Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1459281
INDIANAPOLIS, WHERE WORLD CLASS MEETINGS INFRASTRUCTURE AND SPECTCULTAR CULTURAL HERITAGE COEXIST BY BUCK SAMUELS The Indiana Convention Center is the centerpiece of the Indy convention cam- pus. With 566,600 sq. ft. of nearly col- umn-free exhibit space, it is one of the country's premier convention spaces. The center is connected by enclosed walkway to Lucas Oil Stadium) to offer 750,000 sq. ft. of space under one roof. Georgia Street, a three-block pedestrian promenade and event space, connects all of that to Bankers Life Fieldhouse basket- ball arena. The Indiana State Fairgrounds offers planners flexibility with over 1 mil- lion sq. ft. of event space in 21 venues on a 250-acre campus. For smaller venues, Indy offers a wide variety of options. Their attractions and landmarks double as venues for meetings and events. Theaters and ballrooms and dedicated event spaces give planners options when selecting the perfect venue for their event. You want to wow your board, VIPs, and attendees. Indy can make it happen. With so many hotel rooms connected to the convention center, your attendees can sleep a little later, and work a little smarter. With an additional 1,400 new hotel rooms coming online connected to the convention center, the city's incredi- ble portfolio of downtown hotels investing $70+ million in recent renovations, the innovative vision of the Marriott IndyPlace complex, and a new 50,000-sq. ft. ball- room, Indy offers an unbeatable conven- tion package. The metro area boasts 34,000 rooms, over 7,500 of these in the downtown corridor (and 3,000 more in the pipeline), 4,719 connected to the cen- ter at 12 hotels (with 800+ more in devel- opment), and 24 properties featuring 10,000+ sq. ft. of meeting space., Hotel accommodations offer some- thing for every size group, from the 1,013-room JW Marriott Indianapolis (102,755 sq. ft. of meeting space), and the 575-room Westin Indianapolis (39,000 sq. ft.), to the 316-room Hyatt Place Downtown (5,855 sq. ft.), and everything in between. When the meetings are over for the day, there is no shortage of things to and see, especially if your are a cultural enthu- siast who's interested in African- American history. From early black settle- ments of the 1820s, to stops in Indianapolis along the Underground Railroad, African-Americans have played an essential role in the growth of Indianapolis. The Indiana Avenue District was the commercial and social hub of black Indianapolis where some of the hottest jazz spots in the Midwest drew the likes of Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. The District is home to a number of historic sights and attractions, including the Crispus Attucks Museum (houses memorabilia from the first all African- American high school in Indiana, named after Crispus Attucks, a Black man who was the first hero to die in the American Revolution), Bethel A.M.E. Church (soon to lead a new life as a hotel), Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park and Landmark for Peace memorial (named for the famous civil rights leader), the Elteljorg Collection of African Art at Butler University (con- sists of 32 African objects), Freetown Village (this Living History Museum pres- ents African-American history and cul- ture in unique, entertaining formats), and the Madam C. J. Walker Museum (named after the daughter of a former slave, she be-came and one of the wealthiest most s u c c e s s f u l women in the 20th century). If you are con- templating bring- ing a meetings to Indianapolis, be sure to reach out to Kenneth M. Hemsley, Jr, national sales manager for Visit Indy's DC office (410) 365-8283. The Indianapolis International, just a 15-minute cab ride from downtown, serves the area with more than 250 arrivals and departures per day. B M & T ••• March/April 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 55 AREA GUIDES I N D I A N A P O L I S • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS JW Marriott Indianapolis 1,013 Westin Indianapolis 575 Hyatt Place Downtown 316 Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Downtown 273 Hyatt Regency Indianapolis 499 Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites 352 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Indiana Convention Center Total Exhibit Space: 566,600 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms: 83 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Indy (800) 323-INDY www.visitindy.com Kenneth M. Hemsley Jr. Indiana-Convention-Center photo credit: Indiana C.C.