Hosting the entire 68-team NCAA men’s basketball tournament is likely to be a landmark event for Indianapolis and another boon for the city’s hospitality efforts, industry observers say.
The herculean effort over the next 2-1/2 months will involve city and state officials, tourism and civic leaders, and likely thousands of volunteers.
Dr. Virginia Caine said the decision on further opening restaurants will be dictated by positivity rates, vaccine distribution and case counts much closer to the tournament.
Plans for a grand, glass-wrapped entry pavilion as part of the $360 million renovation to Bankers Life Fieldhouse have been tabled, in favor of minimal updates that largely keep the existing facade intact.
Nearly all of downtown’s nearly 7,600 hotel rooms could be used for the tournament, as well as additional hotels in other parts of the city as well.
Some protocols are already set, including requirements for travel to Marion County and how teams will manage their operations throughout the tournament.
Square Cat Vinyl at 1054 Virginia Ave. is expanding into a 2,400-square-foot space previously occupied by Vintage Vogue, a Goodwill store for fashionable second-hand clothing that closed in March 2020.
The organization said it is “closely monitoring” the pandemic and will continue evaluating the feasibility of some fan attendance at some of the games.
The 67-game tournament will be held at venues across central Indiana in March and April, according to a source familiar with the plans.
A $70 million mixed-use proposal—later withdrawn—by Buckingham Cos. for property at 719 Indiana Ave. owned by the Walker Center met significant opposition.
The Tribute and Aloft hotels—both of which were announced before the pandemic began—are among the few downtown lodging projects that are continuing to make progress.
The virus already has cost the region hundreds of millions of dollars, tens of thousands of jobs and more than 1,800 lives. Those losses are all but certain to grow as the calendar turns to 2021, amid an international effort to roll out an effective vaccine.
Indianapolis-based Perez Realty Group acquired the 113-acre retail property on Dec. 18 for a yet-undisclosed price.
Missouri-based StorageMart has more than 200 facilities and has opened or acquired several locations during the pandemic. Industry watchers say the industry segment thrives on death, displacement, divorce and disaster.
The U.S. Department of Labor alleged that BSN Sports discriminated against thousands of people who applied for jobs at the company’s Indianapolis production facility. The firm’s settlement is not an admission of guilt.
Hendricks Commercial Properties has begun preliminary discussions on phase two, but hasn’t decided whether to stick with its original plan that emphasized office space.
Two growing national retail brands have filed permits with the state for construction on spaces at the shopping center at North Keystone Avenue and 62nd Street.
Initial plans for the development call for seven apartment buildings and a clubhouse, although an alternative plan includes two headquarters-type office buildings fronting Interstate 465.
The Big Ten Conference does not plan to sell general admission tickets for Saturday’s football title game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, instead limiting attendance to only the families of athletes and other team members.
The 139-room hotel will be among the first components of the $300 million Bottleworks District to open. Additional tenants—including retailers, restaurants and entertainment-focused businesses—will begin opening early next year.
