Big Easy Super Bowl attraction crowds fall short of Indy’s
Attendance this year for the Super Bowl-related NFL Experience and downtown village in New Orleans fell far short of what was achieved in Indianapolis last year.
Tourism & Hospitality
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Council OKs tax hikes on tickets, car rentals
The Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday night approved tax hikes to admissions to downtown events and on rental cars.
Mahern wants council members to disclose free game tix
The Indianapolis City-County Council is poised to approve a huge increase in ticket taxes on professional sports, and one council member wants to make sure those voting on the hike disclose the freebies they get for Pacers and Colts games.
Kentucky fair board, group reach amusement park deal
A group of private investors and the Kentucky State Fair board on Thursday reached a 50-year lease agreement for the shuttered Kentucky Kingdom amusement park with the new operators saying the facility should reopen in 2014.
Bill aimed at boosting Indiana casinos advances
The Senate Public Policy Committee voted 9-0 in support of a bill that would overhaul the state's casino taxes, along with allowing Indiana's 10 riverboat casinos to move inland to adjacent property and permit live table games at the two horse track casinos.
Indiana Beach owes $347,000 in taxes, county says
Indiana Beach Amusement Resort on Lake Shafer neglected to pay an estimated $180,000 in innkeeper’s taxes and about $167,000 in 2011 property taxes, according to White County officials.
Zoo group introduces smaller counterpart to Zoobilation
The Indianapolis Zoo Associate Council—a recently formed collection of about 50 “young professionals” who support the Indianapolis Zoo—is hosting the inaugural Zoolala formal affair on Feb. 2.
Colts trying to tackle proposed ticket-tax hike
The Indianapolis Colts are playing defense as city leaders move to hike a ticket tax on downtown events by 67 percent. The team says raising the tax on tickets from 6 percent to 10 percent will harm its bottom line and that of local businesses that rely on Colts fans.
Widow of Holiday World’s president gains park control
A judge has placed control of a southern Indiana theme park in the hands of the widow of the park's late president.
Speedway agrees to major overhaul in ADA settlement
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will make millions of dollars in updates to settle a Department of Justice investigation that found more than 360 violations of federal disability law.
Gaming commission OKs Centaur plan to buy Indiana Grand
The Indiana Gaming Commission on Thursday afternoon approved Centaur Holdings LLC's plan to buy Indiana Grand Casino and Indiana Downs in Shelbyville.
New art museum CEO shakes up management team
The new head of the Indianapolis Museum of Art has reduced the size of his executive team, including cutting a top position, as an initial step to organization-wide restructuring.
City’s tourism agency reports strong 2012
Indianapolis’ hosting of the Super Bowl last February seems to be paying off for Visit Indy, which says the exposure the city received from the game is translating into more visitor interest.
Car-rental companies say higher tax will hurt locals, too
Indianapolis is poised to raise its tax on car rentals, drawing the ire of the auto-rental industry. Though local politicians routinely say such taxes hurt only visitors, more than half of car rentals are actually local, industry figures show.
Lucas Oil might host 2016 Olympic Swimming Trials
A local group led by the Indiana Sports Corp. is bidding to bring the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials to Indianapolis for the fifth time. But the event wouldn’t be in the 4,200-seat IUPUI Natatorium. Instead, officials want to host the 2016 trials in 63,000-seat Lucas Oil Stadium.
500 Festival chief heading to AAA Hoosier Motor Club
Kirk Hendrix, who has served as president and CEO of the 500 Festival since 2003, is stepping down to take the same positions at AAA Hoosier Motor Club, the club announced Wednesday.
Churchill Downs targets Indy market with Derby trips
In May, Churchill Downs will roll out its Derby Experiences travel package in the Indianapolis and Chicago markets—using luxury buses to shuttle horse racing fans to and from May's Kentucky Derby for the first time.
Indiana State Fair disaster victims getting more relief
The attorney general's office is sending out checks for a total of $6 million to 59 victims of 2011's deadly Indiana State Fair stage collapse.
Workers settle employment lawsuit against local hotels
Sixteen current and former Indianapolis hotel workers have settled their union-backed lawsuit that alleged employment violations by nine area hotels and Atlanta-based Hospitality Staffing Solutions, a subcontractor that employs many hotel workers.
Potential of higher car rental taxes drawing fire
People who come to Indianapolis for business, ball games or other reasons could pay more for their visits if local officials decide to raise taxes on car rentals and professional sports tickets early next year.