09.09.2024

Today’s Forecast

81º | 4% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:15 a.m. | Sunset 7:54 p.m.

If you build it, they will come — and they did

Inside the $50 million Lexington Sporting Club Stadium

A wide angle view of Lexington Sporting Club's soccer stadium and its seats.

The stadium can seat up to 7,500 fans + has the ability to expand to 11,000. | Photo by LEXtoday

This weekend, the Lexington Sporting Club showed off their new state-of-the-art, $50-million stadium as the Super League team made their home debut against the Tampa Bay Sun FC. And despite the 3-2 loss, thousands of fans showed up to check out the space and cheer on our professional women’s soccer team.

When you first walk in the main entrance, you’re greeted with an open plaza, home to a space for activities like cornhole, face painting, sponsor booths, food trucks, and of course the mighty mascot Thunder. The main building features team merch on the first floor, as well as a club space with a bar, food, and hospitality on the second floor.

A group of people standing in front of a West Sixth Brewing tent — According to West Sixth co-owner Ben Self, Stadium Ale “embodies the spirit and community” both organizations value. | Photo by LEXtoday

At the other end of the stadium is the West Sixth Gate, named after the team’s official beer sponsor, you’ll find a beer tent with the new Stadium Ale, specialty cocktails + concessions.

The evolution of the Sporting Club organization has been ongoing since 2021 — the early days of LEXtoday. Let’s take a look back at how we got here.

October 2021 | The first announcement of a pro soccer team coming to Lexington.
January 2022 | Renderings were released for a potential downtown stadium at the High Street parking lot — a plan that was eventually quashed.
April 2022 | An announcement of joining the All Girls Academy, as well as two longstanding youth programs merging under the Lexington SC name.
September 2022 | Lexington SC gets the green light to build youth soccer fields off Athens-Boonesboro Road.
February 2023 | Georgetown College named as the host for the inaugural Lexington SC season + the organization gets first round of approval for new stadium.
April 2023 | Two years in the making, the men’s USL League One team plays its inaugural match on April 8.
May 2023 | The women’s USL Super League team is announced.

Be sure to check out the highlights on our Instagram.

Asked

Did you go to the Lexington Sporting Club Super League opener?

A. Yes, it was awesome
B. No, but can’t wait for the next one
C. No, what’s Lexington Sporting Club?

Go big green

Events

Monday, Sept. 9

Silent Book Club | Monday, Sept. 9 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Joseph-Beth Booksellers | Free | Bring your current book and enjoy quiet camaraderie with fellow readers.

Tuesday, Sept. 10

Adult Art Club: Ceramics | Tuesday, Sept. 10 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | The Living Arts & Science Center | $35+ | Learn essential hand-building techniques to create personalized memory boxes from slabs of clay.
Lexington vs. Southern Maryland | Tuesday, Sept. 10 | 6:45 p.m. | Legends Field | $2+ | Bring non-perishable food donations for God’s Pantry Food Bank and receive discounted tickets.

Wednesday, Sept. 11

9/11 Memorial Stair Climb | Wednesday, Sept. 11 | 7 p.m. | Kroger Field | $0+ | Register to climb or just come support the Lexington Fraternal Order of Firefighters as they climb the stairs in honor of those fallen during 9/11.

Thursday, Sept. 12

Trivia Night | Thursday, Sept. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Lost Palm | Free, price of purchase | Venture up to The Manchester’s rooftop bar + sip on a creative cocktail while you show off those trivia skills for a chance to win a $30 gift certificate.
The Alchemist Series | Thursday, Sept. 12 | 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | Bespoken Spirits | Experience a new, innovative spirit flavor each Thursday, exclusively at The Greyline Station tasting room — a limited number of bottles will be available for purchase.*

Friday, Sept. 13

Back to the 80s Night | Friday, Sept. 13 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Moondance Amphitheater | $12.71+ | Don your best 1980s gear, then move + groove to music from Boogie G & the Titanics and Rebel Without A Cause in support of the Moondance Foundation.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Health

These 3 simple steps could help save someone’s life

Join the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare as they work to create a healthier Kentucky. | Photo provided by the University of Kentucky

Would you know what to do if your teen was struggling with depression, if your partner appeared hopeless, or if your friend mentioned suicide?

