DevelopLex is a podcast diving into the ins & outs of real estate development and investing here in Lexington, Kentucky. This series will feature interviews with some of Lexington's most prominent real estate developers that have played a major role in building Lexington into what it is today.
Camel Club & The Ashbrook: How Tyler Bromagen Brought Two Old Houses Back to Lif
Host Ross Boggess interviews Tyler Bromagen about the intricate process and financial realities of adaptively reusing historic buildings like The Ashbrook Hotel and Camel Club.
12 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT
83. Democracy by Design: How Richard Young & CivicLex are Making Local Government More Representative
What would it look like if everyday Lexingtonians - not just elected officials - had a direct hand in shaping how the city works? That’s exactly what Richard Young and his team at CivicLex are putting into motion with a groundbreaking Civic Assembly and a once-in-a-generation review of Lexington’s city charter.
In this episode of DevelopLex, Ross sits down with Richard to unpack the bold new approach CivicLex is taking to improve Lexington’s civic health - the city’s ability to make decisions that reflect the values, needs, and diversity of its people.
Richard explains how CivicLex grew from a local project into a nationally recognized model for civic engagement, and why updating the city charter could be the most important local effort you haven’t heard about - until now.
Through a process modeled after jury duty (but way more empowering), CivicLex is selecting 36 random, representative residents to deliberate on major topics like council structure, redistricting, and public input and recommend changes that could directly shape Lexington’s future.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Why the city charter is Lexington’s version of a constitution and why it matters- How CivicLex is using sortition to build a Civic Assembly that mirrors the city- What “civic health” means and how it impacts development and governance- Why this charter review process is Lexington’s most democratic effort in decades- How this model could be used for other contentious local issues- What it takes to engage people meaningfully, not just performatively, in government
Hosted by: Ross Boggess
Supported by:SVN Stone Commercial Real EstateCraftsman ContractorsBowmanCommunity Trust Bank
20 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT
82. The Blueprint for Scale: Lee Greer of Greer Companies on Cheddar’s, Activate, and What’s Next
What does it take to scale a business from a single restaurant in Kentucky to a nationally recognized brand? Few people understand that blueprint better than Lee Greer, President of Greer Companies - the force behind Cheddar’s national expansion, the real estate portfolio that underpins the company, and the global rise of Activate through Sounds Fun Entertainment.
In this episode of DevelopLex, Weston and Ross sit down with Lee to unpack the strategy, discipline, and culture that have defined Greer Companies for decades. From raising hundreds of millions on Wall Street to working every station in a Cheddar’s kitchen, Lee shares how those experiences shaped the systems-driven, people-first approach that he now applies across restaurants, entertainment concepts, and real estate development.
Lee breaks down the story behind the Cheddar’s exit - including the last-minute negotiation move that added $72 million to the deal - and how that capital helped fuel significant projects in Lexington like City Center. He also explains why Activate became the perfect next venture: a concept built on physical and mental challenges, designed for repeat play, and structured with low labor and no cost of goods.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- How Wall Street deal-making trained Lee to think in scale, systems, and returns
- Why Cheddar’s succeeded through culture, consistency, and operational discipline
- The behind-the-scenes story of the Cheddar’s exit and how it reshaped Greer Companies
- Why Activate’s experiential model is built for global growth and why it works
- How real estate remains the backbone of Lee’s long-term investment strategy
- What Lexington needs to unlock its next stage of intentional growth
Hosted by Weston Lockhart (https://www.linkedin.com/in/weston-lockhart/) and Ross Boggess (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossboggess/)
DevelopLex is proud to be supported by:
SVN Stone Commercial Real Estate (https://svnstone.com) (https://www.ctbi.com/)
Community Trust Bank (https://www.ctbi.com/) (https://www.craftsmencontractors.com/)
Craftsman Contractors (https://www.craftsmencontractors.com/)
(https://www.craftsmencontractors.com/)Bowman (https://bowman.com/)
Inside a recent episode
Camel Club & The Ashbrook: How Tyler Bromagen Brought Two Old Houses Back to Lif
Published 6 Aug 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And it's it's a very neat way to come in here that I've only been in here. maybe once or twice to pick up a framed jersey for UK athletics back in the day, but is now just remarkable. And it stands up to a point where you're getting national recognition from major press outlets. Locally, I think everybody wants it to be a photo shoot space because it has been crafted in a way that's unusually... good and exceptional. So yeah, you know, again, like a lot of it starts with the basics. The design is critical to have a very nice space. And a lot of the design choices that we had played into creating the culture that we wanted, like on the first floor and that we have no TVs in the main bar or parlor library. the entire idea is get off your phone, get off your device and connect on a human level. […]
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