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Jennifer Whitson

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Union push under way at 2 Indianapolis hotels: They would be first to unionize in central Indiana

Employees at two Indianapolis hotels have begun a push to unionize-a move that, if successful, would make the properties the only union hotels in central Indiana. Several workers at the downtown Westin and the Keystone Sheraton have met with representatives of New York-based Unite Here, a labor group that represents about 440,000 hospitality and textile employees nationwide. Both hotels are part of Bethesda, Md.-based Host Hotels & Resorts Inc.’s global portfolio. Backers said a union is needed to raise wages…

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UPDATE: Marriott won’t be open for Final Four

The newly redesigned, 1,000-room J.W. Marriott convention hotel won’t be open when the Final Four comes to town in April 2010, as originally planned. But it will available by April 2011, a delay caused by negotiations over design details, said Mike Wells, president of locally based REI Real Estate Services, which is developing the project […]

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BREAKING: Convention hotel project gets bigger

Plans for a 1,000-room JW Marriott convention hotel now envision a taller building, with a whole new look and a larger price tag. The hotel would be 34 stories, up from 29, and the entire project – which includes three other hotels – would cost $425 million, up from $350 million. The redesigned facade will […]

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Council vote could threaten convention hotel

Backers of the $250 million convention hotel project slated for downtown are raising alarm bells about a City-County Council resolution they say would kill the deal between the city and developers. The resolution, sponsored by Democratic council member Joanne Sanders, requires the hotel to have a “labor peace agreement” to get city financing. The Bond […]

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City still deciding on Super Bowl bid

The transition team of Mayor-elect Greg Ballard hasn’t decided whether the city should go after Super Bowl 2012. “We absolutely want to do it … but there may be demands the NFL has included that mean we can’t do it,” said Ballard spokesman Robert Vane. On Friday, Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association President Bob Bedell […]

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Six teams in running for public art award: Commission will choose two winners in January

Six finalists have pitched their visions for public art projects as part of the Arts Council of Indianapolis’ second “Great Ideas” competition, aiming to inspire and educate area residents-and encourage them to slow down and contemplate life. The contest kicked off in 2005, when two artists each got $40,000 in funding from the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission. This year, a seven-person panel will weigh the proposals and select two winners, each of whom gets a $3,000 stipend and $15,000 to…

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Kenley a go-to guy in taxing situations: Influential senator sees public service as his duty

Take a look at some of the most complicated, heated and thankless Statehouse negotiations and chances are you’ll find Republican Sen. Luke Kenley smack in the middle of the fray. While some Hoosiers are hard-pressed to attend a school board meeting or even try to understand their property-tax bills, the 62-year-old chairman of the Senate Tax & Fiscal Policy Committee sits through hours of public hearings and even more hours of closed-door negotiations. This General Assembly promises to be one…

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UPDATE: Donors still behind city’s bowl bid

Indianapolis will make another attempt to lure the Super Bowl to the city, Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association President Bob Bedell said today. In May, NFL owners voted to play the 2011 Super Bowl at the Dallas Cowboys’ 100,000-seat stadium under construction in Arlington, Texas. The North Texas bid beat out proposals from Indianapolis and […]

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BREAKING: City makes Super Bowl bid official

Indianapolis will be making another go of it – bidding to lure the Super Bowl to the city, according to Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association President Bob Bedell. The ICVA and Mayor-elect Greg Ballard’s transition team talked about bidding for the 2012 Super Bowl for weeks and have decided to move ahead on the plans, […]

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AllPoints Midwest lands huge lease

The massive new AllPoints Midwest industrial park in Plainfield has landed its first tenant in a mega deal that likely will
be the area’s biggest industrial lease in 2007. Local logistics firm Prime Distribution Services Inc. has signed a lease for
1.2 million square feet in the 920-acre park, a joint venture between Indianapolis-based Duke Realty Corp. and Browning Investments
Inc.

