Support local by exploring Covington this summer 

As summer is coming at full speed, many Northern Kentuckians are eager to get back out into the cities and communities they love. Covington Mayor Joseph Meyer says he is determined to have Covington emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic “not shell-shocked and shattered but able and ambitious.”  

Meyer plans to get there by continuing to use the resources the city government provides that strengthen Covington’s economy and raise the quality of life for Covington residents.  

For the rest of 2021, Meyer has three specific goals for the Northern Kentucky city. For starters, Meyer wants to move forward on developing the 23-acre site in downtown Covington that previously housed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) but will now become a mix of offices, housing, retail and public spaces.  

Second, Meyer wants to continue creating jobs and investments by accelerating Covington’s economic momentum—and not just downtown. Last, Meyer wants to find a site and move closer toward building an actual City Hall government center.  

“For 50 years, city government has lived a vagabond existence in a series of temporary quarters, and whether our residents realize it or now, it’s keeping us from delivering services as effectively and efficiently as we would like to,” Meyer says.  

Despite this past year, Meyer says Covington experienced a “banner year in economic development” with the announcement of 2,100 new jobs and $85.6 million in capital investment.  

“At the same time, we know that many of our small businesses were badly damaged, so we continue to figure out ways to help them,” Meyer says.  

People looking to support and celebrate Covington can eat at restaurants, shop at small business, drink at bars—all while following COVID-19 protocols—Meyer says.