For many years, Muhammad Ali has dreamed of “creating a place to share, teach, and inspire people to be their best and to pursue their dreams.” In 1997, the Muhammad Ali Center was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Kentucky as a 501(c)3 corporation. Muhammad and his wife Lonnie founded the Ali Center and chose their hometown of Louisville as the site—the physical locality that would truly close the circle of Muhammad’s life. The international headquarters location would put Louisville on the map as the city where Ali’s life began and as the place where his legacy would be promoted and shared with the rest of the world.
A board of directors was formed with Ina Brown Bond as its first board chair. In October 2000, the Ali Center’s first President and CEO, Michael Fox, was hired followed by a skeletal-sized staff team of professionals in the specialized fields of communications, development, marketing, and education. A construction site donated by Metro Louisville was selected, leading to the engagement of schematic and concept designers, architects, institutional planners, exhibit and fabrication designers, media producers, a chief curator, a construction management team (focused on minority participation), and countless other professionals from across the country who collectively helped transform Muhammad Ali’s dream into a reality.
Listed below are some key milestones of the Ali Center’s historical development:
- Muhammad Ali Center revised its capital project costs and location (February 2002)
Subsequently, Ali Center leadership decided on an improved locale (the former King Fish Restaurant located along the banks of the Ohio River in Louisville’s historic downtown district) that led to the reduction in square footage and nearly $20 million in construction costs of the building but with no measurable negative impact on the facility program. The City’s leadership assumed the costs of the construction of the garage and other pedestrian amenities, including plaza, amphitheater, and street improvements.
- Muhammad Ali Center announced new architectural design plans (April 2002)
The Center’s Board Chair Ina Brown Bond and Vice-Chair Lonnie Ali presented revised architectural renderings and an overview of what Center guests-both on-site and online-from around the world could expect in terms of architecture, exhibits, personal interface and development, and educational programming. Click here to view the design and development team.
- Groundbreaking ceremony (June 2002)
The City of Louisville broke ground on Phase One of the Muhammad Ali Center, which encompasses a 7.5 million 450-space parking garage owned by the Parking Authority of River City (PARC) and a one-acre public plaza. The two-level plaza, when completed, will include an entry atrium from historic Main Street, dramatic upper level views of the Ohio River, and will be connected to the city’s Belvedere and Riverfront Plaza via a new pedestrian bridge across Sixth Street. The plaza will also contain an outdoor amphitheater, a water wall, glass fountain, and landscaping.
- Construction on headquarters begins (August 2004)
With the city’s underground parking garage now completed—construction of the 93,000 square foot Muhammad Ali Center began. Click here for photos.
- “Topping Out” ceremony (November 2004)
The Muhammad Ali Center celebrated the pinnacle point of its steel construction with a “Topping Out” ceremony that brought the development of Muhammad Ali’s international center one step closer to reality.
- Grand Opening of Muhammad Ali Center (November 2005)
In pursuit of Muhammad Ali’s dream, both Mr. and Mrs. Ali, as well as countless staff and other professionals, volunteers, and donors, devoted much energy, resources, effort, and passion to complete the six-level headquarters building on November 19, 2005—the couple’s 19th wedding anniversary. The Muhammad Ali Center welcomed over 2000 guests from 12 countries and 32 states to celebrate the opening with a grand gala, followed by a community-wide public dedication ceremony (the following day) on the city’s Belvedere. Since opening, the Ali Center has hosted thousands of guests with nearly 400 programs and special events in keeping with the Center’s mission. Click here for photos.
- Ali Center celebrates one-year anniversary (November 2006)
The Ali Center welcomed over 7,000 guests on its one-year anniversary to mark the date, share the celebration, and welcome the community. Visitor activities included artistic performances throughout the day, light refreshments, an archival video project, films, and special activities for children. Admission for all guests was free that day. Click here for photos.
- Completion of City’s two-level public plaza surrounding the Ali Center
Estimated completion of the public plaza is early 2008.
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