Indianapolis named finalist for 2018 Super Bowl
Indy joins Minneapolis and New Orleans as the three NFL cities invited to bid on the big game. The 2012 Super Bowl had a $176 million direct economic impact on the city, a study said.
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‘Dynamic duo’ boosts Hamilton County tourism
In eight years with the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Executive Director Brenda Myers has morphed her organization into a developer, grant giver and landlord. The strategy appears to be working.
Long way to go to fill expanded Indiana Convention Center
Eighteen months after the expansion opened, indicators of success are mixed.
Crafting Indianapolis’ convention biz took guts
Ex-Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association chief Bill McGowan weighs the pay-off.
Ticket brokers, city to take lumps as IU sent east
Ticket brokers took a gut punch Sunday when NCAA officials announced that Indiana University would not be playing in the Midwest Regional of the men's basketball tournament. Local tourism officials say the economic impact could drop $1.5 million.
State hotels see rise in annual occupancy rate
Indiana’s hotels hosted more visitors last year, according to a survey by Hendersonville-based Smith Travel Research.
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.
Car-rental companies say higher tax will hurt locals, too
Indianapolis is poised to raise its tax on car rentals, drawing the ire of the auto-rental industry. Though local politicians routinely say such taxes hurt only visitors, more than half of car rentals are actually local, industry figures show.
Potential of higher car rental taxes drawing fire
People who come to Indianapolis for business, ball games or other reasons could pay more for their visits if local officials decide to raise taxes on car rentals and professional sports tickets early next year.
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.
Music education group to remain in city through 2023
Indianapolis-based not-for-profit Music for All, which puts on the annual Bands of America competition, announced Thursday that it plans to keep its headquarters and events in Indianapolis through 2023.
Big Easy bests Indy in all but promo costs and visitors
A comparison of Indianapolis and New Orleans as tourism and convention cities.
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.
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.
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.
City plans bid on 2018 Super Bowl
Officials are emboldened by the financial results of the city’s first time hosting the NFL championship game in February, which produced a direct economic impact of $176 million, according to a study commissioned by the Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee.
City’s final tab for hosting Super Bowl: $1 million
CIB and city tourism leaders say that the money was well spent considering the game could translate to $300 million in direct visitor spending over the next several years.
Overlapping downtown events give hotels a boost
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.
State launches grant program aimed at tourism
Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman says the $400,000 initiative will help draw visitors and have a "lasting impact" on Indiana's towns and cities.