State Auditor Reveals Kentucky Horse Park was ‘poorly run with little or no oversight’

© khp: Kentucky Horse Park entrance

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky Auditor Mike Harmon released the results of a special examination of the Kentucky Horse Park.

Harmon looked into certain policies, procedures, and financial activity of the park between June 2013 and July 2016. He says his office found eight items of concern.

“Our eight-month examination found the Horse Park was poorly run with little or no oversight, questionable management practices, and potential conflicts of interest on operations and sponsorships at the park,” said Auditor Harmon. “Because of poor management and oversight, taxpayers have had to prop up the park’s finances to the tune of more than $24 million over the last 10 years.”

Among the issues identified in the special examination are:

• Contracts included perks to the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation and to one of the park’s major corporate sponsors. Several contracts called for these outside entities to receive free tickets and access to hospitality rooms for events at Alltech Arena.

• A contractor hired to consult the park’s gift shop also supplied merchandise for sale in the shop. The merchandise contract violated competitive procurement rules. Park employees were aware of the potential conflict because merchandise was initially sold under the same business name as the contractor.

• Flat rates were given to one horse show production company going back to 2006, with the discount in 2016 alone totaling more than $766,000. The company, which is owned by the in-laws of the park’s food services director, also had equipment and trailers housed rent free on park grounds.

READ THE COMPLETE REPORT, RIGHT HERE

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