The city of Owensboro, Kentucky, offers visitors a little bit of everything. There is history, culture, cuisine, sports, and tons of outdoor space for public gatherings and recreational activities. Lucky for travelers, American Queen Voyages™ has an Ohio River cruise with Owensboro as a destination on numerous itineraries. But before you go, check out our interview with Mayor Tom Watson. Mayor Watson tells us a little bit about his career, some of the must-dos and must-sees in the city, and some of the exciting additions coming to the community.
How did you become Mayor of Owensboro? Tell us about your business and political career.
I recently retired after a fifty-year career in the prosthetics industry, where I owned a prosthetics and orthotics lab. I studied at the Northwestern University Medical School at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. I entered the field of prosthetics and orthotics in 1972, after a construction accident left me in need of a prosthesis but without resources to procure one. My first run for public office occurred in 2004, after which I served as Mayor of Owensboro from 2005-2008. I sat out for eight years and was re-elected in 2016. I am currently serving my third-term as Mayor.
What has changed in Owensboro over the last 10 years to make it a destination city on the Ohio River?
In August 2012, the City of Owensboro unveiled the first phase of its riverfront development project with the grand opening of Smothers Park. The vision for this project was to transform the dormant downtown corridor along the Ohio River into a vibrant central district where residents want to gather and visitors want to experience first-hand. We feel our world-class riverfront does just that!
Owensboro is home to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, which provides excellent medical care throughout the region and is a major driver in economic development over 17 counties. Owensboro is home to the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum and has most recently been recognized as the Bluegrass Music Capital of the World
What are some must see activities for visitors to Owensboro?
Many exciting things are happening within our community. I invite you to stroll through our beautiful riverfront, visit the Shelton Memorial, which honors veterans in our community, and visit the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument. Smothers Park is the heart of our riverfront and features three signature fountains, a cascading waterfall and the Lazy Dayz Playground. The playground includes handicap-accessible overhead ramps supported by large man-made trees and a spray park. Lazy Dayz Playground has been named the “Top Playground in the World”. Smothers Park spans five city blocks and covers over five acres.
Owensboro is at the western most point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail where you will find the historic Green River Distilling Company. The City hosts numerous events welcoming thousands of visitors each year, and we party throughout the summer in our Entertainment District at the Friday After Five free outdoor concert series. Owensboro has been named an All-America City and Kentucky’s #1 Sportstown by Sports Illustrated. We host numerous world-class sporting events at our tournament complex which offers synthetic infields on the ball diamonds and we enjoy two golf courses, one of which sits on 298 acres. Coming to Owensboro in 2024, a new indoor sports complex. The 88,000 square foot facility will house a turf court, five basketball courts, commons areas, meeting rooms, and offices.
You cannot forget the Owensboro Air Show! Each fall, visitors from throughout the United States and local residents gather along the riverfront to be captivated by the pageantry and heart-stopping aerobatic displays from classic World War II aircraft to the most dominant military aircraft in the world today. While you are here, I encourage you to also check out the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden, Owensboro Riverport, Edge Ice Center, and the RiverPark Center, just to name a few.
What do you envision for Owensboro in the next 10 years?
I look forward to the completion of our third downtown hotel, which will provide an additional 100+ rooms to our downtown. I would also like to see more annexation to allow for land growth, better highway access from Indianapolis to Nashville, continued growth for Kentucky Wesleyan College, Brescia University, WKU-Owensboro, and Owensboro Community and Technical College, controlled energy costs with the City-owned municipality, OMU, and I would love to see Owensboro attract more remote workers due to the wonderful quality of life OBKY offers.
Book Your Ohio River Cruise to Owensboro!
Discover all that Owensboro, Kentucky, has to offer with an Ohio River cruise from St. Louis to Louisville, Ottawa to St. Louis, or Memphis to Louisville, among many other itineraries. Explore the town and find out why past guests love visiting Owensboro! Get in touch with our concierge services today at (866) 522-1166 or your preferred travel advisor to plan your next voyage.
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