The Creekside - Grand Park Nightly Rental Houses

12/20/2023

The City of Westfield announced Dec. 19 that a newly formed entity, Grand Park Sports & Entertainment, will take over management and development of Grand Park. The public-private partnership involves Keystone Group, Indy Sports & Entertainment, Indy Eleven and Bullpen Ventures and comes at

10/24/2022

Westfield has approved a $1.86 million contract with an Ohio-based company to replace four outdoor artificial turf fields at the Grand Park Sports Complex. The Westfield Redevelopment Commission approved the contract with The Motz Group, which will replace Fields 2 to 5 at Grand Park with work sche

08/25/2022

Dillon Thieneman is set to follow in his brothers’ footsteps. His older brothers, Jake and Brennan, played safety on Purdue University football team. Dillon, a 6-foot, 190-pound Westfield High School senior free safety, committed to play for the Boilermakers in June. However, one difference is Jak

08/25/2022

The city of Westfield has received seven bids for the Grand Park Sports Complex, although the identities of bidders will remain under wraps for now. The Westfield Redevelopment Commission, which owns the complex, released a request for proposals in March seeking companies interested in purchasing G

07/26/2022

Westfield’s Grand Park complex hosts hundreds of events throughout the year, but few will have more international flavor than next month’s cricket tournament sponsored by Cric Indy, a nonprofit whose vision is to use the uber-popular worldwide game as a tool to promote diversity, equity, and inc...

05/24/2022

NFL Scouting Combine staying in Indianapolis through 2024
May 24, 2022 | Mickey Shuey

Indianapolis will keep the National Football League Scouting Combine for at least another two years, following a vote by the league’s team owners on Tuesday during the NFL’s annual spring meetings in Atlanta.

The owners opted to extend the league’s partnership with the city through 2024, with Indianapolis besting bids from Los Angeles and Dallas to hold onto the event.

The media-saturated combine, which Indianapolis has hosted every year since 1987, serves as a talent and medical evaluation process, as well as a job interview, for 300 or more of the top college prospects before of the NFL Draft.

Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business and league events, said the vote followed a recommendation for approval by an ownership committee focused on league events.

The committee, which includes 10 team owners—one of whom is Jerry Jones Jr., son of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones—consulted with the league’s executive staff and leaders of the National Invitational Camp, which runs the combine.

“Indy’s vision brings together its long legacy of successfully hosting the Combine and executing the evaluation process, with an exciting focus on innovating and further growing the event from a fan and media perspective,” O’Reilly said in written remarks.

The 2023 combine is slated for Feb. 28 to March 6, while the 2024 event is scheduled for Feb. 27 to March 4.

The Colts, Visit Indy, Indiana Sports Corp., the Capital Improvement Board of Managers and officials in Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration were directly involved in the bid process.

The event has received growing media attention and TV coverage in recent years, so while it’s not a major financial boon for the city—it generates about $9.6 million in revenue—it is still considered one of Indianapolis’ most important annual events. More than 5,000 league officials, team executives, agents, sponsors and media members flock to the city every year.

The bid process was opened in December 2021 and concluded in April, after the league said in June it would entertain suggestions to move the event around the country as it does with the Super Bowl and the NFL Draft.

Cities were permitted to bid on two, two-year sets—2023 to 2024 and 2025 to 2026—but the owners did not determine which locale would host the latter set, deferring that decision to a future year’s owners meeting.

“We know many cities want to host the NFL Combine, and we’re incredibly appreciative the NFL continues to put its faith in Indy,” said Leonard Hoops, president & CEO of Visit Indy, in written remarks. “And after more than three decades of hosting the Combine, our excitement has only grown when it comes to continuing our work with the NFL and the National Invitational Camp to make the event better every year for all those stakeholders as well as the growing number of fans who want to experience it inperson.”

In their bids, Indianapolis, Los Angeles and Dallas shared their ideas on new fan spaces, and answered technical questions about access to medical equipment and personnel, along with information on supportive facilities like hotels and event halls. Dallas sent a contingent to the 2022 event to evaluate what a combine in North Texas would look like ahead of the April 1 deadline for formal bid submissions.

Chris Gahl, vice president of Visit Indy, said Indianapolis’ bid leaned heavily on the city’s longstanding success of hosting the event, along with the fact that all of the venues used for the combine (hotels, Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center) are connected by skywalks. Indianapolis also provides medical and imaging services due to easy access to Indiana University Health that other venues can’t offer.

