Indianapolis Extreme Home Makeover

'Extreme' Fans Take Part In Show Taping - Indiana News Story - WRTV Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis fans of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" got a chance to be part of a show taping Monday as workers hurriedly built a home for recipient Bernard McFarland.

Host Ty Pennington and the rest of the crew went to Arsenal Tech High School Monday to shoot the show's open, 6News' Tanya Spencer reported.

McFarland has made it a life-long mission to foster the love of reading and education in children. He was inspired by a librarian, so it was fitting that the school's library temporarily became a TV studio for the show's taping.

"He believes through the power of education, anything is possible," Pennington said as cameras rolled. "The renovation starts right now."

Numerous families gathered to surround Pennington for the shoot and observe the taping.

"I know how it helps others," said 12-year-old Bailey Ransburg. "It's just funny and it's a good, family show."

Through the magic of edition, the show open will show children who love to read transforming into the people they want to be when they grow up -- doctors, firefighters, educators.

"It was fun. You had to wait for a little while," said Syndey Huffman. "When you actually got in it, it was really fun."

The Indianapolis episode will the season finale for the show. It's set to air on ABC on May 17.

"It's going to be really exciting and different for a change," said Dallas Jenkins, who is featured in the open.

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Glass Wall Construction Begins in Indianapolis

Glass Wall Installation Begins at Indy Hotel Project - Newsroom - Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick

A signature element of the $450 million Marriott Place Indianapolis is now taking shape as crews begin the installation of the unique glass curtain wall that will wrap the entire the JW Marriott Indianapolis tower.

Each blue-colored glass panel is four feet by ten feet and weighs approximately 800 pounds. It will take 7,300 glass panels to encompass the 34-story JW Marriott Indianapolis tower and its 1,005 luxury rooms.

“This glass curtain wall is truly one-of-a-kind and it will dramatically change the downtown Indianapolis skyline,” said Jeremy Stephenson, Vice President of Development, REI Investments. “We are extremely pleased that a central Indiana company is manufacturing the glass for this tremendous economic development project.”

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Indianapolis Library Convention

ibj.com Indianapolis Business Journal Indianapolis books big library convention

The Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association said today that it has booked the Chicago-based American Library Association’s 2021 annual midwinter meeting.

The group will use every meeting room in the Indiana Convention Center, as well as all meeting rooms in surrounding hotels, ICVA said.

The ALA holds its midwinter meeting in January. It is estimated that members will spend $11.6 million here and book 18,585 hotel-room nights.

The group’s most recent Midwinter Meeting, in Denver from Jan. 23-28, drew more than 10,000 attendees for about 2,000 meetings and events, the ALA said.

ICVA said it was particularly pleased to land such a large January event. The month is usually a slow one for big conventions.

Large organizations such as the ALA reserve convention space many years in advance. Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, San Diego and Seattle are among the cities hosting future ALA midwinter meetings.

Indianapolis’ convention-center expansion and the new 1,300-room JW Marriott hotel complex, both scheduled to be completed next year, were integral in landing the convention. Without the developments, the city would not have met the minimum criteria to host the group, ICVA president and CEO Don Welsh said.

“As a result of the Indiana Convention Center expansion, the new hotel package and the continued enhancements of our downtown facilities, the American Library Association is the type of customer we are now able to attract,” Welsh said via e-mail. “It is our furthest booking out, and we’re thrilled to have them in Indianapolis for the first time in their history.”

The not-for-profit ALA was founded in Philadelphia in 1876 and has 65,000 members, including librarians, library trustees and publishers. It serves public, state, school and academic libraries, in addition to specialty libraries for institutions such as the armed services, hospitals and prisons.

Indiana Girls Basketball All-Stars

Indiana Girls All-Star team announced -- chicagotribune.com

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana Miss Basketball Skylar Diggins of South Bend Washington will lead the Indiana Girls All-Star team when they face the Kentucky All-Stars in June.

Stan Benge of Class 4A state champion Ben Davis will coach the team, which the sponsoring Indianapolis Star announced in its Thursday edition.

The team is led by three players considered among the best produced by the state in recent years: the Notre Dame-bound Diggins, Heritage Christian's Kelly Farris (Connecticut) and Ben Davis' Alex Bentley (Penn State).

Bentley will be joined by her Ben Davis teammate DeAirra Goss (Western Michigan). Other Indianapolis-area players selected include Hamilton Southeastern's Courtney Osborn (Miami of Ohio), Carmel's Chrissy Steffen (Bowling Green), and Eminence's Aulani Sinclair (Indiana).

Louisville branding effort moves to Indianapolis during Sweet 16

Louisville branding effort moves to Indianapolis during Sweet 16 - Business First of Louisville:

Louisville’s Possibility City branding effort will take to the streets of Indianapolis during that city’s hosting of a Sweet 16 portion of the NCAA Tournament March 26-27.

Graphics declaring “A national championship is in the Cards” and other messages, along with the “Louisville: Possibility City” logo, will be projected onto the sides of buildings.

As part of the effort, Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau employees will hand out information about visiting Louisville to passersby.

The projections are part of a branding effort led by creative firm Red7e, which was hired by various local entities, including Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government; Greater Louisville Inc., the metro chamber of commerce; and the Greater Louisville Community Branding Alliance; in addition to the bureau.

Projections also are to be made in Chicago in coming months, according to a metro government news release.

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Flying Scupture

Giant sculpture airlifted over Indiana - UPI.com

INDIANAPOLIS, March 23 (UPI) -- Officials with the Indianapolis Museum of Art said a massive sculpture on loan to a nearby school had to be lifted by air to its destination.

Richard McCoy, objects conservator for the museum, said Sasson Soffer's 1973 sculpture "East Gate/West Gate," which measures 40 feet high and 30 feet long, was too massive to move by truck to the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus Sunday so a helicopter was called in to hoist the art into the sky, the Indianapolis Star reported Monday.

