Gahl: Developments show confidence in downtown Indy
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowWith an estimated $1.7 billion in projects, including the Elanco Animal Health corporate campus, Eleven Park, and several hotels, tourism officials say they’re bullish on what it will mean for business and economic impact in downtown Indianapolis.
Visit Indy Senior Vice President Chris Gahl says the pipeline of project shows that there is confidence in the city, especially coming out of the pandemic.
Gahl spoke about the future of downtown in an interview on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.
The next big event on the agenda for downtown Indy is the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, and Gahl said the city is ready, particularly with the completion of renovations to Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“If you’re in the business of tourism, Indy is going to be epic,” Gahl said. “We have so much to market so many reasons to bring people to our city.”
Gahl noted other major events coming to Indy, including the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for swimming, the total solar eclipse, which is expected to bring an estimated 100,000 visitors to the Indianapolis area, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts at Lucas Oil Stadium and more.
But a key component to downtown Indy’s development is the waterfront along the White River. The Eleven Park project, which will include a 20,000-seat soccer stadium and hotel is part of that development.
A local delegation recently made a trip to Singapore to learn about how the country has handled development along its waterways similar to how Indy aims to develop along the White River.
“It’s economic development. It’s talent attraction and recruitment. It’s tourism and it’s quality of life. It’s this idea that we can be more bold along the banks of the White River as it gets cleaned up,” Gahl said. “People will be in and around the White River, and so we have to get it done right, and we have to be more bold in our vision process. That’s why we went to Singapore because it’s best in class for activating waterfront.”
The city is also set to begin construction on the redevelopment of Pan Am Plaza, which includes an expansion of the Indiana Convention Center and the construction of a new 800-room Signia by Hilton hotel.
Gahl said that project has been key to keeping several major conventions in Indy, including Gen Con and the PRI Trade Show, which wrapped up its latest edition on Saturday.
And it’s not only tourism that is a key focus for local leaders. Officials are looking at the workforce of the future in central Indiana to keep the economic momentum going.
Speaking at last week’s Engage Indiana series event in Indianapolis, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership CEO Melina Kennedy said it’s critical to make young people aware of the job opportunities in the Indy region, particularly in advanced industries.
“What we know is that younger people don’t really know what that means,” she said. “There’s all kinds of jobs in life sciences or agbiosciences. In Indiana, what’s exciting is we have a very strong breadth of advanced industries, and we start from a position of strength. However, we need to be on our toes as the jobs and the workforce challenges remain, and we want to continue to be able to fill those jobs.”