City of Bowling Green

What City of Bowling Green does

The City of Bowling Green is a municipal government entity founded in 1775 and incorporated under Kentucky Revised Statute 83A.150, operating under a City Manager form of governance with a Board of Commissioners (four commissioners on two-year terms and a mayor on a four-year term). It serves residents, businesses, and visitors within Bowling Green, Kentucky (Warren County), providing comprehensive municipal services spanning public safety, parks and recreation, housing assistance, neighborhood services, public works, and administrative functions.

The city's service portfolio includes the Russell Sims Aquatic Center, three municipal golf courses (CrossWinds 18-hole, Hobson 9-hole, Paul Walker 9-hole), three community centers (F.O. Moxley, Kummer Little, Parker-Bennett), the 60,000 sq ft Sloan Convention Center with a 1,500-capacity grand ballroom, and an extensive parks and cemetery system. Digital infrastructure comprises the BGTV4 government access channel for live commission meeting broadcasts, Bonfire e-procurement portal, GIS-based City Services Near Me tool, eMiscellaneous Billing payment portal, online permitting systems (building, electrical, burn, demolition, fence, street cut, swimming pool, tent, short-term rental), email newsletter subscriptions across 10+ categories, and SMS notifications via 833-494-0660. The Housing Division administers HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) for over 600 low-income households and has been named a High Performing Agency by HUD for ten consecutive years.

Revenue is generated through property taxes (assessed at 100% fair market value), a 2% occupational license tax on net profits (increased from 1.85% effective January 1, 2024), monthly 2% employee withholding, permit and license fees, user fees for recreation facilities, $2 transaction fees on online payments, and federal/state grants including HUD Section 8, CDBG, HOME, Climate Pollution Reduction, and COVID recovery funds. Go-to-market is direct-to-citizen via the bgky.org website, physical offices at City Hall (1001 College Street) and the Annex (1017 College Street), and facility-based service delivery. Strategic partners include HUD, the Warren County Planning Commission, the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureau, Community Action of Southern Kentucky, and RATP Dev USA for transit operations.

Name

City of Bowling Green

Legal name

City of Bowling Green

Website

https://bgky.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1775

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The City of Bowling Green is a municipal government serving residents, businesses, and visitors within Bowling Green, Kentucky. It provides public safety, parks and recreation, housing assistance, permitting, property tax collection, occupational licensing, and operates the Sloan Convention Center, three golf courses, and the Russell Sims Aquatic Center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922), Utilities (221)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Planning, Zoning, Permitting & Code Enforcement (BPAIACAE)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety services
• Parks and recreation
• Tax administration
• Public works utilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Bowling Green

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes: Collects property taxes for the City and Bowling Green Independent School System. Property values determined by Warren County Property Valuation Administrator at 100% fair market value as of January 1 annually.
2. Occupational License Tax: 2% occupational license tax on net profit for businesses engaged in occupations, trades, professions or other business activities conducted for profit within the City limits. Increased from 1.85% effective January 1, 2024.
3. Permit and License Fees: Fees for building permits, alarm permits, burn permits, demolition permits, electrical permits, fence permits, street cut permits, swimming pool permits, tent permits, short-term rental permits, and business registration fees ($50 one-time for local businesses).
4. User Fees and Service Charges: $2 transaction fee for online payments; fees for golf courses (CrossWinds, Hobson, Paul Walker), Russell Sims Aquatic Center, fitness facilities, athletic programs, and community centers.
5. Transient Business Registration: Registration fees for transient businesses based on number of days and employees/representatives operating within the City.
6. Federal and State Grant Funding: HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program funds, CDBG grants, HOME Investment Partnership funds, Climate Pollution Reduction Grant funds, and Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.
7. Alcoholic Beverage Control Licensing: Licensing fees for alcoholic beverage sales with comprehensive application process through City and State ABC.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The City of Bowling Green is a municipal government that provides statutory local-government services to residents, businesses, and visitors within its corporate limits. Its core offerings include public safety (police, fire, EMS), public works (streets, sanitation, stormwater, traffic), utilities (water, wastewater, electric through partnerships), parks and recreation, code enforcement, planning and zoning, permitting and inspections, and tax administration (property, occupational license, insurance premium).

Product overview

City of Bowling Green operates a comprehensive municipal services platform through its official website (bgky.org), offering citizens access to a diverse portfolio of government services and facilities. The city's digital presence encompasses recreation services (including the Russell Sims Aquatic Center, three municipal golf courses, athletic programs, fitness facilities, and community centers), housing assistance through the HUD-designated High Performing Housing Choice Voucher Program serving 600+ households, financial services including property tax collection and occupational licensing, public transit via GoBG, and permit application services. The city also provides citizen communication tools including BGTV4 government access channel, email newsletter subscriptions, and SMS mobile notifications. Additional facilities include the Sloan Convention Center (60,000 sq ft event venue) and the city operates an online procurement portal for vendor engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BGTV4: Government access channel for live commission meetings and regularly scheduled programming

