Indianapolis receives a dozen responses to its proposal to privatize management of Lucas Oil Stadium,
the Indiana Convention Center and, perhaps, Conseco Fieldhouse.
Experts say a unique four-way partnership that includes the Pacers and Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association may be the favorite to run the city’s sports and
convention venues.
Greg Shaheen, NCAA senior vice president of basketball and business strategies, said the deal needs tweaking
because Lucas Oil Stadium was in the conceptual stages when Indianapolis won the bid to host the 2010
Final Four.
Indianapolis Colts team owner says he doesn’t expect fan backlash over pulling starters in loss to last long.
IUPUI says it needs about $15 million to renovate the aging Natatorium swimming complex and wants the city’s Capital Improvement Board to fund part of the expense.
Sources told IBJ last week that the U.S. Tennis Association Southern Section was in serious negotiations to buy the event and move it to Atlanta.
Indianapolis was up against Dallas, Las Vegas, Orlando, Atlanta and New Orleans to host baseball’s Winter
Meetings, which
will draw more than 200 media members from the nation’s top 30 markets.
Team profits declined from $1.23 million in 2008 to $459,603 this year. Despite
that, the team’s board voted unanimously to pay a dividend.
An aide to Mayor Greg Ballard says he hopes a private operator can find “operating and maintenance savings in the millions."
Approaching the end of 2009, Indianapolis’ cash-strapped Capital Improvement Board is on much more solid financial footing.
Lucas Oil Stadium suite holders are upset that the NCAA is taking their luxury boxes for the men’s basketball Final Four
in April and reselling them on the secondary—or scalpers—market.
Citizens has donated 28 acres of land from its former Citizens Gas & Coke Utility site on the southeast side of Indianapolis
to Play Ball Indiana for the development of a youth sports complex.
Dramatic decreases in sponsorship and ticket revenue this year and the recent resignation of the Circle City Classic’s
new executive director have some questioning if the event can survive. Now Classic leaders are considering a bevy of bold changes.
Ten years ago, the Indiana Pacers sold out their 69 Conseco Fieldhouse suites and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
barely touched a phone to sell its 120 luxury boxes. But entertaining at luxury suites is out of vogue
now, thanks to the recession and companies keeping a closer eye on spending.
The agreement includes player appearances, a Pacers debit card, courtside signage, radio spots,
hospitality and use of the Conseco Fieldhouse practice court for community relations initiatives.
The Indiana Fever will remain in Indianapolis for the 2010 season, despite speculation that ownership would not keep the
team.
One year after emblazoning its name on the Indianapolis Colts’ mammoth new home, Lucas Oil Products Inc. has leveraged
that sponsorship into a pact with Jiffy Lube that company founder Forrest Lucas thinks will score huge profits for his company.
A little more than six months before the 2010 NCAA men’s Final Four is set to tip off at Lucas Oil Stadium, the NCAA
has not yet finalized a rental deal for the facility. While officials for the NCAA and Local Organizing Committee,
the group charged with operating the event in Indianapolis, downplay any problems, sports business experts say it is unusual
not to have an agreement pinned down in the months leading up to the event.
The Tribe attracted 549,552 fans (8,202 per game) to Victory Field this season—its third-best average
since 2001.
IUPUI is grappling with how to pay for upkeep and improvements necessary to keep its three world-class athletic facilities—and
the city—in the hunt for high-profile sporting events.
