The arena's current attendance record for a sporting event is 22,815, set March 9, 2013, against Notre Dame (men's basketball).

[19] On March 3, 2006, Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher, flanked by Louisville mayor Jerry Abramson, announced at a rally in Frankfort his strong preference for locating the new arena at the LG&E site along the Louisville riverfront as it was "undoubtedly the best site for economic development" and would give the state a good return on its investment.

Also included in the release was a proposed sports bar that would be located on the main concourse; it would be open year-round and have views of the Ohio River.

[20] Other recommendations included the avoidance of large, blank walls, the inclusion of public art, and the provision of year-round uses inside the building.

Brands would pay $13.5 million for the naming rights[21] and would sell the products of three of its chains—KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell—in seven concession stands within the arena.

As a result of the subtracted hotel and the revised projected revenues, the arena, which would have lost $123,000 a year originally, might turn a small profit.

[8] The decrease in revenues, from $1.3 million to $738,000 during the first 10 years of operations of the new arena, is the result of a revision taking into account fewer events for the center.

On May 28, 2007, it was announced that the Louisville Metro Council was to propose an arena-financing deal that would save city taxpayers $3.4 million/year, or $100 million over three decades.

[22] The proposal, required the arena officials to exhaust other revenue sources, such as naming rights and luxury suite sales, before asking the metro government to pay more than its minimum pledge.

Under the deal, the Louisville Arena Authority can ask the local government for up to $3.5 million more a year to cover the debt only if at least five other sources are drained.

The tax-increment financing district will allow part of the anticipated growth in state taxes to help pay for the arena.

Steve Beshear and Mayor Jerry Abramson announced a new $3 million streetscape improvement project directly underneath the Clark Memorial Bridge, a three-block area from Main Street to River Road, which will be transformed into a plaza.

This includes a new decorative lighting system under the refurbished Clark Memorial Bridge, wide sidewalks, seats, new pedestrian and festival areas, and extensive plantings, making this an inviting promenade for the new KFC YUM!

At first, task force member and University of Louisville athletics director Tom Jurich, along with University of Louisville president James Ramsey and Task Force member John Schnatter (founder of Papa John's Pizza), were ardently opposed to a downtown site and supported instead a campus arena, or a new arena built near Freedom Hall at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

Schnatter, joined by fellow task force member and Humana co-founder David Jones, strongly supported a new arena at the water company site, located four blocks down 2nd Street, or the Exposition Center, which was the cheapest option.