Is Indianapolis becoming too expensive for conventions?
A recent tax increase coupled with cut-rate competition from other cities has Indianapolis-area convention and meeting officials fretting about losing a longtime cost advantage.
Conventions
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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.
Deal to save racing show had many twists, turns
In a matter of a few months, operators of the Performance Racing Industry show and its upstart rival, the International Motorsports Industry Show, went from being bitter rivals to merging—a deal that will return the world’s largest motorsports trade show to Indianapolis next December.
Tourism generated $4B for city last year, study says
A study released Thursday says the tourism industry in Indianapolis had an economic impact of nearly $4 billion in 2011, a 10-percent increase from the previous year.
Nation’s largest motorsports trade show returning to city
The Performance Racing Industry Show will return to Indianapolis for five years starting in 2013, bringing about 40,000 guests and millions of dollars of visitor spending with it.
Big Easy bests Indy in all but promo costs and visitors
A comparison of Indianapolis and New Orleans as tourism and convention cities.
Potential visitors eye Indianapolis attractions
Focus groups in Chicago, Louisville and St. Louis reacted strongly to photos of local tourism offerings like the Central Canal and the Artsgarden.
Shortage of nonstop flights imperils convention biz
Indianapolis’ dwindling number of nonstop flights—especially to the West Coast—threatens to stunt the city’s convention business just as officials are marketing the expansion of the Indiana Convention Center and downtown’s hotel market.
Report: Indy visitors pay high taxes for travel
Visitors pay among the highest travel taxes in the nation when they come to Indianapolis — 17 percent on hotel rates, 15 percent on rental cars and 9 percent on meals.
Filling the FFA gap in Indianapolis
Local tourism officials have known for nearly four years that the National FFA Organization annual convention will leave Indianapolis temporarily after an anticipated 55,000 members clad in their trademark blue corduroy jackets descend on the city for their confab Oct. 24-27.
LOU’S VIEWS: Big game hunting at GenCon
Break out of the Monopoly/Scrabble rut with these new games
City’s convention agency changing to more ‘hip’ name
The Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association is changing its name to Visit Indy and dramatically altering its logo to appeal to leisure travelers as well as meeting and convention planners.
Downtown Indianapolis gearing up for big visitor weekend
The Gen Con Indy gaming convention and the MotoGP race are among several events the city is hosting that could produce an economic impact of $150 million, according to the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association.
CIB plans $5M repair to Capitol Commons plaza
The project is part of a $63.9 million operating budget board members approved for 2013, which is lower than the current year’s budget because it doesn’t include Super Bowl costs or special payments to the Indiana Pacers.
ICVA eyes funds from sale by CIB of downtown’s Ober building
The Capital Improvement Board wants to plug a $2 million funding hole that will open up next year for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association with the expiration of a $5.9 million grant from the owner of the JW Marriott hotel downtown.
Indianapolis hotels see sharp increases in room revenue
The Indianapolis hotel market is poised to record a 10.8-percent increase in revenue per available room in 2012, according to projections from PKF Consulting. The city's hosting of the Super Bowl gave the market a huge, early lift.
Orlando dwarfs Indianapolis in tourism, conventions
The Indianapolis and Orlando metro areas both have roughly 2 million residents, but Orlando’s theme parks drive a huge convention and tourism industry concentrated around a convention center miles from its downtown.
Gen Con gaming for another attendance record
As crowds get bigger, businesses take more notice.
High-stakes convention coming to Indianapolis
Travel writers’ annual meeting is a coup, but pressure is on to score a good impression
Austin, Indianapolis comparable across range of tourism benchmarks
Many Austin attractions are related to its music scene and its status as a state capital and the home of the University of Texas.