Traffic plans, pop-up performances unveiled for Taylor Swift weekend

The eastern side of the JW Marriott is sporting a 300-foot-tall Taylor Swift graphic in anticipation of the singer’s Nov. 1-3 performances at Lucas Oil Stadium. (IBJ photo/Dave Lindquist)

With the countdown at one week until Taylor Swift performs at Lucas Oil Stadium, city leaders on Friday shared plans for traffic restrictions and downtown attractions when the singer visits Indianapolis.

Swift will play the final U.S. dates of her record-breaking “Eras Tour” Nov. 1-3 at the stadium, where doors will open at 4:30 p.m each day and showtime is scheduled at 7.

“We’re an event city,” IMPD Commander of Special Operations Bureau Chuck DeBlaso said during a Friday media briefing. “This is huge, make no mistake about it. There’s going to be a lot of people in a small area.”

Traffic plans: Construction and congestion are expected to be challenges for motorists as nearly 200,000 people gather downtown to attend or simply celebrate Swift’s performances. Daytime street closures will include South Street near the stadium between Missouri Street and Capitol Avenue, and Monument Circle beginning at 11 a.m. each day. Lanes of Meridian Street will be reduced for motor vehicles so more space is available for pedestrians.

For concert attendees, ride share zones are designated as South Street between Missouri and West streets and an Eli Lilly and Co. parking lot at the intersection of Delaware and South streets. The Lilly lot also will serve as a “parent pick-up zone” between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. each night.

Extensive street closures are planned at the conclusion of each concert. Interstate 70 eastbound and westbound ramps to Meridian and Illinois streets will be shut down at 11 p.m. each night, with an expected reopening time of 1 a.m.

For outbound traffic flow, Missouri Street will be open for vehicles traveling north. Vehicles traveling south will have access to Pennsylvania Street, West Street south of the stadium, Capitol Avenue south of the stadium and Delaware Street south of South Street. Two-way traffic will be allowed on McCarty Street between Missouri Street and Capitol Avenue.

Public safety: At least 250 more IMPD officers will work downtown shifts when compared with a typical weekend, Downtown District Commander Scott Hessong said during a midweek gathering for business leaders organized by Downtown Indy Inc. Officers will be present on bicycles, on horses and on foot. Drones also will be used to monitor the area.

During Friday’s media briefing, IMPD Assistant Chief Catherine Cummings said officers will wear flair associated with Swift’s fan base. “As you see officers out and about, make sure that you walk up and talk to our officers about friendship bracelets,” Cummings said. “All of our officers will have friendship bracelets, and you can trade friendship bracelets with our officers.”

The visitors: According to Eric Neuburger, director of Lucas Oil Stadium, 89% of ticket holders live outside of central Indiana and 81% of ticket holders are non-Indiana residents. The demographics include twice as many female attendees than male attendees.

Free entertainment: Pop-up performances by musicians and spoken-word artists will be billed as “Swift City Sessions” at 13 downtown locations. From 2-6 p.m. on Nov. 1 and noon-6 p.m. on Nov. 2-3, outdoor performances are planned at Bicentennial Unity Plaza, Capitol Avenue underpass, east and west ends of Georgia Street, Hudnut Commons, east and west sides of the Indiana Convention Center, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Indianapolis Artsgarden, Lugar Plaza, Monument Circle, Starbucks patio at the Kite Realty Group Trust building and the intersection of Washington and West streets.

Indy Arts Council is organizing “Swift City Sessions,” and the curators of more than 100 performers are Kati Taylor of Musical Family Tree and Richard “Sleepy” Floyd of Inspire Music Collective. Artists will be paid thanks to funding by the Capital Improvement Board of Managers of Marion County.

Official gear: “Eras Tour” souvenirs won’t be sold exclusively at Lucas Oil Stadium. Beginning Oct. 30, T-shirts and other merchandise will be available for purchase inside the Indiana Convention Center. The convention center retail site will open to the public 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 30-31 and noon to 8 p.m. Nov. 1-2. The store in Hall I will not be open on Nov. 3. Food trucks will serve customers at the convention center.

Downtown design: A pink-and-purple color scheme will be evident as Indianapolis “dresses up” for Swift and her fans. The 300-foot-tall graphic of the “Bad Blood” singer applied to the eastern side of the JW Marriott will provide a backdrop for fan photos made at an “ndy” sculpture placed at the intersection of Washington and West streets. Thirty-two temporary street signs featuring Swift connections—”Cruel Summer Court” and “All Too Well Way,” for example—have been installed downtown.

Chris Gahl, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Visit Indy, said the cumulative branding is “common for a large-scale civic event.”

“We have invested a healthy six figures as a city for the decor portion of what you see, from the street signs to the banners to the JW Marriott to the Civic Plaza [at Indianapolis International Airport],” Gahl said.

Scarce rooms: The 33,000 hotel rooms of Indianapolis and its suburbs are essentially sold out. On the current episode of the IBJ Podcast, Gahl said Swift fans are seeking hotel accommodations in Bloomington and Lafayette. Meanwhile, Airbnb and VRBO bookings for short-term rentals have spiked 207% when compared to the same time last year.

For more information about preparations for the “Eras Tour,” visit visitindy.com.

Mason King, IBJ’s engagement editor, contributed to this report.