September is Suicide Prevention Month. In Kentucky, suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-34. Less than an hour of your time could help save a life.

The University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare offer a free, self-paced suicide prevention training called QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) to all Kentuckians.

The training provides information on:

Recognizing the warning signs of a suicide crisis
Responding to someone in crisis
Where to refer someone in need of help

Note: Training participants will be prompted to enter a code. Log in using UKY2256431895.

For immediate help, call or text 988. The Suicide + Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 throughout the US.

News Notes

Edu

Several area universities were ranked on Niche’s list of the 2025 best colleges in the US. For the state of Kentucky, UK ranked No. 1, receiving an overall grade of A- and an A- in academics. Also in the top 10 for the state were Berea College at No. 3 and Transylvania at No. 9. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

Environment

We’re just over a month out from the annual Tree Week campaign, which takes place Friday, Oct. 11-Sunday, Oct. 20. The week will feature events celebrating our tree canopy, so organizers want to branch out and look for more event submissions. Think: Tree plantings, walks, yoga, art, and more.

Community

Mark your calendars for Thursday, Sept. 19 to join the Junior League of Lexington in celebrating International Find the Good Day. Whether it’s through a good deed, kind gesture, or volunteer activity, the local chapter invites the community to help make a difference in someone’s day.

Try This

Speaking of volunteering, Girls on the Run Central Kentucky is looking for coaches for the upcoming season. For just 75 minutes twice a week, you can help 3rd-8th grade girls be more joyful, healthy, and confident through interactive after-school lessons. Learn more.

Active

Transform your fitness journey at LiveWELL Training Club, where personalized training meets exceptional results. Their certified trainers tailor workouts to your unique goals, ensuring every session is impactful + motivating. Get started.*

Finance

UK Federal Credit Union understands that students need a little extra support. That’s why they created the Student Rewards Account, which includes all the benefits of a UKFCU Checking Account with additional perks especially for students (think: 5% cashback with every debit card swipe). Open an account.*^†

Plan Ahead

BLINK is set to light up the Cincy Region from Thursday, Oct. 17 to Sunday, Oct. 20. This year’s dazzling event features everything from a cherished sunset parade to a create-your-own adventure through a walkable, immersive illuminated experience spanning 30+ city blocks. Here’s what to know before you go.*

Job

We’re looking for a Sales Executive in our sister market, SEAtoday, to identify and secure new advertising partnerships and grow existing client relationships on the SEAtoday team. Apply to join.

†Federally insured by NCUA

Seasonal

Which unhinged Lowe’s Halloween decoration are you?

A series of images highlighting outdoor Halloween decorations including life size skeletons

If you’re as obsessed with Halloween decor as these locals are, you’re going to love Lowe’s new collection. | Photos provided by COLAtoday + GVLtoday.

Every year the life-size animatronic Halloween decorations get bigger, spookier, and well — more chaotic. This year is no exception, so we want to know:

Which life-sized Halloween decoration best matches your personality?

The 8-ft skeleton: You have classic taste. You don’t believe in following the trends. You know what you like and you stick to it.
The Haunted Harbor Sea Captain: You’re a natural-born leader. You love to plan a night out and always know the best new spots in town (thanks to LEXtoday).
The Dancing Wednesday Addams: You’re sarcastic and have a dark sense of humor, but you’re a loyal friend and an accidental trendsetter.
The Haunted Mansion Musical Headless Knight: You’re kind + lovable but often forgetful. Your friends are used to helping you search for your phone.

Bone-us: Lowe’s has even more creepy characters to help you become your neighborhood’s chaos agent this Halloween season.^

^This content is created by our Client Success Team. Let’s work together.

Happy haunting

The Buy

The Buy 9.09.24 (Affiliate)

A wireless travel charger compatible with practically any device. It’s capable of charging your smartphone, smartwatch, or headphones — meaning no more dead devices on the go.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Molly

From the editor

Last week, I celebrated three years writing for LEXtoday, which means you-know-who has a birthday coming up — us. Get ready for a trip down memory lane later this month.

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