News & Updates
Additional Meets Added to Calendar
Louisville, Ky. (February 16, 2021) – The Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center officially opens its doors for its inaugural indoor track meet this Wednesday, February 17. Additional track meets have been added to the venue’s schedule.
The University of Louisville will host the venue’s first indoor track meet on Wednesday, February 17—the Lenny Lyles Cardinal Invitational. The event had originally been titled simply the Cardinal Invitational, but the new name was fitting to include Lenny Lyles, a Louisville native who starred in track and as a football running back and defensive back for UofL and NFL Baltimore Colts. Lyles was among the first in a rich tradition of Black student-athletes to attend UofL and in universities across the south.
“This facility is an amazing example of a community investing in itself. The Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center is a game changing facility for the sport of Track & Field,” Dale Cowper, Head Coach, University of Louisville Track & Field/Cross Country said. “More importantly, it will become the epicenter of economic stimulus and continued development in West Louisville.”
Included among the facility’s inaugural track and field events are:
- February 17 – Lenny Lyles Cardinal Invitational
- February 18-19 – Appalachian Athletic Conference Indoor Championships
- February 20 – KTCCCA College Indoor Invite
- February 21 – KTCCCA Age Group Meet
- February 27 – Louisville Indoor Classic
- March 6 – KTCCCA Class AA and AAA High School Indoor State Championships
- March 7 – KTCCCA Age Group Meet
- March 13-14 – KTCCCA Class A High School Indoor State Championships
- March 14 – KTCCCA Middle School Indoor State Championships
- March 20 – USATF Kentucky Indoor Master Showcase
“Seeing the collective vision of the Louisville Urban League and many others come to life as the finishing touches have been added to the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center has been both empowering and rewarding for our team and our community," ASM Global Louisville General Manager Eric Granger said. “The construction teams, ASM Global and Louisville Urban League staff and the track and field community have united on this project to create a venue we are all very proud of. We are very pleased to have this diverse and multi-functioning facility that includes one of the fastest indoor tracks in the world and ample space for hosting other events.”
Due to the state's COVID-related mandates, capacity inside the facility is limited to 15% for all events. This includes athletes, officials, staff and fans; so tickets will not be available to the general public for most indoor track meets this season. For the safety of Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center employees and guests, capacity will be limited at each event and ASM Global staff have implemented VenueShield, an exclusive, globally recognized program developed in partnership with leading medical professionals and industry experts that provides enhanced safety protocols. These include increased disinfectant cleaning, temperature screenings, mandatory face coverings, physical distancing, hand sanitizer stations and more.
The 24-acre, multi-sport complex located in Louisville’s Russell neighborhood, will host a variety of local, regional and national track meets, other sporting events, concerts and other events. The facility features 90,000 square-feet of floor space with a 4,000 seat, 200-meter banked indoor track and competition areas for all jump, vaults and throws and a 400-meter outdoor track.
The indoor track’s Mondo hydraulic floor can be lowered to provide space to add a stage and floor seating to host concerts and a variety of other events. Additionally, the complex will include a 4-lane mini bowling alley, an interactive rock-climbing wall and a multi-purpose space to be used for educational programming for the Louisville community.
The Louisville Sports Commission has worked with ASM Global to secure a number of track and field events for the venue and anticipates a growing demand. The regional draw of the facility will increase hotel stays and visitor spending in the area, bringing a large economic impact to the Louisville region.
Information on upcoming events at the facility can be found here or on the facility’s various social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter (@NortonSLC), or Instagram (@NortonSLCenter).