Indianapolis' Secret to Hosting Major Events

It’s no secret that Indianapolis is fast becoming a leading sports, entertainment, and convention destination. The city’s ability to host and manage large-scale events efficiently and effectively, often juggling multiple major events simultaneously, is a point of civic pride and expertise. 

Certainly the layout of downtown Indy and the proximity of all the major sporting arenas makes Indianapolis a champion for its accessibility and walkability. But the best-kept secret in town is the exceptional level of collaboration among different organizations when it comes to hosting events. This “secret sauce” of working together seamlessly seems to set Indianapolis apart from other cities.

From the bidding phase to the execution of these events, planning and communication across organizations and government entities is essential to host this many people in the heart of the Midwest.

Placing the Bid

Indiana Sports Corp has taken the lead in all sporting events in Indianapolis for the past 45 years.  Before bidding to host an event here in Indy, they build broad-based support across the community and make sure the event is right for the city. Beyond fitting the dates into the calendar, considerations like hotel capacity, perpetually changing construction zones, and competing downtown events are all taken into account before a bid can be made. 

Meetings happen years in advance to decide what bid to go for and what Indy will have to offer when the event lands. The NFL Scouting Combine, which has stayed in Indianapolis for nearly four decades now, announces their dates and host cities years in advance. When events of that scale come to town, every side of the city chips in to make it happen. Once the bid is decided, planning becomes a massive group project between the State, the Capital Improvement Board of Managers (CIB), and civic partners like Visit Indy, the Art Council, Downtown Indy, the Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association (INRLA), and any venues needed to facilitate the event.

While they are enjoying the Big 10, said Sarah Myer, chief of staff and strategy at Indiana Sports Corp, “people don’t realize that Detroit fought for that, Las Vegas fought for that, Minneapolis fought for that —and Indianapolis won. So that is a huge thing to be proud of and we take that very seriously.”

According to Clare Clark of Visit Indy, tourism brings an economic impact of $5.8 billion to the local economy each year. With the U.S. Olympic Team Swim Trials, we saw 285,000 people coming to the city and over $100 million in revenue. For the 2024 NBA All Star games, though Wing estimated only 190,000 people came into the city, the revenue generated cracked $400 million. 

Wing goes on to mention events both incidental and meticulously planned, including the Big 10 Championship (which, it’s safe to say, the Hoosier State bids on at every opportunity), the NFL Scouting Combine, Gen Con, Taylor Swift’s sold-out shows at Lucas Oil Stadium, and last year’s total solar eclipse.

“We definitely take seriously our role as a community-building organization,” said Patrick Talty, Indiana Sports Corp president, “to make the community better today than it was yesterday.” This focus on legacy helps ensure that the positive impacts of hosting large sporting events extend well beyond the event dates themselves, benefiting the broader Indianapolis community in meaningful and lasting ways.

The Planning Begins

Once an event is won, the civic partners are engaged, a local organizing committee is developed and the event planning is structured with honorary co-chairs, committee leaders, and activation of an army of volunteers.

“It’s not ‘rinse and repeat,’” said Susie Townsend, senior vice president and chief destination experience officer of Visit Indy. The organizers always ask themselves how they might make these events better, more diverse, more inclusive. 

“How do we leave a legacy?”

Townsend likes to involve a variety of people, from different ages and backgrounds, in leading this effort to generate new ideas.

Logistical Hurdles

There are so many logistics involved, they break off into specialized groups. Food vendor distribution, expanding police presence, establishing rideshare pickup points, and calculating the right number of restrooms all factor into the final event plan.

Visit Indy works with the City on special event permits, ensuring they can executive their plan.  They may need to shut down streets, for example. They have to get approval and pay for the meters.

Because communication with downtown businesses is crucial, Visit Indy then leads hospitality meetings over Zoom. These meetings give direction to commonly asked questions and make sure local business owners are all on the same page for oncoming foot traffic. They also send out a brief about a week before the event with all the nitty-gritty details. Local business owners and leaders then disseminate information to their own teams, and build their own plans around the larger vision.

“It is not like this anywhere else,” Courtney Howell, events director of Downtown Indy, said of the collaborative effort.  

Downtown Indy also operates street-level crews at each event, every day. You’ve likely seen this level of civic coordination in action at annual events like the 500 Festival or Indy Pride. They have a clean team, which consists of 30-plus folks who walk the Mile Square, up and down Mass Ave, to ensure cleanliness. They also have safety ambassadors to be a presence and extra sets of eyes and ears. They carry radios and have direct contact with IMPD, and they can help mitigate issues before they escalate. 

“Obviously, the biggest factor is the public safety factor,” Howell said. “IMPD,EMS, IFD, and all of the civic entities are leaned on heavily to make sure there is a safe environment for Indy’s visitors and residents.”

Collaboration at the Heart of Circle City

In partnership with civic leaders, Indy Arts Council is asked to be on nearly every host committee to add an arts and culture perspective. Their leadership helps ensure that each event is infused with local culture, highlighting local artists and the vibrant art scene in downtown Indianapolis. 

Kavina Mahoney, vice president of Indy Arts Council, believes their organization’s involvement makes Indianapolis unique. “Some of the major venues like Gainbridge and Lucas Oil are located within a walking distance of downtown, so we do have the advantage of being able to really activate and make downtown come alive through arts and culture.”

For her it’s a fun way to show folks Hoosier hospitality and to introduce visitors to the diverse and vibrant arts and culture scene in Indianapolis. 

“Sports and arts partnerships are fairly unique,” Mahoney said. “And we’re just grateful to be able to showcase the local art scene in such an amplified way and connect local artists to new audiences and visitors that may not know that they exist.” 

Civic Commitment

Patrick Tamm, president and CEO of Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association, said that the level of civic commitment he sees from hoteliers and restaurateurs during these large events are what’s most astonishing to him.

“You may think they see each other as competitors,” Tamm said, “but they really don’t compete, not in that market.” He believes it starts with that teamwork mentality. 

Tamm said, “Craig Huse, CEO and co-owner at Huse Culinary, would do anything to get business into Indianapolis. Yes, it will help his restaurants. But you know what it also does? Brings in tons of business for others. And so he’ll personally spend his own money, his own resources, his own time, to go after that type of business, because it’s the right thing to do.”

From a hospitality perspective, that all-for-one mind-set exists for business owners around the city.

Looking to the Future

Indianapolis is aiming high, with Indiana Sports Corp setting its sights on transforming the city into America’s premier sports destination and a global athletic powerhouse by 2050. To support this ambitious vision, the city is boosting its infrastructure with the addition of the Signia Hotel, bringing 800 new rooms to the downtown area, and expanding the Indiana Convention Center by an impressive 150,000 square feet. 

However, the true driving force behind this transformation lies in the exceptional qualities of Indianapolis’s civic leaders. Their unwavering professionalism, combined with a culture of mutual respect, genuine admiration for one another, and a strong commitment to collaboration, will be the key factors in turning this bold aspiration into reality.