♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HI AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

THIS WEEK WE TAKE YOU INSIDE THE KFC YUM CENTER.

IT OPENED IN 20 SO AS A BEACON OF HOPE AS A FLEDGING DOWNTOWN AREA IN LOUISVILLE IN 2010, HOME TO THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS BUT PLAYED HOST TO MORE THAN BASKETBALL OVER THE YEARS.

THE YUM CENTER IS AMONG THE LARGEST ALL PURPOSE ARENAS IN THE COUNTRY.

THE MAN CREDITED WITH BRINGING THE DREAM OF A DOWNTOWN ARENA TO LIFE IS JIM HOST.

HE IS A LEGENDARY BUSINESSMAN WHOSE COMPANY HOST COMMUNICATIONS, TRANSFORRED THE WORLD OF COLLEGE SPORTS MARKETING.

HE HAS SERVED TWO STINTS IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

AT 29 HE WAS COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND AFTER STEPPING AWAY FROM HOST COMMUNICATIONS, THEE RETURNED TO STATE GOVERNMENT AS SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AT AGE 65.

HE PLAYED FOUNDATIONAL ROLES IN CREATING RUPP ARENA, THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF KET.

BUT, HE SAYS THE OPENING OF THE CSK YUM CENTER IS THE PROJECT HE IS MOST PROUD OF BECAUSE OF THE OBSTACLES HE OVERCAME TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

YOU WILL HEAR HIS STORY IN A MOMENT BUT FIRST WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAID ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IN THE KET DOCUMENTARY JIM HOST GAME CHANGER.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> JIM SAW THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HELP FACILITATE BUILDING THE SIGNIFICANT BUILDING LIKE THIS AND HE SAW IT AS NOT JUST DOING IT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF LUFL LOUISVILLE BUT A GIFT TO THE STATE BECAUSE IT BELONGED TO ALL OF US.

JIM WAS CABINET SECRETARY AT THAT TIME AND HE CAME BACK WITH THE IDEA THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD LOVE TO HELP LOUISVILLE BE ABLE TO GET THEIR OWN ARENA AND THEIR OWN FACILITY ON CAMPUS.

WE MADE THE CASE FOR HOW THE RETURN TO THE TAXPAYERS AND TO THE PEOPLE WOULD BE SO MUCH GREATER IF YOU DID IT DOWNTOWN.

THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD SPROWD OUT FROM DOWNTOWN WITH, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS AND OTHER BUSINESSES AND THAT HAS HAPPENED.

>> THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT JIM.

THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE PUTTING BIG PIECES LIKE THAT TOGETHER, WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT STATE FUNDS, WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT CITY FUNDS, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT JUSTER UNIVERSITY FUNDS AND YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TO THIS THING TO MAKE THEM ACTUALLY FIT AND COME TOGETHER, IT IS NO SMALL TASK.

>> JIM WAS THE FACILITATOR FOR THAT.

YOU HAD A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR WITH ERNIE FLETCHER.

AND DEMOCRAT MAYOR OF LOUISVILLE AT THE TIME, JERRY ABE ROME SON-- ABE ROMESON AND IT WASN'T POLITICAL.

IT WASN'T PAROLIAL, IT WASN'T ANYTHING.

IT WAS THIS IS WHAT WE NEED.

PROBABLY A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW WE OUGHT TO SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES AND SOLVE PROBLEMS.

>> HE SAID HIS JOB WAS TO CONNECT THE DOTS.

HE WAS ABLE TO CONNECT THE DOTS BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, YOU KNOW, THAT AFTER ALL, WE ARE ALL KENTUCKIANS.

HE JUST NEVER WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO HELD HIS PARTY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.

HE HELD THE STATE ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.

>> JIM'S WHOLE ENGAGEMENT WITH DEALING WITH BOTH THE UNIONS, THE LABOR UNIONS, THE LOCAL URBAN LEAGUE AND SO FORTH IN TERMS OF USING SPECIFIC KINDS OF LABOR AND CONSCIOUS OF MINORITY PARTICIPATION AND WOMEN PARTICIPATION AND JIM CODIFIED THAT INTO AGREEMENTS.

