Indianapolis is a city geared toward citywides, having aggressively targeted the major sporting events market and tapping a pharma segment located right in its own backyard—Indy-based Eli Lilly and Company’s so big it even has its own zip code—but its profile is about to get much, much bigger.
By 2010, the city will have added some $3 billion in development, with the intended purpose of attracting even larger groups who were previously sized-out of the destination.
“We did a feasibility study in 2001 with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the study said that at that time we were at capacity—we could not host any more major groups with what we had,” says Doug Bennett, vice president of sales for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association (ICVA).
During one of the years covered in the study, the Indiana Convention Center tallied the highest occupancy rate in the nation, according to Bennett. At the same time, the Indianapolis Colts were grumbling about the aging RCA Dome, a displeasure that could’ve resulted in the football franchise pulling up stakes.
“There was a perfect storm,” Bennett says.
Not one to let opportunity—or necessity—pass by, the ICVA lobbied loudly at the state capitol, waving signs, wearing buttons, even holding hospitality days.
The result will catapult Indianapolis into the position of being able to host the “trade show 200,” the 200 largest trade shows in the U.S.
Of course, large groups require a vast room inventory at varying price points, so more than 2,000 additional hotel rooms—most of which will be connected to an expanded convention center—will come on-line in concert with the other facilities.
“I don’t believe there’s a community in the U.S. that has 12 different hotels that connect to its convention center,” Bennett says.
Following are some key components Indianapolis is set to offer by the close of 2010:
- The new multiuse Lucas Oil Stadium (set to open in August) will feature a retractable roof and serve as the home of the Colts
- A doubling in size of convention space (Indiana Convention Center to 564,000 square feet, along with 183,000 square feet of space in Lucas Oil Stadium)
- More than $1 billion in upgrades to Indianapolis International Airport, including a new midfield terminal and concourse, due in November
- Eleven new hotel projects under way, including a complex of four Marriott properties—anchored by a 1,000-room JW Marriott; total inventory will be more than 8,000 rooms by 2010
