As Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Y.D.) prepares 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 bore or currently bear his name.
Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R-Ky.), who are running to replace McConnell, call him a mentor. They collide competition from businessman Nate Morris, an America First candidate positioning himself in opposition to McConnell's establishment Republican leadership.
McConnell, Barr and Cameron were contacted for comment but did not respond.
McConnell was asked if he had any explanation for the number of government entities in Kentucky that bear his name and whether he believed his efforts would be better spent achieving more for Kentuckians than securing these naming decisions.
Barr and Cameron were asked whether they thought placing his name on these institutions was an appropriate use of McConnell's influence and position, and whether they supported the remaining names or thought they should be changed to recognize someone more deserving.
The following eight buildings, facilities and programs named in McConnell's honor have been identified by Breitbart News:
1. Mitch McConnell Building – Kentucky Republican Party Headquarters, Frankfort.
Republican Party of Kentucky (RPK) for over 50 years controlled from 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 that added a state-of-the-art media room, boardroom and large event space. The party credited Senator Mitch McConnell for his role in raising funds for the expansion. RPC Chairman Robert Benvenuti and House Speaker David Osborne were among several party leaders who praised McConnell's decades-long leadership. The expansion, party officials say, symbolizes the party's continued growth across the commonwealth and reflects McConnell's influence in building the Republican infrastructure in Kentucky.
2. RiverWalk at Mitch McConnell Park – Bowling Green
In July 2004, the RiverWalk in Bowling Green officially opened. renamed RiverWalk at Mitch McConnell Park in recognition of Senator Mitch McConnell's role in supporting the city's Greenways project and assistance safe $4.5 million has been allocated from the federal budget for the improvement of the embankment. The investment was part of a broader amount of more than $55 million in federal funds that McConnell transferred to Warren County. Local businessman David Garvin proposed a redesign of the park to increase its visibility and improve its features. He offered to complete the work using the allocated funds and undertook to return the surplus or cover the extra costs himself. McConnell reviewed Garvin's plans during the visit but deferred decisions to local officials, saying he didn't want to influence the city's decision.
3. McConnell Plaza – Owensboro
Located In Smothers Park on the Owensboro waterfront, the McConnell Plaza Hotel is named after Senator Mitch McConnell, who helped secure $40 million in federal funding to build a new river wall and expand the park in 2005. Local authorities believe that this project has helped revitalize the city center. McConnell also directed $3 million in federal funds to build the H.L. Community Center. Neblett. Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson and Daviess County Judge-Executive Charlie Caslen noted McConnell's longtime involvement in local projects, with Caslen saying McConnell was a friend of Owensboro and Daviess County “pretty much out of the gate.”
4. McConnell Center – University of Louisville
Founded Founded in 1991 by Senator Mitch McConnell and university officials, the center, located at McConnell's alma mater, is a nonpartisan institution for leadership and civic education. Its offerings include the McConnell Scholars Program, which provides leadership and academic development to Kentucky high school graduates, as well as extensive programs for K–12 educators and students. It also hosts military education programs developed for the U.S. Army and hosts lecture series with senior military leaders. Its stated mission is to foster the development of leadership, knowledge and service among Kentucky's next generation.
5. US Senator Mitch McConnell and Secretary of State Elaine L. Chao. Civic Education Archives and Gallery – University of Louisville.
Located At the University of Louisville, the U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and Secretary Elaine L. Chao Civic Education Archives and Gallery houses the personal and professional records of both public figures. McConnell's archives include family correspondence, photographs, campaign materials and official reports documenting 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 topics in legislative and executive governance. Secretary Chao's records reflect her pioneering career in government, including her service as Secretary of Labor and Transportation and other key positions. The archives were dedicated at a ceremony in 2009, which featured remarks from U.S. Senator John McCain.
6. McConnell Technology and Training Center – Louisville (closed)
A 2014 Politico report stated that the McConnell Technology and Training Center (MTTC), formerly located in Louisville, it 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 in honor of Senator Mitch McConnell after $6 million was awarded to him in 1996.
MTTC and the non-profit organization that ran it ceased operations in 2013. Politico described its collapse as “a classic case of a program or project that relies heavily on one legislator getting into trouble when political fortunes change.”
7. Mitch McConnell Integrated Applications Lab – Western Kentucky University (unclear status)
Open In 2005, Western Kentucky University's $20 million science complex created the Mitch McConnell Integrated Applications Laboratory using more than $2.3 million in federal funding secured by the senator, as stated in the university's 2004–2005 annual report. Office of the President. The facility was located in a three-story, 72,000-square-foot building that housed the university's engineering, biotechnology and biodiversity centers.
While current university officials could not confirm the lab's current status, Western Kentucky University Media Relations Director and university spokesman Jace Lux told Breitbart News that he was unaware of the lab and has reached out to faculty for more information. He noted that the university is currently on winter break and that further clarification may be available at a later date.
8. Mitch McConnell Center for Distance Learning – University of Kentucky (status unclear)
Available sources from the early 2000s mention the existence or proposal of a Mitch McConnell Center for Distance Learning at the University of Kentucky, potentially located on the campus of the university's law school. According to Politico, the project was among Several Kentucky initiatives that received federal funding before the 2010 ban benefited from what the publication called “large portions—in some cases tens of millions of dollars—of federal pork.”
Also, column by journalist Joe Conason dated January 14, 2009. mentioned “the wonderful Mitch McConnell Center for Distance Learning at the University Law School” in Lexington. The university did not respond to requests for clarification of the center's current or former status.
