Councilman Ackerson hits Kentucky Derby Festival over admission charge

The silliness surrounding the "name change" of the Kentucky Derby Festival by dropping the "Kentucky" part will never end. I, for one, will continue to call the festival by it's proper name.

But that's not the only new and generally stupid idea that is "all new" for this year's Kentucky Derby Festival.

In what seems to be the beginning of the end, the gang is instituting a cover charge for Great Lawn seating for the fireworks. (I hope it snows.)

In light of this embarrassing and greedy cash-grab, Councilman Brent T. Ackerson (D-26) has issued the following statement to the Kentucky Derby Festival:

“Like other members of the Metro Council, I represent people who could easily afford this new cost for admission. But I also serve families for whom this would be a great burden. Our waterfront serves as the People’s Park, a park which their tax dollars helped to build and continues to maintain. And Thunder is one of the signature events during the Kentucky Derby Festival which appeals to nearly everyone. We should not allow Waterfront Park and Thunder Over Louisville to be fenced off, placed out of the economic reach for our citizens, especially when the revenues from the sale of the Pegasus Pins are not going to the public coffers.”

Hats off to Councilman Ackerson. Now, will someone on the council please introduce an ordinance that prohibits charging citizens admission for the use of their own public park space for a public event?