September 2, 2009
IBJ StaffThe Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association said today the National Society of Black Engineers will hold its annual
convention here in March 2013.
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August 29, 2009
Anthony SchoettleThree music events with direct visitor spending estimated at $28 million that were hosted at Lucas Oil Stadium offer proof,
city officials said, that the expense of the retractable roof and other features of the $720 million facility are paying off.
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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
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 7, 2009
Kim PuckettThe Indiana State Fair brings to mind images of deep fried foods and carnival rides, but fair-goers sometimes
buy big ticket itemslike hot tub spas.
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August 7, 2009
Indiana State Fair organizers are anticipating this month's longer fair will attract a record
crowd, but they are setting modest expectations.
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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
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 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 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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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 29, 2009
Kathleen McLaughlinCoaches Tavern, MacNiven's Restaurant and Bar, and The Jazz Kitchen are among Indianapolis bars that recently limited or banned
smoking. Those establishments join a short list of bars that already buck the trend in Indianapolis. Smoking in public places,
including restaurants, has been banned in Marion County since 2006, but it's still OK to puff away in places that don't admit
minors.
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June 29, 2009
IBJ StaffAn 11th-hour deal to keep this year's USA Cycling Masters Track National Championships at the Major Taylor Velodrome has fallen
flat, and the event has been moved to Colorado Springs.
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June 15, 2009
Anthony SchoettleThe Circle City Classic has hired Marc Williams, an East Coast marketing consultant, as its executive director, a post vacated
in March when Tony Mason left to become senior vice president for the 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee.
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June 8, 2009
IBJ StaffConner Prairie has $2.2 million riding on a ballooning exhibit that opened June 6. One thing that won't stand in the way of
its success is a competing ride--at least not at White River State Park.
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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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Laura-the festivals and tastings are free. What does is strengthen the sense of community with activities. What are those empty lots doing for the Village? it's sad you can't see the good that this progress can do for the area. No one is requiring anyone to shop there. I guess you'd rather see a Dollar store move in or no, we'd rather see the property stand empty b/c change is out of the question.
Read down to the part about Brizzi. Someone needs to subpoena his "purchases" of Red RockPictures and Cellstar and his corresponding bank records, I mean c'mon, I'd like to see his alcohol usage records, too. http://diana-vice.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html
Wonder if my neighborhood can advertise our "retention" pond and act like it is a beach too?
a new record at the '11 salebration until they realized that it was a futile effort to get their crapwagon moter and crapwagon car up speed. And then they just quietly slunk off into the night and never spoke of it again. Nothing to see here folks.
millions for putting a company's bumper sticker on one of its Lolas. But you gotta take what you can get.