The bid also noted an interest in continuing to be welcoming for a smaller group of fans, much like what the city offered this year for the first time by allowing thousands of fans into the stadium’s lower bowl to watch the player workouts. That is expected to continue with the 2023 combine.As part of the bid, Indianapolis offered a new legacy program led by the Irsay family that would tie directly into the recently-established Kicking the Stigma initiative. The legacy program would benefit Indianapolis residents by helping them find resources to mental health service providers.

Jim Irsay, owner of the Colts, said in a statement he was pleased with the owners’ decision.

“Indy is a city built to host major sporting events, and I’m proud the combine will continue to stay in our city,” he said.

https://www.ibj.com/articles/nfl-scouting-combine-staying-in-indianapolis-through-2024?utm_source=breaking-news&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=2022-05-24

Indianapolis, which has hosted the event since 1987, beat out competing bids from Los Angeles and Dallas.

05/10/2022

Local business owner wants to purchase Grand Park

Andy Card, who owns and operates Fishers-based Card & Associates, is interested in purchasing Grand Park. The Westfield Redevelopment Commission issued a request for proposals March 3 seeking a buyer for Grand Park or for someone to enter into a public-private partnership for park operation. Pr

04/01/2022

Indianapolis expected to host 2024 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, sources say
March 27, 2022 | Mickey Shuey

The Indiana Sports Corp. and USA Swimming this week are expected to announce that Indianapolis will host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials.

The city’s selection for the event was confirmed to IBJ by two sources familiar with the situation. They requested anonymity because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly about the announcement.

An announcement is set for Tuesday at Lucas Oil Stadium featuring local sports officials, city leaders and business executives.

The speakers include Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett; Indiana Sports Corp. President Ryan Vaughn; USA Swimming President & CEO Tim Hinchey III; Horizon League Commissioner Julie Roe Lach; Olympic medalist Lilly King; and One America chairman, president and CEO, Scott Davison; and executive vice president Karin Sarratt.

The trials are typically held in June of an Olympics year, with the 2024 Games scheduled for Paris. Indianapolis is expected to hold the event inside Lucas Oil Stadium, through an assemblage of temporary pools similar in nature to the one built inside then-Conseco Fieldhouse for the 2004 FINA World Championships.

The Indianapolis Star in June 2021 reported Indiana Sports Corp. put forth a bid proposing seating for up to 35,000 fans, in a setup similar to the one used for 2021 NCAA men’s basketball games at Lucas Oil, with pools on either side of a large curtain—one for competition, the other for warm-ups.

Indianapolis last hosted the U.S. swim trials in 2000 at the IUPUI Natatorium and is the most frequent host of the event. It’s hosted six trials in the past 100 years. Those include the women’s trials in 1924 and 1952 at Broad Ripple Pool, and the men’s and women’s trials at the Natatorium in 1984, 1992, 1996 and 2000.

The past four Olympic trials have been held in Omaha (2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021), and in 2004 the event was held in Long Beach, California.

Omaha was among three others cities were competing to host the 2024 trials. The others were Minneapolis and St. Louis.

https://www.ibj.com/articles/indy-set-to-host-2024-u-s-olympic-swim-trials-sources-say?utm_source=breaking-news&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=2022-03-27

03/16/2022

Sweets & Snacks Expo to take place in Indy six more times over next decade
March 15, 2022 | Mickey Shuey

After getting its first taste of the convention in 2021, Indianapolis has scored the golden ticket to host the annual Sweets & Snacks Expo six more times over the next decade.

The National Confectioners Association said Tuesday that the show will rotate between Indianapolis and Las Vegas starting in 2024, moving from Chicago where it has been held since 1997.

The event was moved to the Indiana Convention Center on a one-year term in 2021 because of COVID-related lockdowns in Chicago.

Indianapolis will host the event in 2024, 2025, 2027, 2028, 2030 and 2031, with Las Vegas hosting in 2026, 2029 and 2032. The Indianapolis shows will continue to be held at the convention center.

Visit Indy officials expect the 2024 event will bring in about 14,000 visitors and about $10.2 million in visitor spending.

The announcement occurred during the National Confectioners Association’s annual state-of-the-industry event in Aventura, Florida, which was attended by representatives of Visit Indy and the Capital Improvement Board.

Typically held in June, the event is a key convention for the confectionery industry. It draws more than 800 candy and snack vendors from 90 countries in typical years and allows retailers, manufacturers and suppliers to showcase new products and technology, while also building their network of business partners.

