Former state House Rep. Adam Koenig isn’t sure what the future holds, but it’s not in politics for now.
Koenig served as the 69th District House representative from 2006 until 2022. In the May primary, he lost to current Rep. Steve Doan (R-Erlanger).
With his time in office complete — at least for now — Koenig said he would focus on Koenig Public Policy and Political Consulting. One of the first things he’ll be doing in this new life is serving as the first-ever executive director of the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association.
“‘I’m focused on consulting, but you never get the other stuff out of your blood,” Koenig said, referring to life in politics. “Never say never, but I’m focused on building up this business.”
Koenig and the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association (KQHRA) are working with Revolutionary Racing to bring the state its first quarter horse track and equine facility in Ashland. In the past, quarter-horse owners have had to take their horses out of state to race.
“Rep. Koenig spent many years helping Kentucky’s horse racing industry, and we are grateful he will continue that work in this new role,” said Dr. Richard Connelley, KQHRA president, in a statement. “He brings unmatched leadership and relationships that will help us take the biggest step in our history.”
During his time in the legislature, Koenig chaired the Licensing, Occupations, and Administration Regulations Committee — meaning he had a hand in all gaming issues coming through the House. He also sponsored legislation involving horse racing and penny breakage.
Through his legislative work, Koenig gained strong contacts with horse owners and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
The Quarter Horse Racing Association will represent the horsemen at the track in Boyd County and help to have successful meets and a successful program. He encouraged horse owners to nominate their horses for the Kentucky Bred Awards if they have a horse to race.
“We’re on our way to building what hopefully will be the best quarter horse racing meet in America in four to five years,” Koenig said.
In addition to being an executive director, Koenig will be working with Redmile Gaming in Lexington. One of the things he’ll be tasked with is helping the facility, which contains a 1-mile red clay track, with sports betting when or if the legislature decides to pass it.
“If sports betting does get passed, or when it gets passed, whether it’s this year in the future, that I’ll be helping them in any way they need to prepare and then execute that,” Koenig said, noting that under state law a former legislator can’t lobby the legislature for two years after they’ve left office.
Koenig championed sports betting during his time in the House and, on the last day of the 2022 session, saw hopes of passing a sports betting bill die in the Senate.
While Koenig remains focused on these new endeavors and taking things one day at a time, he wouldn’t rule out another run for office.
“These are the sort of things that I could realistically do both if I chose to get back in,” he said.