"We could have taken it apart and put it on a truck, but that would have been even more complicated," McCoy said. He said officials calculated that the aerial move was also cheaper than the more grounded alternative.

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Planning for Super Bowl XLIII

Indianapolis plans for heavy Super Bowl traffic | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

After two years of intense planning, Tampa, Fla., officials thought they had everything under control for Super Bowl XLIII.

A 100-page master plan for this year's event called for lining the highways with 300 special signs, 4,000 traffic cones and 180 heavy-duty barricades -- all in an effort to keep thousands of cars and buses moving smoothly. But nobody planned for the impact of Leather and Laces, a pregame party that promised plenty of celebrities and not much clothing.
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When thousands showed up, streets became so clogged that traffic stalled and a key bridge to downtown Tampa went into gridlock.

"You cannot underestimate these parties," said Mike Scanlon, a traffic engineer for the city of Tampa. "Things can get out of hand pretty quickly."

Three years before the biggest annual sporting event in the world takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis officials have been studying the lessons of Tampa, Phoenix and other host cities, hoping to avoid a foul-up that could mar the Circle City's moment in the spotlight.

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New Indianapolis Airport CEO

Airport CEO has rep as visionary, spendthrift | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

airport officials in Indianapolis ... are poised to open up their wallets and formally name Clark the next executive director and CEO of Indianapolis International Airport at Friday's Indianapolis Airport Authority Board meeting.

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Hoosier Hospitaly Conference Coming March 24th and 25th

Upcoming Hoosier Hospitality Conference Boasts New Topics and National Speakers - Indiana Restaurant Association - pitchengine.com

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Over 500 hospitality industry professionals will be "Creating Hoosier Hysteria in Hospitality" at the 2009 Hoosier Hospitality Conference (HHC) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the historic Union Station in Indianapolis on March 24 and March 25. This year's conference boasts exciting keynote speakers and hot topics that affect the restaurant and hospitality industry.

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Indiana Pacers asking for Subsidies

What's best for city? Tully doesn't get it | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

In his March 11 column, Matthew Tully would have everyone believe that refusing to assume from the Indiana Pacers the $15 million a year cost of operating Conseco Fieldhouse is all about standing up to pro sports. To Indianapolis, this is a much bigger issue.

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Five things I love

courtesy of www.indy.com

Don Welsh recently moved from Seattle to Indianapolis to become president and CEO of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. Charged with driving tourism and booking conventions, Welsh leads an organization that helps attract more than 22 million visitors annually. While exploring his new home, Welsh already has found several local food favorites.

The shrimp cocktail sauce at St. Elmo Steak House (127 S. Illinois St.). This sinus-searing standard wins raves for its bold approach to a traditional starter.

Easley Winery (205 N. College Ave.). The oldest family-owned winery in Indiana, this urban spot offers Downtown flair and a variety of vintages.

Traders Point Creamery (9101 Moore Road, Zionsville). A family-owned dairy, Traders Point is certified organic and turns out tasty edibles, including smooth, drinkable yogurts.

Chocolates from The South Bend Chocolate Company (20 N. Meridian St.). The chocolate cafe on Monument Circle makes a cozy retreat for enjoying indulgent gourmet chocolate finds.

House-blend coffee at Caféatachou (several area locations). Owner Martha Hoover's special touch extends even to the popular house java.

Technorati Tags: indianapolis, tourism, dinning, coffee, winery, chocolate,

NCAA Hall of Champions Sneak Preview

Courtesy of,
blog.indy.org

Hello all! Is anyone just as excited for the warm weather to come as I am? Seriously, I think we're all a bit over the winter woes. It's March, let's get a move on right?!?

Well, with March comes the city's basketball fever. And to add to the excitement, the NCAA Hall of Champions is reopening March 12 after a fire forced extensive renovations and very impressive changes. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview this morning and I must say, it is SO cool! There are so many interactive games and activities that are not only educational, but super fun! Whether it was throwing a few hoops in their "gym" or tossing a football at the interactive video screen, the activities provide a lot of entertainment for people of all ages.

I highly suggest you check it out. Bring your friends, family or coworkers! You can check out the latest champions of the 23 sports they highlight or see if your Alma mater is featured in one of their many exhibits! March 12. Mark your calendar because this is something you won't want to miss!

Until next time, keep pulling for the warmer weather and enjoy your weekend!!

Guestbook

Indy Hostel Rocks! My friend Rochelle and I stayed with you last weekend. I just wanted to write and tell you how wonderful our stay was! We've stayed in a few hostels and yours was great (by far the best one yet). Thank you for the awesome stay. We've already told quite a few people about how great Indy Hostel was. In fact, myself and another of my friends are already planning a trip back in Indianapolis this summer; when we go we will definitely stay with you. Thanks again!
Melanie Mullen - Shorewood, WI

The Indy Hostel is the coolest affordable lodging in Indy. Thank you again for extending such hospitality during my stay. 'Twas a fun, warm introduction to the city, I'll be back.
April Nelson – Atlanta

It's a wonderful little place, and I will be sure to recommend it to everyone I know who may be passing through Indiana. Take care and keep in touch.
Barry Weber – Milwaukee

The best hostel I've stayed in on my travels around America!
Elaine Cleaver – London

My daughter and I were very comfortable in the suite!
Melanie Bray – Carbondale

I was so great in Indianapolis. Serious, it was one of the best hostel on my looooonnnnnggggg trip. Thank you again for all.
Thomas Portmann – Switzerland

So here we are - we stayed overnight at Indy Hostel - a very nice hostel indeed. Very comfortable and clean - highly recommended.
Peacocks from Madison, Wisconsin