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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
As crowds get bigger, businesses take more notice.
Travel writers’ annual meeting is a coup, but pressure is on to score a good impression
Many Austin attractions are related to its music scene and its status as a state capital and the home of the University of Texas.
The annual Fire Department Instructors Conference attracts nearly 30,000 visitors to downtown. But with Race for the Cure on Saturday, demand for hotel rooms is even stronger, particularly toward the end of the week.
About 3,200 visitors are in the city as part of the International Sleep Products Association’s biennial event, which showcases the latest technology in mattress manufacturing.
After winning national praise as the host of Super Bowl XLVI, Indianapolis has a shot at four major conventions planned for next year and beyond.
The three-block stretch that served as the Super Bowl Village will complement, not compete with, traditional downtown gathering places such as Monument Circle, officials said.
The Baltimore metro area, a larger market than the Indianapolis area, offers attractions and events related to its waterfront location.
The Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association booked nearly 735,000 hotel room nights in 2011 for conventions and meetings.
The $275 million Indiana Convention Center expansion was completed in January, and the 1,005-room JW Marriott opened the following month.
An Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association study shows the amount of tourism dollars last year increased by $120 million from 2009. The city also attracted more visitors in 2010.
The annual Gen Con convention, which had a previous commitment to Indianapolis through 2015, is extending its agreement through 2020. The latest Gen Con event drew a record 36,733 visitors.
The International Motorsports Industry Show at the Indiana Convention Center should get a jolt of publicity from Tony Stewart, who is not only the 2011 NASCAR champ but the show's part-owner.
With 2.1 million people, the San Antonio metro area is 23 percent larger than the Indianapolis area, yet its tourism and convention business is significantly bigger.
The go-kart race at Conseco Fieldhouse is part of the third annual International Motorsports Industry Show at the Indiana Convention Center.
