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Muhlenberg County Gets a New Amphitheater in Central City

Lu-Ray Park & Amphitheater

A city in Muhlenberg County that has a population of about 5,800 has a new amphitheater that can accommodate an audience of 5,000.

Central City built its Lu-Ray Park and Amphitheater with a standing invitation to folks from Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy concerts, movies and picnics.

The park’s Executive Director Melissa Recke said the facility will host shows designed to attract people across a wide region.

“Our goal is to pull from all of our surrounding counties, the Owensboro area, Bowling Green market, even as far as Nashville and Evansville, as well as our touching counties, Todd, McLean and Ohio.” 

The new park in Central City is on the site of the former Lu-Ray Hotel, which stood from 1912 to 1976.

“The history behind the Lu-Ray, there’s a lot of old history there, with us being a railroad town and the actual amphitheater sits pretty much close to the same foundation of the Lu-Ray Hotel when it was open,” said Recke, “The trains used to come in through the city and that’s where the passengers would get on and off.”

Recke says the mission of the park is to keep the spirit of those simpler times, when people gathered and spent time together.

The inaugural concert at the amphitheater is Aug. 5 featuring Texas singer Sundance Head, the 2016 winner of the popular TV competition “The Voice.” 

Central City will also host movies and other activities in the park, which has a walking trail and will have a memorial for military veterans. 

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