Monuments to McConnell: 8 Things Named After Senator in Kentucky

With Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Y) set to leave office after his current term, ending more than four decades in the Senate, at least eight buildings, programs, and public spaces in Kentucky have carried or currently carry his name.

Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R-KY), who are running to succeed McConnell, have referred to him as a mentor. They face competition from businessman Nate Morris, an America First–aligned candidate positioning himself in opposition to McConnell’s brand of establishment Republican leadership.

McConnell, Barr, and Cameron were contacted for comment but did not respond.

McConnell was asked whether he had any explanation for the number of public entities in Kentucky that bear his name, and whether he believes his efforts would have been better spent accomplishing more for Kentuckians than securing those naming decisions.

Barr and Cameron were asked whether they believe it was a proper use of McConnell’s influence and position to have his name placed on these institutions, and whether they support the names remaining or think they should be changed to recognize someone more deserving.

The following eight buildings, facilities, and programs named after McConnell were identified by Breitbart News:

1. Mitch McConnell Building – Republican Party of Kentucky Headquarters, Frankfort

For more than 50 years, the Republican Party of Kentucky (RPK) has operated out of what is now known as the Mitch McConnell Building in Frankfort, located near the State Capitol. In November 2025, RPK celebrated the grand opening of a major headquarters expansion, which added a state-of-the-art multimedia room, boardroom, and large event space. The party credited Senator Mitch McConnell for his role in helping raise the funds for the expansion. RPK Chairman Robert Benvenuti and Speaker of the House David Osborne were among several party leaders who praised McConnell’s decades-long leadership. The expansion, according to party officials, symbolizes the party’s continued growth across the Commonwealth and reflects McConnell’s impact on building Republican infrastructure in Kentucky.

2. RiverWalk at Mitch McConnell Park – Bowling Green
In July 2004, Bowling Green’s RiverWalk Park was officially renamed RiverWalk at Mitch McConnell Park, in recognition of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s role in supporting the city’s Greenways Project and helping secure $4.5 million in federal funding for riverfront improvements. The investment was part of a broader total of more than $55 million in federal funds McConnell brought to Warren County. Local businessman David Garvin proposed a redesign of the park to increase visibility and improve its features. He offered to complete the work using the allocated funds and pledged to return any surplus or cover excess costs himself. McConnell reviewed Garvin’s plans during a visit but deferred decision-making to local officials, stating he did not want to influence the city’s judgment.

3. McConnell Plaza – Owensboro

Located in Smothers Park on Owensboro’s riverfront, McConnell Plaza is named in tribute to Senator Mitch McConnell, who helped secure $40 million in federal funding to build a new river wall and expand the park in 2005. Local officials credit the project with enabling the city’s downtown revitalization. McConnell also directed $3 million in federal funds to help construct the H.L. Neblett Community Center. Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson and Daviess County Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen have both cited McConnell’s long-standing involvement in local projects, with Castlen stating that McConnell had been a friend to Owensboro and Daviess County “pretty much out of the gate.”

4. McConnell Center – University of Louisville

Founded in 1991 by Senator Mitch McConnell and university officials, the center — located at McConnell’s alma mater — is a nonpartisan leadership and civic education institution. Its offerings include the McConnell Scholars Program, which provides leadership and academic development to Kentucky high school graduates, and extensive programming for K–12 educators and students. It also hosts military education initiatives designed for the U.S. Army and features lecture series with senior military leaders. Its stated mission is to foster leadership, scholarship, and service among Kentucky’s next generation.

5. U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and Secretary Elaine L. Chao Archives and Civic Education Gallery – University of Louisville

Located at the University of Louisville, the U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and Secretary Elaine L. Chao Archives and Civic Education Gallery preserves the personal and professional records of both public figures. McConnell’s archives include family correspondence, photographs, campaign artifacts, and official records that document his career in public service — from local politics to his role in the U.S. Senate. The collection offers a resource for studying the structure of the Senate, the relationship between Kentucky and the federal government, and broader themes in legislative and executive governance. Secretary Chao’s papers reflect her pioneering career in public administration, including her service as Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Transportation, as well as other key roles. The archives were dedicated in a 2009 ceremony featuring remarks by U.S. Sen. John McCain.

6. McConnell Technology & Training Center – Louisville (Closed)

A 2014 Politico report stated that The McConnell Technology & Training Center (MTTC), formerly located in Louisville, was a federally supported initiative that received more than $90 million in federal funds. Originally known as the Manufacturing Technology Transfer Center, the facility was renamed in 2000 after Senator Mitch McConnell, following a $6 million earmark he secured in 1996.

The MTTC and the nonprofit that operated it ceased operations in 2013. Politico described its collapse as “a classic case of a program or project that relies heavily on one lawmaker running into trouble when political fortunes shift.”

7. Mitch McConnell Integrated Applications Laboratory – Western Kentucky University (Status Unclear)

Opened in 2005 as part of a $20 million science complex at Western Kentucky University, the Mitch McConnell Integrated Applications Laboratory was established using more than $2.3 million in federal funding secured by the senator, as outlined in the university’s 2004–2005 Annual Report from the Office of the President. The facility was located within a three-story, 72,000-square-foot building that housed the university’s engineering, biotechnology, and biodiversity centers.

While current university representatives could not confirm the lab’s present status, Western Kentucky University Director of Media Relations and University Spokesperson Jace Lux told Breitbart News that he was unaware of the lab and had reached out to faculty for more information. He noted that the university was currently on winter break and that further clarification might be available afterward.

8. Mitch McConnell Center for Distance Learning – University of Kentucky (Status Unclear)

Available sources from the early 2000s reference the existence or proposal of a Mitch McConnell Center for Distance Learning at the University of Kentucky, potentially located within the university’s law school. According to Politico, the project was among several Kentucky initiatives that received federal earmarks prior to the 2010 ban, benefiting from what the outlet described as “large servings of — in some cases, tens of millions of dollars — federal pork.”

Additionally, a January 14, 2009 column by journalist Joe Conason mentioned “the wonderful Mitch McConnell Center for Distance Learning at the university’s law school” in Lexington. The university has not responded to requests for clarification on the center’s current or former status.