Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
An estimated 125,000 NBA All-Star Weekend attendees will descend on Indianapolis this week, likely hungry and ready to party.
There’s a lengthy, confidential list of private events that will lure celebrities and VIPs into Indianapolis venues in addition to numerous public events. The multitude of events will provide an increase in business for local event and catering companies and a jump in food donations for an Indianapolis not-for-profit.
Kisha Stone, founder of Indianapolis-based Stone Events and Planning LLC, isn’t directly involved in an All-Star event due to previous commitments, but she’s been paying close attention and forwarding opportunities to her colleagues in the event-planning field.
Stone said most downtown venues that can host events have been rented out and many private facilities will land big money from party-goers.
Downtown’s Burn by Rocky Patel cigar bar, 110 S. Meridian St., is hosting one of the most expensive private parties she’s ever heard of on Saturday, Stone told IBJ. An event listing posted by the bar advertises a cover charge of $200 per person with VIP tickets going for $500.
Carmel-based Ritz Charles, the largest catering company in the Indianapolis area, operates two exclusive venues in the downtown area. A typical February weekend for Ritz Charles, said event specialist Elizabeth Henning, typically includes a wedding or two and possibly some other corporate or social events with lower guest counts. This weekend, the caterer has a full schedule.
The boost in business is welcomed by caterers and event planners, especially during the slow winter season.
“As of right now, we are slated to cater a few ‘after parties’ and ‘launch parties’ for associated All-Star Weekend festivities, these with much higher guest counts than we typically see this time of year,” Henning said in an email.
The largest guest count is between 450 and 600. She added that many events are hosted by large brands hoping to boost engagement, but the company has agreed to keep these brands confidential.
“These are large commercial companies in the areas of fitness, athleisure, and players’ own brands,” Henning said.
With so many places serving food, workers with Second Helpings will be running around the city rescuing the leftovers. The Indianapolis not-for-profit picks up untouched meals from across the city and works with other local not-for-profits and community groups to get food in the hands of those that need it.
Second Helpings is familiar with big local sports events. During the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium, Second Helpings procured 36,000 pounds of food, according to Food Rescue and Transportation Director Jon Meinert.
Meinert told IBJ this weekend’s workload will be manageable largely due to existing relationships that Second Helpings has built with officials at downtown venues including Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center and the JW Marriott Indianapolis hotel. Second Helpings also serves on the Indianapolis All-Star Weekend Host Committee’s sustainability subcommittee.
Typically, Second Helpings gets heads-ups about big food pickups from frequent partners and has other opportunities pop up on the fly. For All-Star Weekend, Meinert said he’s got a “private, hush-hush” list of all of the events in town.
“It was very awesome for me to scan through it and realize that ‘gosh, we’re partnered up with like 80% of the venues,'” he told IBJ.
Meinert managed a restaurant in 2012 when Indianapolis hosted the Super Bowl, a time he called “the best week of [his] professional career.”
“I’m stoked for the next week,” Meinert said Friday. “I can’t wait.”
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.