Far-flung areas court Super Bowl spending
Downtown will be the focal point of Super Bowl XLVI, but communities from Zionsville to Columbus are aggressively pursuing some of the money visitors are expected to shower on the region.
Tourism & Hospitality
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City announces street closures for Super Bowl
Several streets in downtown Indianapolis, including part of Monument Circle and those surrounding Lucas Oil Stadium, will be closed in the few weeks leading up to the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.
City tourism generated $3.6B in 2010, study says
An Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association study shows the amount of tourism dollars last year increased by $120 million from 2009. The city also attracted more visitors in 2010.
Ten Hoosiers chosen for Georgia Street memorials
The honorees include business leaders, former U.S. presidents, famous novelists, a Shawnee chief and a feminist pioneer.
Rolling Stone, Bacardi to host Super Bowl bash
Rolling Stone magazine and rum maker Bacardi say they plan to throw a star-studded party the night before the Super Bowl at a renovated factory called The Crane Bay two blocks west of Lucas Oil Stadium.
Sky Zone trampoline center bounces into Fishers
Sky Zone, a franchised all-trampoline indoor recreational complex operated by Jeff Mast, opens Monday in Fishers at Cumberland Road and East 121st Street, just south of Interstate 69.
Indianapolis’ revitalized Georgia Street is work in progress
Workers finished $12.5 million in improvements between the Indiana Convention Center and Conseco Fieldhouse in November. Now will building owners bring the entertainment spot to life?
Gen Con commits to city for five more years
The annual Gen Con convention, which had a previous commitment to Indianapolis through 2015, is extending its agreement through 2020. The latest Gen Con event drew a record 36,733 visitors.
Zoo launches $30M campaign to build orangutan center
Construction on the International Orangutan Center would start in August, with the opening set for Memorial Day weekend in 2014.
Cities roll out welcome mat, apps for Super Bowl
Central Indiana communities are launching smartphone applications, decorating cards to welcome visitors and taking other steps to promote local attractions in hopes of capitalizing on thousands of Super Bowl fans descending on the region for the Feb. 5 game.
Tapes show concern before Indiana stage collapse
A recording of dispatch radio calls shows that emergency workers were expressing concern about severe weather just minutes before winds ripped through the Indiana State Fair and caused a fatal stage collapse.
Defects prompt closure of county fair grandstands
A central Indiana county faces a big bill to replace its fairground's grandstand after numerous safety problems were found during an inspection prompted by this summer's deadly state fair stage collapse.
For Big Ten championship, even suites are for sale
Besides individual tickets, entire suites are being offered for as much as $28,000 on various online brokerage sites for the inaugural Big Ten championship football game.
High-profile art at airport removed for video wall
Sponsors will pay for a controversial video-art installment that is replacing a prominent artwork on the bulkhead above the main escalator at Indianapolis International Airport.
Judge allows class in suit against state tort law
U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker has certified the victims of the Indiana State Fair stage collapse as a single class in a lawsuit challenging a law that caps the state’s liability at $5 million. However, she concluded the plaintiffs are unlikely to win the challenge.
Ripken eyes Indy for major youth baseball complex
Officials for Ripken Baseball Inc., which operates two of the country’s top youth baseball facilities, are considering Indianapolis as a location for a major complex that could cost up to $20 million to build and draw thousands of players and spectators each year.
Stewart’s NASCAR victory likely to boost local trade show
The International Motorsports Industry Show at the Indiana Convention Center should get a jolt of publicity from Tony Stewart, who is not only the 2011 NASCAR champ but the show's part-owner.
Former Colt opening downtown event venue
Former Indianapolis Colt Gary Padjen is turning a vacant 18,000-square-foot building near Lucas Oil Stadium into a venue he is hopeful will host everything from Super Bowl and other corporate parties to concerts and mixed martial arts bouts.
Oktoberfest organizers face bill for unpaid fairgrounds rent
Board members of the German-American Klub of Indianapolis could be personally on the hook for more than $20,000 in unpaid rent at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
Downtown’s Nestle Inn under new ownership
Nearly 12 years after opening Nestle Inn Bed & Breakfast, Steve and Barb Tegarden decided to sell the business at 637 N. East St. to marketing and hospitality veteran Leesa Smith and her husband.