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Local hospitality market continues expanding: Last year’s numbers are in; this year looking strong

More visitors are coming to Indianapolis and spending more money, leading to more jobs in the local hospitality industry, a soon-to-be-released report from the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association shows. And that’s likely to continue, given the numbers predicted for 2007, even though the city’s overall employment growth doesn’t look strong. “These numbers show a continued growth in tourism in Indianapolis,” said ICVA spokesman Bob Schultz. Tourism in Indianapolis had an economic impact of $3.6 billion last year-$31 million more…

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New seminar, gallery space opening in the Stutz: Move will create gathering place, could help artists teaching classes hang onto more of tuition

The sprawling Stutz Business Center downtown already is a haven of sorts for the 72 artists who have studios there. Beginning in January, it also will have a space they can use to teach, mingle and show their work. It’s the brainchild of Stutz Artists Association President Jerry Points, who envisioned a first-floor gathering place for the diverse group of painters, sculptors, photographers and others who toil within the labyrinthine building. “Most [artists] will go to their studio, close the…

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Vets serve country, customers: Franchises offer breaks to would-be entrepreneurs leaving the military

On Veterans Day this year, retired U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Robert Flores didn’t attend parades or reminisce with friends. Instead, he worked from open to close at his Little Caesars Pizza store at 11530 Westfield Blvd. “I’ve been here every day since we opened,” Flores said, who debuted the Carmel shop Oct. 31 after receiving assistance from a Little Caesars program created to help veterans become franchise owners. As part of the program, Flores, 45, received a discount of…

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White River State Park to choose new marketing firm: Attraction’s growing profile lures a slew of bidders

Leaders at White River State Park are winnowing down a field of 18 candidates who want to lead the downtown attraction’s public relations and marketing efforts the next two to three years. Park Executive Director Bob Whitt said a winner has not yet been chosen and declined to comment on the selection process, but industry sources identified three finalists: locally based firms Borshoff and Hirons & Co., and Bandy Carroll Hellige of Louisville. When park officials put out the call…

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Concert hall component would test demand

Entertainment is a big part of a $480 million development proposed for the south side of downtown–plans include a 3,400-seat
theater to attract the likes of Bruce Springsteen and first-run tours of Broadway shows such as “Wicked.” The question is
whether the city can support another midsize venue.

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City law firm a key player in GOP wins

Three members of a small, young, downtown law firm played key rolls in Republican election wins this month, boosting the firm’s
profile as it tackles aggressive growth plans that include beefing up its lobbying business. John Lewis and Wilkins LLP set
up shop on Monument Circle in 2005 and since then has grown from the three attorneys to 11.

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West-side group promotes ethnic eateries: Will visitors see gems among strip malls?

The Lafayette Square neighborhood is known for its aging mall and the ongoing struggle to keep tenants there and in the surrounding sea of strip centers. But some advocates want to promote a success story: the demographic diversity that has given rise to a plethora of ethnic eateries in the area. Visitors who take a trip through some of the retail centers and outlots off West 38th Street can find the ubiquitous pizza, gyros and sushi-along with more unusual Ethiopian,…

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Ballard to review city’s art spending: Arts leaders concerned gains made during Peterson’s tenure will be lost

Mayor-elect Greg Ballard said he’s got nothing against spending city money on the arts, but his administration nevertheless will evaluate whether devoting $2.5 million to it each year is the best use of that money. “It’s OK to fund [the arts] as long as people are relatively safe in the city,” Ballard said. Though acknowledging Indianapolis’ “vibrant arts community,” Ballard said it’s mostly privately funded. “I’m not saying I’m going to cut all of the arts [funding],” he said. “We’ll…

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New tourism ads paying off for city: Ten-second promotions attracting more visitors

When Indianapolis promoters were deciding what to do to lure leisure travelers to the city over summer break, they decided being short and to the point was the way to go. So, the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association partnered with eight area attractions to produce extremely brief television and radio travel commercials. The resulting ad campaign was wellfunded-with a budget $240,000 more than the previous year-and produced stellar results, including more awareness of Indianapolis attractions, more nights spent in Indianapolis,…

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Flurry of city hotels undergo makeovers: At least a half-dozen properties get big renovations

The managers of many downtown hotels are sinking millions of dollars into their properties, hoping to burnish product that will soon compete with roughly 2,340 rooms in several new hotel construction projects. And while regular renovations are the lifeblood of the hotel industry, experts say the market’s rash of big-ticket overhauls is also a defensive move. The biggest competition for existing hotels is likely to come from the $325 million J.W. Marriott complex, which will include the city’s largest convention…

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