Products and services

• Police Services Law enforcement, patrol, investigations, community policing, and emergency response for residents, businesses, and visitors within city limits.
• Fire and EMS Fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, fire prevention inspections, and public fire education for residents and businesses.
• Sanitation and Solid Waste Collection Curbside garbage, recycling, and yard-waste collection services provided to residential and commercial customers within city limits.
• Water and Wastewater Utilities Potable water treatment and distribution, and wastewater collection and treatment services billed to residential and commercial customers.
• Parks and Recreation Operation of public parks, sports complexes, swimming pools, golf course, community centers, and recreation programming for residents.
• Building Permits and Inspections Issuance of building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits; conduction of plan review and field inspections for construction projects.
• Planning and Zoning Comprehensive planning, zoning administration, subdivision review, and historic preservation services for property owners and developers.
• Property Tax Administration Assessment, billing, collection, and enforcement of ad valorem property taxes on real and personal property within the city.
• Occupational License Tax Annual licensing and net-profit-based taxation of businesses operating within city limits.
• Streets, Stormwater, and Traffic Engineering Maintenance and construction of public streets, sidewalks, stormwater infrastructure, street lighting, and traffic signals.
• Code Enforcement Investigation and enforcement of nuisance, property maintenance, and zoning violations on private property within city limits.
• Transit Services Fixed-route public bus transportation within Bowling Green, primarily serving residents, students, and visitors without private vehicles.
• Civic Events and Community Programming Production and hosting of festivals, concerts, farmers markets, and civic events at city-owned venues.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Emergency Management, Bowling Green-Warren CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint emergency management coordination between the City of Bowling Green and Warren County for emergency preparedness, response, and recovery operations.
• Community Action of Southern KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for community services and social support programs serving southern Kentucky residents in conjunction with city neighborhood services.
• Planning Commission (Warren County)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborative planning and zoning coordination with Warren County Planning Commission for development regulations, zoning ordinances, and land use planning.
• Human Rights CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity commission addressing human rights issues, fair housing, and discrimination concerns within Bowling Green.
• Humane Society, Bowling Green-Warren CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for animal protection services and animal control operations.
• Hobson House CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric preservation partnership for Hobson House/Riverview historic site.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partnership administering Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8). City has been named High Performing Agency by HUD for ten consecutive years. Also administers Stability Vouchers and HUD-VASH vouchers for homeless veterans.
• Kentucky Balance of State Continuum of Care (KHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for administering 5 Stability Vouchers aimed at providing safe and affordable housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
• Convention & Visitors BureaucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTourism promotion partnership directing visitors to Bowling Green attractions, accommodations, and events. Website at visitbgky.com.
• Chamber of Commerce (Bowling Green Area)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partnership for business support, relocation services (livehere.bgchamber.com), and business community engagement.
• RATP Dev USAminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTransit management and operational services provider for Bowling Green Public Transit Program (letsgobg.com) at $97.31 per revenue hour.
• South Central Kentucky Economic DevelopmentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional economic development partnership at southcentralky.com for business attraction, retention, and expansion in the Bowling Green area.
• Warren County Property Valuation AdministratorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty partnership for property value assessments. Properties are valued at 100% of fair market value as of January 1 each year for city property tax purposes.
• National Neighborhood Coalition (NUSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with national neighborhood organization for best practices in neighborhood services and community engagement.
• KY Transportation CabinetminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState agency for contractor prequalification for select complex construction projects as determined by the Director of Public Works.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• City of Murfreesboro, Tennessee: Mid-sized Southern city government with comparable population scale (~150,000), parks and recreation portfolio, convention/event facilities, and economic development focus. Closely comparable on size and growth profile as a regional hub.
• City of Lexington, Kentucky: Another Kentucky municipal government operating under the same statutory framework (KRS Chapter 83A), providing comparable general-administration, public safety, parks & recreation, and economic development services to a mid-sized Kentucky city population. Directly comparable on regulatory environment and service portfolio.
• City of Clarksville, Tennessee: Tennessee municipal government of similar size with parks and recreation, public transit, golf, and aquatic facilities, providing directly comparable municipal service portfolio in a nearby regional market.
• City of Owensboro, Kentucky: Kentucky municipal government with similar population scale and service mix including parks, recreation, convention facilities, and housing assistance. Operates under the same KRS framework and competes with Bowling Green for regional investment and tourism.
• City of Covington, Kentucky: Another mid-sized Kentucky city government providing similar general municipal services, parks and recreation, code enforcement, and citizen engagement programs under the same Kentucky Revised Statutes.

Others

• Tyler Technologies: Major vendor of municipal government software including permitting, licensing, and citizen engagement platforms. Not a competitor but an enabling technology provider whose offerings are used by Bowling Green-equivalent cities for the same digital service delivery.
• Granicus: Provider of government communications and citizen engagement platforms including video streaming for government access channels (analogous to BGTV4) and digital notification tools. Indirect ecosystem participant supporting municipal transparency functions.

Broad incumbents

• City of Louisville, Kentucky: Largest Kentucky municipal government operating under the same KRS framework with comprehensive parks, recreation, transit, housing, and convention services. Provides a regional benchmark for Kentucky municipal service standards.
• City of Nashville, Tennessee: Large metropolitan government operating a much broader portfolio of municipal services, including major convention facilities, transit, housing, and parks. Comparable in service categories but at substantially larger scale and complexity.

Regional players

• Warren County Government: County government covering the same geography, partnering with Bowling Green on emergency management, planning commission, and PVA assessments. Operates distinct but overlapping services such as county-level public works and planning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cityofbgky
• YouTubeyoutube.com/cityofbgky
• Facebookfacebook.com/citybgky
• Instagraminstagram.com/citybgky
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-bowling-green-ky

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Bowling Green