The exposition brought in about 10,000 people and generated an estimated $9 million for the city’s economy in 2021, accounting for about 4,300 hotel rooms during its peak night.

Gov. Eric Holcomb and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration were directly involved in the city’s effort to bring back the event for future years. In fact, Holcomb kicked off the city’s pitch during an in-person meeting in December 2021 between local officials and representatives of the National Confectioners Association.

“Indianapolis and Las Vegas are the right fit to meet the growing demand for our show and enable it to continue providing the innovation, insights and connections that the candy and snacks industries want and need,” NCA President and CEO John Downs said in written remarks. “This decision is all about the show’s future, and it was driven by our exhibitor and attendee community, for our exhibitor and attendee community.”

Downs told IBJ during last year’s event he had an interest in returning to Indianapolis in the future, but stopped short of a firm commitment.

“We’re open for 2024, and Indianapolis is at the top of the list for that event—no question and, after this experience, no doubt about it,” he said in June.

The 2022 and 2023 shows will be held at Chicago’s McCormick Place, with city officials there expecting an estimated $22 million in economic impact from this year’s event.

The National Confectioners Association said Tuesday that the show will rotate between Indianapolis and Las Vegas starting in 2024, moving from Chicago where it has been held since 1997.

03/09/2022

Meet the woman who builds the world’s most unique Airbnbs!

Kristie Wolfe has built off-grid hobbit holes, treehouses, and potato-shaped abodes — often on a shoestring budget.

03/04/2022

City of Westfield seeks buyer for Grand Park

The Westfield Redevelopment Commission is seeking proposals to possibly sell Grand Park or enter into a public-private partnership for park operation. The RDC issued a request for proposals March 3. The City of Westfield operates Grand Park, a 400-acre sports campus in northern Westfield that opened

01/24/2022

State lawmakers propose fund aimed at attracting more major sporting events, conventions
January 17, 2022 | Mickey Shuey

Three state lawmakers have filed a bill to create a new tourism fund aimed at helping convention- and sports-focused organizations across the state attract more events to Indiana.

The bill, authored by Republican Sens. Travis Holdman, Ryan Mishler and Kyle Walker would create the framework of a bid fund, which would be included in the overall budget for the Indiana Destination Development Corp.

The Indiana Sports Corp. would be responsible for administering a grant program to disperse the funds, with the organization giving money to groups across the state as well as using a portion of the funding for its own bidding efforts. The bill calls for at least 25% of the funds to go toward events outside of Marion County.

Indiana Sports Corp. officials declined to comment, instead referring IBJ to Walker to discuss the bill.

Walker said he sees the legislation as an investment in Indiana because of the economic impact and tax dollars big events tend to generate. He also noted that while sports are the biggest focus of the bill, tourism groups can also use funds to pursue major conventions and trade shows.

“There’s a return on investment,” he said. “It’s repaid in the form of economic impact and direct sales tax. And there’s a proven pattern of success [with big events]. So, this is not an expense. It’s really an investment that has a return that pays a dividend to taxpayers across the state of Indiana.”

Currently, the state does not have a bid fund that groups can tap into as they pursue major events, instead leaving the organizations to rely on existing budgets, private donations and ancillary local incentives as part of their bid package—including for major events like the Super Bowl, the College Football Playoff and various major conventions.

At least 15 other states have bid funds similar to the one proposed, according to Walker, with most funded with at least $5 million annually.

The General Assembly would determine how much funding would go to the fund as part of its 2023 budgeting process. Walker said it’s too soon to know how much money would go into the fund.

“I don’t want to say a specific number because I think it’s too early to tell, but I think it merits a significant investment,” he said. “If that’s $5 million … I think that may be a good starting point for the conversation. But I think we should take the time to talk with stakeholders and determine what that right amount is.”

During a hearing on the bill last week, Indiana Sports Corp.’s Ryan Vaughn said $5 million would be an “extraordinary” amount. The Senate Appropriations Committee will weigh in on the issue on Thursday, when it holds a hearing on the bill at 3:30 p.m. in Statehouse Room 431.

Chris Gahl, vice president of Visit Indy, said the Indianapolis tourism agency is supportive of the bill.

“After years of studying the feasibility, this bill is laser focused on our state as a whole staying competitive in the tourism arena of attracting and retaining conventions and events,” said Gahl. “Alongside the Indiana Sports Corp, we have tracked an emergence of bid funds successfully created and successfully taking away wins from our state.”