August 24, 2009
Anthony SchoettleThe Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association is so desperate for more marketing funding, the organization charged
with promoting the city as a convention and tourism destination is considering taking out a loan. While that
would be the last resort, ICVA CEO Don Welsh said it is one he will have to consider if the money can’t be raised through
local taxes.
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August 20, 2009
Scott OlsonThe Adam’s Mark Hotel Indianapolis has become the Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel.
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August 17, 2009
IBJ StaffJames B. “Jim” Rentschler, former general manager at the University Club of Cincinnati, has been named general
manager of The Columbia Club.
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August 17, 2009
The City-County Council wisely averted disaster for the Capital Improvement Board Aug. 10 by voting to raise the city’s
hotel tax from 9 percent to 10 percent, but the razor-thin vote was another disappointing case of elected officials making
decisions based on partisanship rather than good judgment.
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August 10, 2009
IBJ StaffThe City-County Council voted 15-14 last night to approve raising the local hotel tax from 9 percent to 10 percent in a move
intended to help the cash-strapped Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board close a $47 million operating deficit.
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August 10, 2009
Scott OlsonMembers of the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board this afternoon passed a $63 million budget for 2010 that hinges on the
City-County Council’s approval of a hike in the local hotel tax.
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August 3, 2009
The U.S. Senior Open Championship, which wrapped up yesterday, drew a total of 146,915 spectators
to Carmel's Crooked Stick Golf Club for three days of practice and four days of tournament play.
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August 3, 2009
Anthony SchoettleThe Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association is putting together an all-star corporate consortium to make the city
a hub for medical and life sciences conventions, meetings and trade shows. The ICVA began running the initiative
full-speed this year and already has signed deals to bring 40 medical meetings to Indianapolis through 2015, including annual
meetings for the American Association of Diabetes Educators in 2012 and the American College of Sports Medicine and American
Chemical Society in 2013.
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August 3, 2009
Scott OlsonDestinations throughout Indiana no longer can count on a state marketing campaign to help drive summer crowds. Lawmakers who
passed a budget during the special session at the end of June sliced the state’s annual contribution
to the Indiana Office of Tourism Management in half—from $4.8 million to $2.4 million.
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August 3, 2009
Anthony SchoettleWhile the local hotel industry is being rocked by the current economy, budget hotels and those in the small towns surrounding
Indianapolis are actually seeing gains. Properties affected by the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and Big Ten Tournament
are among the losers.
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July 27, 2009
Lou HarryThis week, three of my fellow IBJ scribes join me in picking our favorite area amusement park rides
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July 27, 2009
IBJ StaffThe owner of the popular Broad Ripple Italian restaurant Ambrosia plans to open a location downtown on the
first floor of the Hampton Inn along Maryland Street.
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July 27, 2009
Riya V. AnandwalaEarle Travel Co. has been weathering challenges as the recession has deepened and H1N1 influenza spiked
earlier this year. Those problems have nearly capsized many travel agencies, but co-owner Kelly Shea said Earle’s business
slumped only 8 percent last year.
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July 27, 2009
Anthony SchoettleHotel occupancy rates are way down in Indianapolis, as they are elsewhere, but local operators and national analysts think
the city is in a good position to bounce back when the economy improves.
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July 21, 2009
IBJ StaffA study commission has concluded that a major development involving a new youth-sports complex would be viable for Westfield,
the city announced this morning.
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July 13, 2009
Cory SchoutenPlans are in the works for a wine bar called Tastings that would take the first-floor corner space at the Conrad Indianapolis.
The $1 million project would add an entrance to the luxury hotel at the northeast corner of Washington
and Illinois streets and include a total of 80 outdoor seats along both streets, in the shadow of the
Artsgarden.
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July 6, 2009
Cory SchoutenMost of the companies that agreed to help underwrite the 2012 Super Bowl are standing by their commitments even as the recession
wreaks havoc on their businesses. Of $25 million pledged by more than 80 companies before last year's bid process, only about
$1 million is at risk, said host committee head Mark Miles.
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June 29, 2009
Frank BasileThere's nothing like following the wildly influential thinker Charles Darwin's own footsteps, which I
had the pleasure of doing by visiting the beautiful, mysterious, isolated and enchanted Galapagos Islands.
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June 1, 2009
Scott OlsonIndianapolis already hosts three of the top 200 conventions in the country. But additional meeting space coming online late
next year could help the city double the number.
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June 1, 2009
Anthony SchoettleSome industry insiders worry that, while Indianapolis is busy chasing bigger conventions, adjoining counties may raid the
cupboard made plentiful by investments within Marion County, particularly downtown.
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June 1, 2009
In this Quick Hits look at a competing convention city, Cincinnati boasts more convention space, but Indianapolis draws
more guests.
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June 1, 2009
Kathleen McLaughlinThe Arts Council of Indianapolis faces the unenviable task of divvying up less than $1 million in city grants for the arts,
compared with $2.15 million that was awarded last year.
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May 18, 2009
If a city really wants to attract people to its city (to live and visit), it has to become a better city, but to become a
better city it has to know what it is and what it wants to be and what it can be.
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May 18, 2009
Mike HicksIf Indiana is to be marketed as a region, government will be the one to do it.
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May 18, 2009
Indianapolis still looks like a city with momentum, despite the dismal economy. But appearances can be deceiving.
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Can IBJ please stop referring to this property as "Kessler Mansion"? What a ridiculous title for the biggest, bloated, blight in our city. It's not a mansion. At best, it's an ideal site to shoot low-budget porn. Ahhh! Another business use!
Its stories like these that prove that a Ball State diploma is worth less than the paper that its printed on. A real institution of higher learning would have taken care of this long ago. No way should this crap be taught in a SCIENCE class.
It is such a shame that King Ballard has made Indianapolis into Chicago south with all of the rampant corruption.
How many of these 1,259 bills were actually heard and voted on on the floor vs how many were shot down in committee?
When a an arrogant young guy with essentially no experience and no qualifications for the job, was dropped into an Administrator position out of nowhere by his "mentor" in the Mayor's office things seemed fishy. Sometimes things are what they seem.