Renovations are making the Kentucky Derby even more posh

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Toni Goodman was close enough to see the horses kicking up dirt as they raced past, having spent a mere $5 for her trackside seat to an event just days before the Kentucky Derby.

But the 56-year-old Kentucky native won’t be anywhere near Churchill Downs on Saturday to watch the Run for the Roses.

“I think the Derby’s great,” Goodman said before the start of a claiming race featuring also-rans. “It lets people come in to see how beautiful our state is. It’s just not doable for me.”

One of the great sporting events has long been a world of contrasting styles, with a massive gulf separating the wealthy and famous preening on Millionaires Row from the T-shirt and jeans crowd in the infield. Major renovations completed in recent years, most of them geared toward well-heeled fans, seem to have put more distance between those worlds.

This year’s average ticket price to attend the Derby — a 2-minute horse race highlighting a full day of racing, partying and people watching — is $432, according to VividSeats. com. The Derby typically generates a brisk secondary ticket market as well.

The trend to offer highend packages at sports venues reaches far beyond the Kentucky Derby. Any venue hosting a Super Bowl, World Series or even an All-Star Game creates an experience to cater to high rollers. New stadium construction often involves luxury suites, technology upgrades and other perks that cater to a high-income spectator. But such projects often face criticism that they squeeze out middle and lower-income fans.

Churchill Downs seems to burst at the seams on Derby Day, when more than 160,000 people pack into the venerable track and infield. Churchill’s parent company has pumped about $250 million into renovations since the early 2000s.