>> WHAT I DID WITH THE KFC YUM CENTER, WE HAD OVER 40% OF THE PEOPLE HIRED ON THE JOB WERE MINORITIES.

I DROVE THAT TO MAKE IT THE FIRST PROJECT EVER DONE IN THE STATE THAT HAD THE MINORITY HIRING GOALS MET.

DID IT THROUGH THE UNIONS, DID IT ALL BY MAKING SURE THAT WE ADHERED TO ALL OF THAT.

>> JIM WAS A 500-POUND GORILLA.

HE SITS ANYWHERE HE WANTS TO.

AND HE WOULD GO THERE AND HE REALLY, REALLY MADE SURE THAT THEY HAD DIVERSITY WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THAT PROJECT BECAUSE JIM IS A FAIR PERSON.

HE THINKS THAT WE ALL SHOULD BE TREATED EQUAL AND THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN DO THAT IS SOMEONE HAS GOT TO STAND UP AND SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.

AND JIM WILL DO THAT.

>> HE IS A PROJECT MANAGER PAR EXCELLENCE.

I MEAN HE WANTS YOU TO DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO, WHEN YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO IT.

AND IT'S NOT AN EASY CONVERSATION YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE IF SOMETHING GETS IN THE WAY OF THAT.

I MEAN JIM CAN BE PRETTY STERN.

STERN WITH HIS EXPECTATIONS.

WHAT YOU SEE HAPPENING AND I SAW IT HAPPEN WITH SOME OF THE CONTRACTORS THAT WERE HERE, THAT'S THE LAST CONVERSATION THEY REALLY WANTED TO HAVE SO THEY WERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO DO EVERYTHING THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO WHEN THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT AND IT TAKES SOMEBODY WITH THAT KIND OF PERSONALITY AND CONFIDENCE.

>> I REMEMBER HIM TELLING ME THAT HE WAS GETTING UP AT 4 A.M. EVERY DAY DRIVING TO LOUISVILLE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, COMING BACK HOME LATE AT NIGHT AND SO FORTH, FOR MONTHS.

>> JIM NEVER TURNED IN A RECEIPT.

JIM DIDN'T TURN IN ANY EXPENSE REPORTS AT ALL.

THIS WAS REALLY A LABOR OF LOVE FOR HIM.

>> THE DEDICATION THAT HE GAVE FOR THAT FACILITY AND WHAT IT PROVIDES FOR LOUISVILLE, BOTH IN SPORTS, WHICH IS HIS LOVE, BUT ALSO FOR AN ENTERTAINMENT FACILITY.

WE WANTED TO SEE IT FINISHED AND WE KNEW THE PERSON TO GET IT FINISHED WAS JIM HOST.

THERE WASN'T ANOTHER ONE LIKE HIM.

>> WELL, JIM HOST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

WE JUST HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE CREATION OF THE YUM CENTER.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE US BACK TO THAT MOMENT IN TIME.

AND IT WAS REALLY SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE IT EVEN BEGAN CONSTRUCTION IS THIS IDEA THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE AN ARENA FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE AND IT NEEDED TO BE IN DOWNTOWN, RIGHT?

>> WELL, IT WASN'T GOING TO BE AN ARENA FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE I.

WAS GOING TO BE AN ARENA FOR THE COMMONWEALTH, WHICH THE COMMONWEALTH WOULD BE INVOLVED IN SEEING THAT IT GOT DONE TOGETHER WITH THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE AND THE DETERMINATION AS WHERE IT WOULD GO.

AND SO IN 2005, RICK PITINO, WHO WAS THEN COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE WHO I HAD WORKED WITH WHEN HE WAS AT U.K., CALLED ME AND I WAS SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.

HE CALLED ME TO SAY I NEED YOUR HELP.

