22 Business View Magazine - May 2016
Owensboro, Kentucky
Only in owensboro
Owensboro, Kentucky couldn’t have a more enthusi-
astic booster than its mayor, Ron Payne. “What is hap-
pening in this community is phenomenal,” Payne says,
when talking about the explosion of public and private
revitalization of this city of 58,000 on the banks of the
Ohio River. “We were a sleepy, little old town here in
Kentucky that has come alive. We are on the move like
never before in the history of this community. All of the
things have happened in the last seven years.”
Payne exults about the attention that his city is now
getting because of its successful and ongoing renais-
sance. “We are being looked at from around the coun-
try,” he exclaims. “In 2013, for the first time in over
50 years, we got designated as an ‘All-American City.’”
Every year, the National Civic League recognizes and
celebrates the best in American civic innovation with
its prestigious All-America City Award. Ten communi-
ties from across the nation are chosen from more than
500 applicants. Owensboro’s last award was in 1952.
“In fact, we have people coming here from all over the
world,” Payne adds, proudly.
How did this remarkable resurgence come about in the
