Lexington will host the 70th annual meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference in 2016.
State and local officials announced the event Tuesday, estimating the event scheduled for July 16-20 will attract about 1,500 leaders from 15 states and pump $2 million into the local economy.
Republican state Senate President Robert Stivers is the chairman-elect for the Southern Legislative Conference, the largest of four regional legislative groups under the Council of State Governments. The group includes 15 states from Texas and Oklahoma to Virginia and West Virginia.
Stivers and Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo are the co-chairmen for the 2016 conference planning committee. They said they plan to showcase attractions in Lexington and the entire state.
Lexington Mayor Jim Gray called the conference a great opportunity for the city and state. We’ll have more on this developing story coming up during All Things Considered.