Mayor Greenberg releases city Derby Party guest list

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Mayor Craig Greenberg will host his first city sponosored Kentucky Derby party this year with invited members of the business community.

Breaking from his predecessor, former Mayor Greg Fischer, Greenberg is releasing the guest list:
Valerie Bruce - General Manager of LA Productions, BBC Studios
Mike and Beth George - President, Bezos Academy
Rob Mills - VP of Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, Walt Disney Television
Donna & MG Orender - CEO, Orender Unlimited
TJ & Valeta Rodgers - Founder, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
Ryan & Leigh Roslansky - CEO, LinkedIn
Dan and Lisa Roth - Editor In Chief & VP, LinkedIn

The Fischer administration refused to release the list of its Derby guests arguing its release would put Louisville at a strategic disadvantage attracting new business opportunities, by giving away to other cities who’s coming here.

That’s not unheard of when it comes to government economic development efforts.

However, Mayor Greenberg has gone in a different direction.

“We are proud to host a wonderful group of out-of-town guests for the 149th Kentucky Derby and are happy to share this information with the community,” Greenberg said. “This is going to be an amazing week for our city as there is no better time to showcase Louisville as the best place in America to grow a business, help create the next generation of leaders through early childhood education and develop a world class workforce.”

Kentucky campaign finance records show three of the guests donated to Greenberg’s primary and general election campaigns.

Valerie Bruce donated $4,000.

Dan Roth donated $3,000. His wife, Lisa donated $4,000 as well.

The city’s spending on the party so far was not availably by newstime Tuesday.

In the past the city has spent more than $100,000 on the festivities.