WE NEED TO BUILD A NEW ARENA TO REPLACE FREEDOM HALL AND IT NEEDS TO BE NEXT TO THE FAIRGROUNDS.

AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT.

AND HE SAID I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO GET ME AN ARRANGEMENT, AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE GOVERNOR.

WHICH I DID.

AND HE AND TOM AND JIM RAMSEY WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE CAME TO SEE HIM AND I WAS IN THE MEETING AND THE GOVERNOR LISTENED AND AFTER THE MEETING HE AND I MET AND HE SAID I DON'T WANT TO HAVE IT OUT THERE.

I SAID NEITHER DO I.

AND I SAID I'LL TELL YOU WHY.

I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THE HEAD OF THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS, HIS NAME WAS TOM JORNSTEAD WHO RAN THE TOURNAMENT FOR THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT FOR 38 YEARS AND HE WAS VERY DETERMINED THAT IN THE FUTURE, THE SITES WERE GOING TO BE SELECTED FOR THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT, MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT IN AREAS WHERE THERE WAS WALKABILITY, DOWNTOWNS THAT HAD THE CAPABILITY OF HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS AND PEOPLE WOULD WALK OPPOSED TO BEING IN FREEDOM HALL WHERE THERE WASN'T ANYTHING AROUND IT.

SO I THEN SCHEDULED A MEETING FOR THE GOVERNOR, TALKING ABOUT ERNIE FLETCHER NOW AT THE FINAL 4 IN THE 0 0 5 IN ST. LOUIS WHERE U OF L WENT TO THE TOURNAMENT.

WE MET AT THE U OF L HOTEL AND I TOLD Dr. RAMSEY I DID NOT THINK IT MADE SENSE FOR IT TO BE AT FREEDOM HALL AND AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.

AND HE ASKED ME WHY.

I TOLD HIM WHY.

AND I SAID I DON'T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO GET NCAA TOURNAMENTS.

I DON'T THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE A WAY FOR THE EXPOSURE FOR IT TO BE DOWNTOWN.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T BE BUILT.

BUT I SAID I DON'T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO GET THE SUPPORT FROM THE STATE THAT YOU NEED.

AND I SAID AND THE GOVERNOR WAS WITH ME.

AND HE AGREED WITH THAT.

SO THE GOVERNOR APPOINTED ME AS THE CHAIRMAN OR APPOINTED STEVE PENCE WHO WAS LIEUTENANT COLONEL THEN WITH ME-- HE WAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WITH ME IN A COMMITTEE THAT THE GOVERNOR FORMED TO LOOK AT THE ECONOMICS OF BUILDING A NEW ARENA AND WE HAD A NUMBER OF SUBCOMMITTEES.

WE TALKED ABOUT DOING IT AT FAIRGROUNDS.

WE TALKED ABOUT DOING IT AT THE SITE THAT THE U OF L WANTED US TO LOOK AT WHERE THERE ARE TWO GRAIN SILOS GOING OUT I-65 ON THE U OF L CAMPUS.

THEY WANTED TO HAVE IT THERE.

TODD BLUE AND JONATHON BLUE WHO OWNED A PLOT OF LAND DOWNTOWN CLOSE TO THE BASEBALL STADIUM WANTED IT THERE AND SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAME FORWARD WITH IDEAS AND PROPOSALS.

WE DETERMINED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, AND WE WENT THROUGH A VERY, VERY DETAILED PROCESS THAT WAS VERY DISCIPLINED ABOUT HOW WE WENT ABOUT IT.

AND THE COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO BUILD IT ON A SITE THAT WAS DOWNTOWN, WHERE IT IS NOW SO THE GROUP VOTED TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR.

AND THEN CAME THE HARD WORK, WHICH WAS GETTING THE HOW WE WOULD FINANCE IT AND HOW IT WOULD BE DONE AND SO ON.

>> WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FINANCING OF IT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN CONTROVERSIAL FOR AS LONG AS ITS HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE, I FEEL LIKE.

EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKED.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKED AND LOOKING BACK NOW, WAS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?

>> THE ONLY THING WOULD I HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY WAS NOT TO MAKE THE TAX INCREMENTAL FINANCING DISTRICT AS BIG AS WE MADE IT.

BECAUSE AFTER WE GOT STARTED AND WE HAD CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AND WE HAD THE BUILDING STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE LAND MASS WAS TOO BIG.

SO WE SHRUNG TO WHAT IT IS TODAY AND IT HAS WORKED GREAT, WORKED PERFECTLY AND THROUGH A CHAIRMAN THAT SUCCEEDED THE CHAIRMAN ME, SCOTT COX, WENT TO WORK ON PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN TO REFINANCE THE ORIGINAL BOND ISSUE.

THE ORIGINAL BOND ISSUE WAS A BIG TIME INTEREST RATE BECAUSE WE WERE BUILDING IT WHEN THE RECESSION CAME IN 2008.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID HOW CAN YOU GET THAT DONE?

AND I SPENT HALF A DOZEN TRIPS TO NEW YORK ON MY OWN NICKEL TO SEE BOND AGENTS, TO SEE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN CHARGE TO HEADACHE SURE I REALLY-- TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD HOW I COULD MAKE THIS WORK.

WE HAD TO HAVE THE EVIDENCE THAT YOU OF L FROM A LEASING POINT OF VIEW COULD MAKE IT WORK.

THAT THEIR WINNING TRADITION COULD CONTINUE.

WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TIP READY WAS GOING WORK.

WE HAD TO HAVE AN INSURER OF THE TIFF.

THE FIRST INSURER OF THE TIFF WE HAD WENT BELLY UP AND THEN WE HAD THE SECOND INSURER, WHICH WAS ASSURED FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THEY WERE PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY ONE LEFT AND IN ORDER TO GET AN INSURER OF THE BONDS, WHICH WAS REALLY WHAT THE STATE WANTED, SO THAT THEY WEREN'T ON THE HOOK, WHAT THE CITY WANTED SO THEY WEREN'T ON THE HOOK, NOBODY WANTED TO BE ON THE HOOK.

>> SURE.

>> AND SO WE GOT-- WE WERE ABLE TO SHELL ASSURED FINANCIAL SERVICES ON WHY THIS MADE SENSE.

AND OF COURSE THEY MADE MONEY OUT OF THE ISSUE BECAUSE THEY WOULD TAKE A PIECE OF EACH OF THE PIECE OF THE TRANSACTION.

SO ANYWAY, ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE GREATEST NIGHT OR DAYS OF MY LIFE AND I HAVE LIVID-- I HAVE LIVED A LONG LIFE, ONE OF THE GREAT DAYS OF MY LIFE IS WHEN WE HAD-- I SIGNED 420 DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS THAT WERE BOND DOCUMENTS.

AND THEN-- AND THIS IS QUITE A STORY, AND WHEN-- AND WE HAD EVERYBODY COMING IN TOWN.

WE WERE GOING TO SELL-- WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A BIG CELEBRATION AT THE THEN JEFFERSON CLUB.

AND WE HAD INVITED THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAYOR AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

AND I SIGNED THESE DOCUMENTS ON THE BEAR-- ON THE FIXED RATE BONDS AND THEN THE NEXT DAY WE WOULD SET THE PRICE OF THE BEARER RATE BONDS.

I'M DRIVING HOME THE NIGHT BEFORE AFTER I SIGNED ALL THESE DOCUMENTS AND I WENT BACK AND FORTH EVERY DAY FROM LEXINGTON TO LOUISVILLE.

I LEFT HOME AT 4:30.

I WAS AT DOWNTOWN MARRIOTT, WHICH IS WHERE MY OFFICE WAS IN THE LOBBY, BEFORE THE ARENA WAS STARTING CONSTRUCTION AND I DROVE BACK EVERY DAY.

