Video: JW Marriott will wash 7,000 sheets per day this weekend
What does it take for a hotel to get ready to handle thousands of football fans? The JW Marriott’s Phil Ray explains.
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Playoff Fan Central open Saturday through Monday at convention center
The free Playoff Fan Central will feature a plethora of sponsor booths and fan areas ranging from a custom trading card creation area by Panini to multiple obstacle courses and football drill areas from the likes of USA Football and Chick-Fil-A. ESPN will also broadcast live from the convention center on multiple occasions as part of its College GameDay programming.
College title game is important test of Indianapolis’ hospitality
Local organizers of the College Football Playoff National Championship say Monday’s title game can help solidify the city’s reputation as a place where big events shine.
Cold won’t stop Monument Circle shows for championship weekend
Although the game will be played indoors, many big fan events will be outside—including concerts on Monument Circle, an aerial dance troupe, a zipline, and a “Touchdown Bag Jump.”
Cunningham Restaurant Group plans bar for members only
The Bemberg, a members-only concept, will join Cunningham Restaurant Group’s stronghold in the Mass Ave cultural district.
Ticket prices high for football title game, but lots of seats still available
Hundreds of tickets to Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship game in Indianapolis are available for purchase on the secondary market.
Hotels, restaurants ramping up for busy football championship weekend
Most of the more than 7,400 hotel rooms in downtown’s inventory are expected to be occupied on Sunday and Monday nights. And a few remaining rooms available on Friday and Saturday are being offered at astronomical prices.
Testing, masks encouraged, but not required for college football title game
Proof of either vaccination or a negative test will not be required for entry into Lucas Oil Stadium for the College Football Playoff National Championship or any of the various fan events planned throughout the weekend.
Smart can rewrite legacy by ending Georgia’s title drought
As Kirby Smart wraps up his sixth season as coach at his alma mater, the national championship football game will help determine his place in University of Georgia history. And once again, University of Alabama Coach Nick Saban is in the way.
Delta adds 3 one-time, nonstop flights to Indy for college football title game
Indianapolis International Airport officials announced Monday that the airline would offer service to Indianapolis from Savannah, Georgia, and Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama.
CES gadget show stages wary return amid COVID-19
The latest sign of the influential technology event’s dwindling size was Friday’s announcement that CES will run one day shorter than originally planned.
Alabama, Georgia headed to Indy to decide College Football Playoff title
Alabama will be seeking a seventh national championship in the last 13 years under Coach Nick Saban. Georgia is playing with hopes of claiming its first national title since Herschel Walker led the Bulldogs to the title in the 1980 season.
2021 Newsmaker of the Year: Ryan Vaughn, Indiana Sports Corp. president
The Indiana Sports Corp. hosted the entire NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, which is why IBJ has named its president the top newsmaker of 2021—although we know he would want to share the credit with others.
Fauci: U.S. should consider vaccine mandate for domestic air travel
The Biden administration has thus far balked at imposing a vaccination requirement for domestic air travel. Two officials said Biden’s science advisers have yet to make a formal recommendation for such a requirement to the president.
Flight cancellations continue due to bad weather, sick crews
Airlines have canceled roughly 4,000 flights to, from or inside the U.S. since Friday. Delta, United, JetBlue and American have all said that the coronavirus was causing staffing problems.
Football title game, big events could bring tourism recovery for Indy in 2022
Indianapolis tourism officials say the city’s convention and events business should be almost fully recovered by the end of 2022—at least based on projections for attendance and economic impact.
United, Delta cancel more than 200 Christmas Eve flights as omicron hits staff
The U.S. airlines said they were working hard to accommodate as many passengers as possible, but the disruption comes during one of the busiest travel periods in years.
Governor taps his former speech writer to lead White River State Park
Jake Oakman, who has a history in tourism and Republican state politics, has been appointed executive director for the White River State Park Development Commission by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Hot-chicken restaurant to take former Noodles & Co. site in Broad Ripple
Todd Hollman, who co-owns the Dave Diggity franchise group with Tyler Freeland and Matt Fortney, said the Broad Ripple building will be the second Indiana location for Dave’s Hot Chicken.
Did city officials properly vet deal for developmental football league event?
The Spring League, a developmental football association formed in 2017, racked up some $1.4 million in unpaid bills during a nine-week stay in Indianapolis last spring.