Hancock County fairgrounds project on hold without new tax
Leaders of a central Indiana county are reconsidering how to pay for a possible $30 million fairgrounds project without money from a proposed county restaurant tax.
Tourism & Hospitality
Articles
Senate approves bill that could reinvigorate Dunes deal
The Senate passed the measure 33-17 one day after a group of environmentalists delivered to Gov. Mike Pence's office petitions bearing roughly 10,000 signatures from people opposed to the project.
NFL teams use scouting combine as more than numbers game
Football fans see the annual NFL Scouting Combine as a chance to see players’ times, jumps and drills. NFL executives are just as interested in getting behind-the-scenes answers through medical checks and personal interviews.
Grand Park had $150M economic impact in 2015, study says
Grand Park Sports Campus topped 1 million visitors last year, which helped to more than double visitor spending in the community and push the economic impact to more than $150 million.
Fuson: NBA All-Star Game economic impact bigger than anticipated
City and Indiana Pacers officials will decide after they get bid requirements later this summer whether to pursue the NBA All-Star Game for Indianapolis.
Developer plans $25M hotel, conference center in Plainfield
A local hotel developer plans to build the 175-room Embassy Suites near the town’s Interstate 70 interchange and Indianapolis International Airport.
All-star team of local officials joining NBA All-Star Game mission
In a sign of the city’s serious intent to host the game, Pacers President Rick Fuson will be accompanied by presidents and vice presidents of Visit Indy and the Indiana Sports Corp. as he travels to Toronto this week.
Could the White River get a beach downtown? Maybe, says Visit Indy
Visit Indy officials are aiming to begin site inspections of White River’s downtown banks this year to determine the feasibility and costs associated with developing tourist attractions there.
Court rules for Indiana in state fair stage collapse case
The Indiana Supreme Court has ruled that the state is not liable to pay damages incurred by a company that provided stage rigging that collapsed and killed seven people during the 2011 state fair.
Hendricks County travel website gets recognition
Visit Hendricks County was the only travel website in Indiana honored by the Web Marketing Association.
Children’s Museum matures to become keystone of city, state tourism strategy
The museum is arguably the Indy area’s most magnetic force, luring visitors from virtually every state in the country and six of seven continents.
Visit Indy sets annual record for hotel room bookings
Hotel rooms booked by Visit Indy rose to a record in 2015. But the number of bookings from out-of-state organizations plummeted by more than 100,000, possibly because of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act controversy.
Conner Prairie plans new outdoor nature exhibit
Park officials did not offer details about the new exhibit, which is set to open July 1, but the park previously disclosed plans to open an attraction featuring a four-story treehouse surrounded by five activity areas.
New tourism strategy generates $35M for Hamilton County
An autumn campaign targeting the Chicago area sparked $156 in visitor spending for every marketing dollar spent, tourism officials said.
Athenaeum receives Basile gift to help fund $1.2M in theater repairs
Local philanthropists Frank and Katrina Basile have contributed $225,000 toward a fundraising campaign for renovating the theater, which will be renamed for the couple.
Survey: Religious freedom law costly for convention business
Indiana might have lost as much as $60 million in hotel profits and other economic benefits when a dozen groups decided against hosting conventions in Indianapolis last year possibly because of the controversy surrounding the religious freedom law.
Indy fends off rivals, signs multiyear NFL Combine pact
Indianapolis has hit pay dirt with a multiyear deal intended to keep the lucrative NFL Scouting Combine here through 2020, just as competition to host the high-profile event intensifies.
Poll finds RFRA impacts linger; Visit Indy acts to blunt damage
The survey found that only 45 percent of the 339 meeting decision makers polled agree with the city’s post-RFRA battle cry “Indy Welcomes All.” And a mere 28 percent surveyed agree with the statement “Indiana Welcomes All.”
Eiteljorg museum makes layoffs as attendance, revenue fall
The dismissal of five full-time workers marks the first layoffs for the downtown museum since 2009. But the Eiteljorg is preparing to launch a 5-year campaign to boost its $20 million endowment, a move that could stabilize operating revenue for future years.
Colts fans snap up travel packages for London game
Bullseye Event Group is aiming to fill a Boeing 747 airliner with Indianapolis Colts fans for next season's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London. So far, 100 travel packages have been sold.