I WOULD LEAVE HOME THAT TIME EVERY MORNING AND I WOULD GET HOME EVERY NIGHT ABOUT 7:30, 8:00.

AND NEVER MISSED A DAY FOR ALMOST EIGHT YEARS AND WORE OUT THREE CARS.

BUT ALSO REFUSED TO ACCEPT A MEAL FROM ANYBODY, REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY KIND OF BENEFIT.

PEOPLE WANTED ME TO STAY OVERNIGHT IN A HOTEL AND GIVE ME A ROOM.

NO, I WOULDN'T ACCEPT IT.

SO I DROVE HOME.

>> WE HEARD WITH THAT FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS IN THE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HOW THIS WAS SUCH A PASSION PROJECT FOR YOU.

WHY?

>> WELL, BECAUSE I'M FROM EASTERN KENTUCKY AND I GREW UP UNDER THE BASIS THAT LOUISVILLE WAS ANOTHER NATION AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN-- HERE'S WHAT I LEARNED WHEN I GOT INTO STATE GOVERNMENT THE FIRST TIME AND THEN THE SECOND TIME.

AND THAT IS THAT 40 CENTS OF EVERY TAX DOLLAR GENERATED IN LOUISVILLE HELPS THE REST OF THE STATE.

SO WHEN PEOPLE STARTED TO CONTEST ME, I KNEW DOWNTOWN WAS IN REAL TROUBLE IN LOUISVILLE.

AND IT WAS.

AND IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT ARENA THERE TODAY, THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

THE VIBRANCY OF THAT COMMUNITY COMES ALIVE WITH ITS RESTAURANTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING GOING IN THE ARENA.

AND WE ARE DOING OVER 100 EVENTS IN THAT ARENA NOW AND IT'S ONE OF THE BEST AREFUGEE-- AREFUGEES A-- THE BEST ARENA IN THE COUNTRY THE ARTISTS COME TO.

ELTON JON CAME TWICE, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CAME THREE TIMES.

THE EAGLES TOLD ME THE FIRST TIME THEY CAME, THIS IS THE BEST PERFORMING ARENA WE HAVE EVER BEEN IN IN TERMS OF ACOUSTICS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO THAT'S A REASON WHY THE ARENA IS SO SUCCESSFUL FROM-- SO GETTING BACK TO THE THE WHOLE PROCESS FOR THE BOND ISSUE.

I'M DRIVING HOME.

I DRIVE INTO MY GARAGE.

THE PHONE RINGS AND I PICK IT UP IN THE CAR AND THE GUY WHO IS IN CHARGE OF GOLDMAN SACHS REFUGEE A, STUFF THAT I WAS WORKING WITH, SAID JIM, ARE YOU SITTING DOWN?

>> YEAH, I'M SITTING DOWN.

HE SAID I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE TOMORROW.

AND I SAID REALLY?

HE SAID YEAH, THE VARIABLE RATE BOND ISSUE WHICH WE TOLD YOU EARLIER TODAY WOULD HAVE A SPREAD OF ABOUT 30 BASIS POINTS AND WE WERE GROWING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHIN FIVE TO 10 BASIS POINTS.

IT'S GONE NOW TO 400-- EXCUSE ME, TO 200.

I SAID YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME.

HE SAID NO.

I SAID WELL WE CAN'T CLOSE THEN BECAUSE IT TAKES THE COST WAY OFF THE RESERVATION IN TERMS OF WAS WE HAVE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT FINANCIALLY VIABLE.

AND HE SAID THAT'S RIGHT.

AND HE SAID WHAT ARE YOU GOING DO?

I SAID I'M PROBABLY GOING TO GO IN THE HOUSE AND HAVE A BOURBON OR TWO AND THEN GO TO BED AND IN THE MORNING I'LL WAKE UP LIKE I ALWAYS DO AT 4:00 AND I'LL DRIVE BACK TO LOUISVILLE AND WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.

