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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowSt. Elmo Steak House is a downtown dinner destination that typically has little trouble attracting patrons tempted by its signature shrimp cocktail.
The next four days will be no different. But this weekend’s reservation list is heavy on out-of-town guests hungry for both filet mignon and Big Ten basketball.
All told, visitors in town for the men’s tournament running today through Sunday are expected to generate $7.5 million in direct spending, mostly by staying in the city’s hotels and frequenting its restaurants.
Critics say such spending estimates are overblown, since tourists often displace local residents who don’t want to wait for a table or battle event traffic. But St. Elmo and other downtown venues say the visitors don’t scare off their regulars.
The impact on St. Elmo is no more evident than it will be tomorrow – traditionally one of its busiest times during the Big 10 tournament – when fans flock to the restaurant to kill time between afternoon and evening games.
Still, as General Manager Chris Clifford scans the reservations, he recognizes the names of loyal locals, too.
“They’re down here enjoying the games like everybody else,” he said.
Residents also are willing to brave the crowds and venture downtown for cultural events, according to local arts venues.
The Indianapolis Repertory Theatre’s production of “The Ladies Man” runs this weekend, and the four performances look “pretty full,” said Katy Hansen, IRT’s manager of patron services.
Even so, IRT staff are prepared to field complaints from theatergoers angry about traffic congestion or the lack of parking. The theater encourages patrons to use its valet service to avoid parking snafus.
“We get comments like, ‘Oh my gosh, it took forever to get here,'” Hansen said. “But it’s really not as detrimental as you would think.”
Severe weather is more apt to cause cancellations, she said.
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s “Mighty Voices” show runs tomorrow and Saturday. ISO spokesman Tim Northcutt doesn’t expect the performances to sell out, but only because the vocal program is not as popular as typical symphony offerings.
Indianapolis plays host to the men’s and women’s Big Ten tourneys through 2012. While they provide a nice boost, the events pale in comparison to other big games on the way.
Later this month, Lucas Oil Stadium will host NCAA men’s basketball regional games, the first NCAA tournament event to be held there. The men’s Final Four championship games will be there next year, followed by the women’s Final Four in 2011.
Combined, the two Finals Fours should generate about $60 million in visitor spending, according to the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Center. The formula calculates estimated room nights and attendance, as well as other variables, and is used by convention and visitor bureaus across the country.
Then, of course, the granddaddy of them all – Super Bowl XLVI – will be here in 2012. The game and related festivals are expected to generate $300 million in visitor spending.
But besides money, the event should bring the city a lot of positive attention.
“They’re really commercials for our city,” said John Dedman, spokesman for the Indiana Sports Corp. “We’re really excited about it.”
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