New downtown restaurant to pay tribute to Hulman family
The Hulman restaurant is the result of a partnership with the IMS Museum, which holds rights to Tony Hulman’s name and likeness.
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Speedway considering legal options for stalled Wilshaw project
The town of Speedway is considering legal action against the developer of the long-delayed Wilshaw hotel project, after the company declined its requests to provide a public update Monday night on the development’s status.
Capital Improvement Board sees first financially positive month since pandemic
The operator of the city’s convention facilities reported its best monthly financial performance since the pandemic led the Indiana Convention Center to temporarily close down in March 2020.
Hotel industry emerges from pandemic with new business model, possibly fewer workers
One thing that hotels across the board are considering is whether many of their customers are willing to accept fewer services than before, such as daily room cleanings and sizable breakfast spreads, analysts say, and that might mean a smaller hotel workforce.
Two dead, two injured during shooting outside downtown hotel
The incident occurred under the entrance canopy at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, across from the Indiana State Museum and near White River State Park.
Local developer plans $50M in projects for two former Drury-owned hotel sites
Indianapolis-based KennMar LLC acquired the former Caribbean Cove water resort property on the city’s north side and another Drury hotel site at Interstate 465 and West 71st Street.
Indiana announces $30 million grant program for hotels, entertainment venues
The Indiana Hospitality & Entertainment Grant program is intended to help those businesses “largely excluded from other government assistance programs,” the state said.
Westin hotel downtown spiffing up with eight-figure renovation
The overhaul follows the hotel’s acquisition by an Atlanta-based firm for $118.3 million in August 2019.
Will pandemic’s tourism slump return after NCAA Tournament ends?
Hospitality leaders say no, although it will be some time before occupancy rates are back to normal.
Downtown hotel occupancy tops in nation with March Madness influx
With thousands of visitors in town for the NCAA basketball tournament and other athletic events, occupancy rates at downtown Indianapolis hotels were the highest in the nation for the past two weekends, breaking the pandemic tourism setback that settled in a year ago.
3 downtown hotels to ‘un-bubble’ as NCAA consolidates teams to 1 property
The move will allow fans and other visitors to use the Hyatt Regency, Westin and JW Marriott hotels for the first time in 10 days, after the three properties were fully booked by the NCAA for tournament needs.
Update: Dozens of teams already in town as last-minute tourney prep falls into place
Teams must undergo a quarantine and testing period when they arrive in Indianapolis—and no one from the schools was allowed to make the trip without seven consecutive days of negative tests.
Event manager makes career shift after pandemic job loss
Former JW Marriott employee Lisette Woloszyk watched things go from bad to worse in March, as cancellations for the city’s hotels racked up alongside COVID-19 cases.
Photo gallery: The bracket goes up on the JW Marriott
The tradition started in 2012, when what was essentially a giant decal of the Lombardi Trophy—the prize for winning the Super Bowl—went up on the front or eastern face of the 33-story hotel.
Town of Speedway again exploring legal options for delayed Wilshaw hotel
Town officials have grown “frustrated by a lack of transparency and communication from Loftus Robinson despite our multiple requests,” as well as the firm’s effort to continue batting away responsibility for the project.
Downtown properties scramble to ramp up for NCAA influx
Five of the city’s most prominent hotels, accounting for more than 2,800 rooms, will house the 68 teams in the three-week NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament that tips off March 18.
NCAA tournament could give city ‘moment’ on par with Pan Am Games, Super Bowl
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.
NCAA’s March Madness will be test Indy was ‘made for’
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.
NCAA books big chunk of downtown hotels for March Madness
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.
Work under way on at least three major downtown construction projects
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.