated to become a 1,000-room convention-style hotel. Estimated to cost between $600 million and $700 million, the project would be one of the largest hospitality investments in the city’s history and would become Louisville’s second-largest hotel, behind the Galt House.

Its proximity to the convention center positions the property as a de facto headquarters hotel, a key factor for attracting larger citywide meetings.

Plans call for multiple ballrooms, more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space, and several food-and-beverage concepts. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.

The redevelopment also includes a second interconnected tower, creating a dual-structure hotel complex. That tower will feature a 40,000-square-foot ballroom and additional meeting space, further expanding Louisville’s capacity to host large conventions and trade shows.

“Inventory means growth opportunity for us,” said Doug Bennett, executive vice president of Louisville Tourism. “It repositions Louisville in a stronger, competitive position to compete with Indy, Columbus, Cincinnati, St. Louis — some of our A-list competitive cities.”

The Humana Tower project is part of a broader push to strengthen Louisville’s downtown hotel inventory tied to meetings and events. A JW Marriott is also planned for the historic Fifth Third Tower at Fourth and Market streets.

JW Marriott in the Works

The proposed JW Marriott Louisville would feature  418 rooms, and approximately 15,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 6,043-square-foot ballroom, five dining venues, and a rooftop bar. Investment in the project is estimated at $185 million, with an anticipated opening in 2027 or 2028, depending on phasing and financing.

Together, the projects signal a strategic effort to add both scale and brand diversity to Louisville’s downtown hotel market.