Where is Indiana/Indianapolis heading? (Cumberland, Nashville: 2013, credit, universities)

[grmasterb]

During the summer months Indy draws folks from around Indiana and adjacent areas to places like the Children's Museum and other cultural attractions.

[msamhunter]

Don't forget brickyard, moto plus there aren't too many places with more racing than Indy metro. Kiwanis is hq'd in Indy and does a lot including their rather large convention. Indiana black expo is the largest of its type and is also year round bringing in people from all over year over year with summer celebration and circle city classic.

Int'l violin is every 4 years but Indy if not mistaken, the only us city that hosts.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by Dyadic

It is well documented that Indy is a major convention city. But Indianapolis has more going on besides the Colts, Pacers and the 500. Indy is also a major sports town. Beside the Colts and Pacers the city is amateur sporting capital of the world. For example Indianapolis has hosted the NCAA Men's Final Four in 1980, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2006 and 2010. It has hosted the NCAA Men's Regional in 1940, 1979, 2009, 2013. It has hosted the NCAA second round action in 1978, 1982, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2005. In addition the Women's Final Four has been held in Indianapolis twice (2005 and 2011), with the event scheduled to return in 2016.

The Big Ten Football Championship game has be held at Lucas Oil Stadium since 2011. The Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament has been held in Indianapolis 9 times since it's inception in 1998. The 2016 tournament will mark the 10th time. That means the city would have hosted the tournament 10 out of 18 conference tournaments.

In addition to being home to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Headquarters, Indianapolis is home to the national governing body of:

•USA Gymnastics
•USA Football
•USA Diving
•USA Synchronized Swimming
•USA Track & Field
•National Federation of State High School Associations.

There is more going on then you are willing to give credit. I wouldn't call the sports tourism side something that occurs in spurs.

Indy is a great sports town. I really enjoyed that there.

[wh15395]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

I think the Indy tourism probably comes in spurts. Indy probably does really well for conventions, Colts games, bigger Pacers game, the 500, and other large events. During the summer months, aside from any one-off events that may be happening, I just don't see enough to lure people from the other cities.

Well then I guess I'm letting you know that your thoughts on Indy tourism are wrong.

[Toxic Toast]

Regional tourism is a thing in this part of the country. Anyone of an above average intellect knows this.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

Regional tourism is a thing in this part of the country. Anyone of an above average intellect knows this.

I totally agree...but people from Louisville are not regularly driving to Indy like it is the "big city." The same can be said of Indy people coming to Louisville. That said, sure, I am positive there are nights where there are 20/300 Indy hotel rooms with Louisville people. I am sure Louisville's Hyatt has 20 rooms with people from Indy on any given night too.

Taken together, the Cincinnati, Indy, Louisville triangle and some of their supporting midsize towns/suburbs represents, collectively, the type of downtown, museums, sports, and cultural opportunities you would find in a big city. Think DC, Boston, or Chicago. That is the beauty of the area, especially as I travel very frequently and have lived in all three cities.

I also agree with what other Louisville posters said above...Cincinnati definitely draws more Louisville metro residents to the area than Indy draws to its area unless for example, UofK is playing in Indy. Is it a cultural river thing? Does Cincinnati have more than Indianapolis to do? That remains to be seen.

The fact of the matter remains, that Indy, Louisville, and Cincinnati, and really the entire states of northern KY, IN, IL, and OH use Chicago as their big city cultural events center. Chicago has a stronghold on this region with WGN and even several Chicago style restaurants and pizza in all three cities. From Louisville's south suburbs on south, it becomes Atlanta zone. Increasingly, though, Nashville is dominating much of the South. That is a topic for another day as well.

[wh15395]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

Regional tourism is a thing in this part of the country. Anyone of an above average intellect knows this.

Which apparently isn't something most people on City-Data have anymore.

[censusdata]

Not sure on the numbers but Brown County seems like a bigger draw for Louisville people than Indy even is. It's probably the top destination for people leaving the city for the weekend, Lake Cumberland is probably #2.

Re Louisville and Cincinnati... there are local sports rivalries between the two cities but really none with Indy. Catholic high school football is huge in both, if a great Louisville hs team plays a Cincy team the crowds go be in the thousands. Until recently each city's urban universities played in all sports and are 2 of the oldest public former municipal universities in the nation. Indy has good universities but they just don't have the same shared history or rivalry. The Colts are probably the most popular NFL team on the KY side of the Louisville metro (also lots of Steelers, Bengals, Packers for some reason) and by far the most popular on the Indiana side.

More importantly for visiting one vs the other is probably where people's family live. Seems like many more Louisville people have family in Cincy than Indy. That's certainly the case for me, I actually have ties to Cincy going back to the 1800s when my family started moving there in their working years and then retiring back home in KY. I'd rather go to the Cincy art museum than Indy just because I can meet family and go with them, even if the quality of each museum is the same.

[Toxic Toast]

[SciFiNerd1]

What I like the most about Indy is its central location in the Midwest.

You could easily drive to Chicago, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, or Columbus in less than 4 hours.

I could easily go to Chicago for big city amenities and Packers/Bears rivalry game. A short trip to watch St. Louis Cardinals or Ohio State Buckeyes is very convenient too.

To me, Indy has the edge when it comes to location. Indy has many things going on as well. You cannot get bored in Indy. It is what you makes out of it.