Meeting and event planners spend years poring over details for big functions, plotting minute-by-minute schedules, and
brainstorming every possible contingency to stave off disaster. Sometimes, though, even the best-laid plans go
awry.
The College Football Hall of Fame, which never managed to attract the number of visitors its organizers hoped for after moving
to South Bend in 1995, is being moved to Atlanta to bring it more exposure.
Fort Wayne’s expanded convention center and a planned downtown hotel are proving attractive to conventions, including at least
four events long held in Indianapolis. The Grand Wayne Center said six new conventions will be held starting this fall, including
events by the Indiana Music Educators Association, the Indiana Library Federation, the Hoosier Hospitality Conference and
Indiana Farm Bureau. All four groups had previously conducted their conventions in Indianapolis. The Fort Wayne/Allen County
Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates the four events will have an economic impact of $5.9 million.
Fort Wayne’s expanded convention center and a planned downtown hotel are proving attractive to conventions, including at least
four events long held in Indianapolis.
A little more than six months before the 2010 NCAA men’s Final Four is set to tip off at Lucas Oil Stadium, the NCAA
has not yet finalized a rental deal for the facility. While officials for the NCAA and Local Organizing Committee,
the group charged with operating the event in Indianapolis, downplay any problems, sports business experts say it is unusual
not to have an agreement pinned down in the months leading up to the event.
The 2012 host committee recently hired South Bend native and Indiana University graduate Michelle Raines,
who previously served in senior management roles for four Republican national conventions.
Not long ago, developers seemed to vie for every square inch of open ground in the vicinity of the just-completed Lucas Oil
Stadium. These days, the entire neighborhood has been pushed, if not into a financial deep freeze, then at the very least
to the back of the crisper drawer.
The financial condition of the city’s Capital Improvement Board, though improving, is still dire enough that employees
of the Indiana Convention Center could be subjected to more unpaid furloughs or layoffs.
Indy Partnership CEO Ron Gifford is traveling with Gov. Mitch Daniels and a delegation of Hoosier business and community
leaders on a trip to Asia through Sept. 16. Gifford is blogging about his experiences as he works to bring
new jobs and investment to the economic development group’s 10-county Indianapolis region. Bookmark this
page and check back for updates.
They used to say that downtown Indianapolis rolled up the sidewalks at 6 p.m. No one says
that anymore. Now they say those sidewalks need to be clean. Sidewalk cleanliness is important on a day-to-day
basis for aesthetic reasons, but even more so when Indianapolis wants to put on its best face for major events
like the Final Four, the Indianapolis 500 and the Super Bowl.
The so-called Shelbyville site Harley-Davidson is considering for a new assembly plant actually isn’t in Shelbyville,
but rather in an unincorporated portion of Shelby County near the Marion County line.
In hard times like these, why would corporations spend on sculptures? Because sculptures create one-of-a-kind landmarks, and
the art has potential to grow in value.
Twenty local agencies that help fight homelessness will receive $5.8 million in federal stimulus funds, the United Way of
Central Indiana announced today.
Locally based MZD Advertising has signed a contract to market sponsorships and a trade show for the Mizuno Volleyball Mid
East Qualifier, to be held in 2010 in Indianapolis and St. Louis.
[In the Aug. 17 editorial] IBJ accuses elected officials of making decisions based on partisanship rather than
good judgment. This superficial pronouncement of the reasons behind Proposal 285’s vote tally lacks thoughtful evaluation
of why councilors cast their votes the way they did at the August 10 council meeting.
