LONDON, Ky. (LEX 18) — For years, Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park has served as a peaceful retreat for those in Laurel County and beyond. But across Highway 229 from the park, a major $5 million project is taking place at the fairgrounds, rebuilding many of the buildings destroyed in the May tornado. The new and improved Laurel County Fairgrounds will feature an open air pavilion spanning 45,000 square feet and a 15,000 square foot event center, according to Christina Sowders, director of the Wilderness Road Event Center. "This is really gonna be one of the best fairgrounds in the entire state," Sowders said. When the project is complete, Sowders is excited about what's to come in 2026: a five-day county fair featuring rodeos, horse shows and tractor pulls.