AND WE DID.

AND SO WE HAD A SPAN OF TIME.

>> IT WAS... >> I READ FINANCIAL TIMES.

I READ EVERYTHING IN SIGHT, STILL DO.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FINANCIAL ASPECTS, I KNEW FROM READING FINANCIAL TIMES THAT THE FINANCIAL MARKET WAS GOING ON HADES IN A BASKET.

SO I SAID, IF WE ARE GOING TO DO A REFINANCING PACKAGE, WE'VE GOT TO DO IT BEFORE-- AND THIS WAS THE MIDDLE OF JULY.

WE GOT TO DO IT BEFORE LABOR DAY BECAUSE I'M PREDICTING THAT AFTER LABOR DAY HAPPENS, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THE MARKET GO TO CRAP.

AND IT DID.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF QUOTE UNQUOTE PEOPLE ESPECIALLY IN LOUISVILLE, WHO SAID YOU WILL NEVER GET THIS DONE.

YOU WILL NEVER-- AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES AND SECOND GUESS.

BUT I DIDN'T LET ANY OF IT BOTHER ME.

I NEVER HAVE LET ANY OF THAT SORT OF THING BOTHER ME.

ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT IT TAKES ANYTHING THAT YOU DO LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH OPPOSITION, IT TAKES STRONG PASSION AND STRONG BELIEVABILITY IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE TOTALLY RIGHT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU SEE, HOW ARE YOU DOING IT AND THAT YOU DO WHAT YOU SAY.

AND SO BOTTOM LINE IS, ONE OF THE GREAT DAYS OF MY LIFE WAS THE SECOND TIME WE HAD THE BOND ISSUE AND I SIGNED ALL THE DOCUMENTS AND THE PERSON SAID Mr. CHAIRMAN, THE MONEY IS IN THE BANK.

I DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY.

I DIDN'T TELL THE MAYOR.

I DIDN'T TELL THE GOVERNOR.

I DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY.

THEY WERE THAT CLOSE TO GETTING IT DONE.

I PICKED THE PHONE UP AND CALLED THEM BACK AND SAID THE MONEY-- THEY SAID THE MONEY IS IN THE BANK?

YOU ALREADY GOT IT DONE?

YEP.

AND THAT WILL-- THAT IS PROBABLY THE GREATEST-- I HAVE PITCHED NO HIT GAMES.

I'VE DONE THIS, DONE THAT.

A LOT OF THINGS BUT THAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST EXHILARATING FEELING I EVER FELT IN MY LIFE WHEN THAT GOT DONE AND WHEN THE FINANCING HAPPENED.

>> I'VE HEARD YOU SAY, TOO, THAT THIS IS ONE OF YOUR MOST PROUD PROOJ PROJECTS AND YOU HAD A HAND IN A LOT.

>> IT IS.

PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO GET DONE AND VERY-- AND IT HAD A LEVEL OF OPPOSITION, I WOULD SAY 90%.

AND AT THE END, I'VE GOT DOCUMENTATIONAL LETTERS FROM PEOPLE THAT THOSE 90% ANTI BECAME 90% FOR IT AT THE END.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

WHEN YOU THINK OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN ON THAT BOARD AND YOU THINK OF THE LEADERSHIP FROM A NUMBER OF THEM AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY ALL PUT IN, NOBODY GOT A PENNY FROM EXPENSES.

NOBODY GOT A PENNY FROM EVERYTHING.

NOBODY WAS INVOLVED IN ANY DIRECT FINANCIAL BENEFIT FROM IT.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE GREAT SINGLE PUBLIC ACHIEVEMENTS I THINK EVER DONE IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE.

>> SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN, PARTICULARLY IN LOUISVILLE WE TALKED ABOUT SIDIQUA REYNOLDS ABOUT THE NORTON AND THE LEARNING CENTER.

>> I HAVE FINISHED THE YUM CENTER, GOT IT OPENED AND AGREED TO STAY ON AS THE CHAIR FOR THE FIRST YEAR.

