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Super News For Indy!
May 22, 2008
Cheers reverberated throughout Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis when the National Football League's owners -- meeting in Atlanta -- announced on Tuesday (May 20) that Indy had landed the 2012 Super Bowl. I happened to be taking photos inside the new $750-million stadium that afternoon when the news was relayed to me and many of the hundreds of construction workers building the new facility.
There definitely was a sense of pride among the workers as they shook hands and exchanged high fives. It is super news for them because they can boast that they helped construct a Super Bowl stadium.
And it's super news for the city of Indianapolis! The city beat Houston and the Phoenix area for the right to host the Feb. 5, 2012 event after losing by just two votes to Dallas for the 2011 game.
I'm biased because I live near Indy, but Indianapolis truly is the perfect place to host the Super Bowl. The city has vast experience in hosting major sporting events such as the Indianapolis 500 and NCAA tournaments. And Lucas Oil Stadium, scheduled for completion in August, could become one of the country's premier sporting venues. The retractable-roof stadium features 63,000 seats (expandable for Super Bowl) and 140 luxury suites.
The city has changed drastically during the last two decades. Visitors will find that Indianapolis is the easiest city in the country to navigate. While staying downtown, there is no need for a cab -- you can walk to many new hotels, restaurants, museums, and sporting facilities.
In addition to Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis International Airport's new $1.1-billion midfield terminal is scheduled to open in October. Downtown, plans are proceeding for the $275-million expansion of the Indiana Convention Center -- scheduled to open in late 2010, and the $425-million Marriott hotel complex -- opening in 2011.
Hosting the Super Bowl could mean an economic jolt to the city. According to a new study from Ball State University, the Super Bowl in 2012 could mean a $365-million economic boost for the Indy metro area. Let's hope so.
Posted by Tom Hale on May 22, 2008 | Comments (0)
