On Tuesday, Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus served as the special guest speaker for the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s January membership luncheon, which was held at the Corbin Center.
“I can’t believe that I am going to be serving three terms as mayor,” said Razmus, who will be running unopposed in this year’s election. “When I started, I thought that I would do four years, get a bunch of stuff done, and then get out. But I didn’t really understand how long things take, and how these projects aren’t easily checked off the list.”
Among the items on that list is the continued annexation into the city limits of properties located off of I-75 Exit 29. Razmus said that Corbin’s unique situation of being the only town in the state to be located within three different counties makes certain procedural matters very complicated. Still, she was happy to report that one of the area’s newest businesses, Go Time, has been annexed, and that other “big announcements” regarding additional nearby businesses should be forthcoming in the near future.
Razmus also pointed out that the city has annexed a large piece of property near Go Time, which used to be the site of the old King’s Truck Stop. She said that she expects a “flagship type of business” to move onto the property, adding that it will help to bring other businesses along with it.
Razmus commented on the now underway expansion project at the Corbin Center, as well as the recent opening of the brand new TownePlace Suites and Fairfield by Marriott hotel facility next door.
“We are so excited,” Razmus said of Corbin’s newest hotel. “It is absolutely beautiful, and we are so appreciative to have this property here. It really is something for us to be proud of. When the Corbin Center expansion gets finished, we are going to be poised to do some conferences and conventions, and we will really be set up for some great growth in the future.”
In terms of her hopes for future improvements, Razmus said she is very much aware of the need for a second exit off of the top of the Arena hill. “It is a very, very expensive problem to have,” she said. “We have done everything that we can to handle the traffic that we have at times.”
Razmus said that the city learned a valuable lesson with last year’s LeAnne Morgan comedy shows, which snarled traffic for hours in the south Corbin area. “They wanted to have shows at four and seven, and we tried to accommodate it, but it was a mess,” she explained. “So, we do have a problem, and we do recognize that. We are trying to do the best we can with scheduling, but we are also continuing to beat the drum that we really do need another exit off of Arena hill.”
Razmus mentioned during her presentation that, despite having requests for funding turned down on a couple of occasions recently, the city is not giving up on continuing to seek out funding that will help make new road infrastructure projects possible. She said she is hopeful that an announcement can be made regarding another large chunk of infrastructure grant money at some point in the next year or two.
“We are all in this to try and make this community better,” Razmus commented. “We are the key that ties three counties together, and together we are unstoppable.”
After the conclusion of Razmus’ presentation, chamber members were invited next door for a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the TownePlace Suites and Fairfield by Marriott hotel. Visitors were able to tour the facility, get a look at guest rooms, and were treated to refreshments. The hotel has been open for business since late last year. Additional details about the facility can be found online at www.marriott.com.
