Tourism experts disagree on wisdom of planned convention center expansion
Overall attendance at Indiana Convention Center events has stagnated, but annual major conventions have seen explosive growth.
Tourism Groups
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Visit Indy to cut employee hours amid forced events lull
The tourism bureau’s 62 employees will see their work weeks cut to four days through at least April.
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Local tourism, convention officials prepare for impact from coronavirus
Officials say no events have been canceled locally, but groups—including the NCAA and Visit Indy—are watching the news and weighing their options.
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Sports Corp. takes over statewide tourism-support association
Team Indiana is meant to give its members—about three dozen tourism and sports organizations across Indiana—better access to resources that will get the attention of sports governing bodies that decide where to play events.
Airport could see lower-than-expected activity for up to 3 years, leader says
Mario Rodriguez, executive director of the Indianapolis Airport Authority, said activity has dropped to as low as 5% of typical operations, with the the facility serving only 14 of its 53 destinations.
Hoteliers, restaurants brace for loss of revenue from NCAA, Big Ten tourney games
Combined, the events were expected to draw in upwards of $35 million in revenue for local businesses, including hotels and restaurants.
IEDC president to lead state’s new tourism agency
State lawmakers passed legislation during the 2019 session that allowed the Indiana Office of Tourism Development, which is under Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and funded by the state budget, to become a quasi-governmental corporation as of July 1, 2020.
Development plan for Pan Am Plaza hotels could be split into phases
While the city and Kite Realty Group discuss a slower development timetable for the massive hospitality project, White Lodging said it is holding off on plans for another downtown hotel “until we figure out what’s going on at Pan Am Plaza.”
Council OKs proposals to help fund CIB’s 25-year plan
The Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday overwhelmingly approved proposals to help fund the Capital Improvement Board’s long-term strategic plan, including chipping in $270 million to help fund a massive overhaul of Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
NFL Combine could ink new Indy extension deal later this year
The five-day NFL Combine has been hosted in Indianapolis since 1987, and efforts are underway to ensure the showcase calls the city home for the next several years.
Bill transforming state tourism office clears hurdle in Statehouse
The proposal would turn the Office of Tourism Development into the Indiana Destination Development Corp., a quasi-governmental group that could accept funding from tourism organizations.
Visit Indy reports seventh straight year of rising visitor spending
A record 28.8 million people visited the Indianapolis in 2017, generating a $5.4 billion economic impact, according to figures released Wednesday afternoon by Visit Indy as part of its State of Tourism event.
Bill would boost CIB funding, require new 25-year deal with Pacers
A bill filed by Senate Appropriations Chairman Ryan Mishler would extend the life of multiple tourism- and entertainment-related taxes that help fund the Capital Improvement Board and expand the footprint of what’s known as the Professional Sports Development Area to capture even more tax revenue for the CIB. But there’s a catch.
Longtime CIB leader Levengood announces retirement
Nearly 30 years after coming to Indianapolis to head the city’s convention efforts, Barney Levengood is retiring later this year.
Visit Indy seeking 3 percent increase in CIB funding for 2019
The city’s tourism agency plans to ask the Marion County Capital Improvement Board of Managers for an increase in funding, but is planning a slightly smaller overall budget in 2019.
IBJ Podcast: Why the Indy CIB will ask the Legislature for millions of dollars
The Capital Improvement Board will seek at least $8 million from lawmakers to help fund what officials say will be a 25-year plan for improvements in the Indiana Convention Center, Bankers Life Fieldhouse and other facilities the CIB owns.
Tourism officials expect another big impact from Big Ten Football Championship Game
Tourism bureau Visit Indy has spent about $60,000 on advertising over the past two weeks targeting Ohio State and Northwestern fans in Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago.
Kite seeks to minimize risk in convention-hotels project
Hospitality industry observers say this is far from an ideal time for Kite—a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in shopping centers—to veer outside its core business and tackle what would be a risky and colossal project that easily could cost more than $600 million.
IBJ Podcast: Detailing the Pan Am Plaza hotel-and-convention project
Guest host Lindsey Erdody (in for Mason King) talks with IBJ reporters Hayleigh Colombo and Anthony Schoettle about the public-private project, the city’s convention business and what remains unknown about the Pan Am Plaza project.
Kite to build 2 hotels at Pan Am Plaza; city to spend $120M on attached meeting space
The Capital Improvement Board has selected a Kite Realty Group plan from among three proposals in its effort to expand the city’s convention capacity. The CIB is expected to vote Friday to move the project forward.
Indiana Convention Center may be just big enough—for now
Since its first iteration opened in 1972, it’s undergone four major expansions. The last one, completed in 2011, increased its size to six city blocks and more than 566,600 square feet of exhibit space—or 745,210, if you include nearby Lucas Oil Stadium.
Gen Con wants tech upgrades at convention center to stay in Indy
Whether Seattle-based Gen Con and local officials can now reach an understanding on technology could spell the difference between Indianapolis’ hanging onto its most prized convention and potentially losing it to another city.