Entertainment complex being built in Johnson County

PAINTSVILLE, Ky. (WCHS) — A new entertainment complex is being built in Johnson County, Kentucky. It will be called KP Funplex and will be located in Paintsville. A unique partnership has been formed to make the project a reality.

The entertainment facility will be more than 60,000 square feet in size. It will be built on a lot directly behind Wal Mart in Paintsville, on the site of the new Johnson Central High School. Officials say the project will take place on a lot that did not fit into the plans for the new high school, so the fiscal court leased it from the school district, which then leased it to the developer.

“The Johnson County Fiscal Court and Johnson County Schools have not invested any money in this project. It's a leasehold agreement, so he's taking it over from scratch,” said Johnson County Judge and Administrative Officer Mark McKenzie, noting that the project will not cost taxpayers any money. All of the funding will come from the private developer.

“As far as we know, this is an agreement that is the first of its kind in the Commonwealth,” said Thom Cochran, superintendent of Johnson County Schools.

The Kentucky Department of Education has approved the project and final agreements were signed late Monday afternoon. While the facility will be open to the public, it will be part of the new Johnson Central High School campus.

“I think it's going to be incredible because we don't have anything like this around here. I think it's going to bring a lot of the community together,” said Jayden Estep, a 12th grader at Johnson Central High School.

The entertainment complex will feature activities such as a two-story go-kart track, laser tag, arcade games and axe throwing. The centerpiece of the project will likely be the 24 bowling lanes, which will be put to good use by the Johnson Central High School bowling team. They currently travel to Prestonsburg for practice.

“Having a larger venue where we can host some major tournaments, regional tournaments is critical to our program,” said Johnson Central bowling coach Todd Conley.

Construction of the entertainment complex is scheduled to begin sometime next year.