I STAYED ON FOR TWO YEARS AFTER IT WAS OPEN AND THEN IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO TURN IT OVER TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND I GOT A CALL FROM ALICE HOUSTON AND JUNIOR BRIDGEMAN WHO WERE TWO PEOPLE ON THE BOARD.

AND ALICE WAS VERY INSIST ENT, AS INSISTENT AS SHE ALWAYS IS AND SHE SAID WILL YOU PLEASE COME AND MEET WITH SADIQUA REYNOLDS.

I SAID WHO IS SHE?

SHE IS THE NEW HEAD OF THE LOUISVILLE URBAN LEAGUE.

I ASKED ONE OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS IN LIFE WHO STILL IS, P.G.

PEOPLES WHO RETURNS THE URBAN LEAGUE IN LEXINGTON AND I HAVE BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH IT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

I SAID TELL ME ABOUT HER.

I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE THAT PICKED HER.

SHE IS WORLD CLASS.

I SAID OKAY.

SO I CALLED HER.

THE FIRST THING I SUGGESTED IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT A FACILITY THAT CAN HANDLE NCAA TRACK EVENTS, COLLEGE EVENTS.

LOUISVILLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HOT BED FOR TRACK.

IT WAS MASON DIXON GAMES WERE HELD AT FREEDOM HALL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

AND IT WAS ALWAYS HELD CLOSE TO THE MELROSE GAMES, WHICH IS THE TOP INDOOR TRACK MEET HELD IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK.

SO WE SAID IF WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS, THIS IS IS SADIQUA NOW.

IT HAS TO BE THE BEST, ONE THAT WILL DRAW ATTENTION, DRAW INTEREST AND IT WILL HELP RESTORE THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE THAT NEEDS RESTORING.

BUT THAT IS BECOME A HUGE SUCCESS STORY.

THEY'RE BOOKED EVERY WEEKEND FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS.

AND ANYBODY WHO COMES THERE WILL SAY IT'S THE FINEST INDOOR TRACK THEY'VE EVER SEEN.

>> TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IS NEXT?

WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ARENA?

DO YOU THIS I WE WILL EVER GET A PRO-TEAM IN LOUISVILLE?

>> WELL, I HOLD THE CURRENT CHAIR WHO IS ALSO DOING A GREAT JOB RUNNING THE YUM CENTER, I TOLD LESLIE THAT I WOULD MAKE CONTACT-- THAT I WORKED WITH THE NBA AT THE NAISMITH BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME.

I WAS ON THEIR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR 23 YEARS.

AND SO I WORKED TOGETHER WITH MARK TATUM RAISING MONEY FOR THE HALL OF FAME PROPERTIES AND MARK TATUM IS NOW THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE NBA.

AND ADAM SILVER I KNOW VERY WELL WHEN HE WAS CHIEF LEGAL ADVISER TO DAVID STERN.

AND SO I THINK THERE ARE PROBABLY A COUPLE OF OTHER, YOU KNOW, TOWNS THAT ARE AHEAD OF LOUISVILLE, BUT I DO THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOW FOR LOUISVILLE TO MAKE A STRONG PRESENTATION TO THE NBA.

♪ ♪ >> YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL KET DOCUMENTARY JIM HOST GAME CHANGER.

IT IS STREAMING ONLINE AT ket.org.

PLUS GIVE US A FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM WHERE YOU CAN WATCH THE B AND AFTER AS THE YUM CENTER TAKES SHAPE IN A TIME LAPSE.

AND SOME BEHIND THE SCENES FROM OUR CONVERSATION WITH JIM HOST.

LIKE THE STORY BEHIND HIS CUSTOM CANE HE BROUGHT TO OUR STUDIO.

THAT'S ALL ON INSTAGRAM.

YOU CAN FIND US AT KET IN LOU.

THANKS FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE THIS WEEK.

I HOPE WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR INSIDE LOUISVILLE... UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!

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