By Amina Elahi
Craig Greenberg, an attorney, investor and the former CEO of 21c Hotels, announced Wednesday he is joining the race for Louisville mayor as a Democrat.
He joins a candidate field already packed with prominent Louisvillians.
Mayor Greg Fischer, who is term-limited, is currently serving the 11th of his 12 years.
Greenberg left his post as CEO of 21c Hotels last July, nearly three years after moving into that job.
“I’m running for Mayor of Louisville because I believe in public service and in making big things happen. Let’s unify our city and build a more dynamic, inclusive and healthy Louisville,” Greenberg said in a press release announcing his candidacy.
In January, Greenberg joined with Kentucky Sports Radio host Matt Jones to purchase a majority stake in Ohio Valley Wrestling. The next month, he announced he was creating an urban revitalization firm. Greenberg was a developer with the investment group behind Whiskey Row, a project on Main Street that turned historic buildings into modern restaurants and shops. He was also previously a University of Louisville Trustee.
Greenberg’s announcement came with a list of policy priorities, including rebuilding trust in Louisville police, supporting the creation of “good-paying” jobs and creating a Louisville Department of Education. He also called for limiting Louisville mayors to two terms.
Plus, Greenberg said he would build 15,000 new affordable housing units in his first term, though he did not specify the target rent for those units. A 2019 assessment of Louisville’s housing stock found the city needs more than 31,000 units for the lowest-income households.
Potential challengers Greenberg could face include Metro Council President David James, protest leader Shameka Parrish-Wright, Pastor Timothy Findley Jr. of the Kingdom Fellowship Christian Life Center and Walmart employee Margaret Trowe of the Socialist Workers Party.
The deadline to file for the mayoral race is in January 2022.
