Indiana Convention Center – Overview

Indianapolis is the 12th largest city in the United States and welcomes 26 million tourists annually, ranking it in the top 25 most visited cities in America. A city as busy as that needs a good convention center. That is why visitors will find the Indiana Convention Center in the heart of Downtown Indianapolis. The Indiana Convention Center has gone through numerous renovations and expansions to maintain its role as a powerhouse for some of the largest events in the nation. The latest expansion, costing $215 million, has given the convention center more space and an overall contemporary aesthetic.

Totaling over three billion dollars investments made in the convention industry in Indianapolis, Indiana now has one of the largest convention centers in the country at over one million square feet. With the Indiana Convention Center being as impressive in scope as it is and gaining additional convention space from  Lucas Oil Stadium, you’ll want to know more about the center before your visit.

 

Overview

  • 566,000 square feet of exhibit space: This contiguous exhibit space is made up of 11 exhibition halls, ranging from as small as 36,000 square feet to as large as 88,000 square feet. You will find restrooms attached to all of the exhibition halls.
  • 113,000 square feet of meeting space: This consists of 71 meeting rooms on both the first and second floors of the Indiana Convention Center. These spaces are great for breakout sessions.
  • 62,000 square feet of ballroom space: There are three multi-purpose ballrooms that make up the 62,000 square feet of ballroom space. One of these ballrooms is called the Sagamore Ballroom, which is 33,000 square feet alone. It is the largest ballroom in the Midwest.
  • An additional 183,000 square feet of exhibit space: The additional space available comes from the attached Lucas Oil Stadium. The stadium adds 12 meeting rooms and two exhibit halls. However, the field itself can be used as an additional 134,000 square feet of exhibit space. Lucas Oil Stadium also has its own loading docks and pre-function space available.
  • 4,700 connected hotel rooms: If you have an event at the Indiana Convention Center, you’ll probably want to stay in close proximity. What is really great about this venue are the skywalks that connect multiple hotels to the convention center. Over 4,700 hotel rooms are connected to the convention center via the skywalks. This is very convenient because it makes the commute from hotel to convention center feel safer and easy. Plus, if the weather is bad, you don’t have to travel outside to get to the event!
  • Skywalk access to downtown: In an effort to make Downtown Indianapolis even more walkable, the skywalks connect to more than the hotels in the immediate area. The skywalk connects the Indiana Convention Center to more than 200 restaurants and clubs, sports venues, and the Circle Centre Mall, which is a four-story shopping mall.
  • ADA-compliant facility: The Indiana Convention Center offers many accommodations for guests with special needs. Braille signage can be found throughout the venue. Fixtures, such as sinks and signage, are accessible to those in wheelchairs. Wheelchairs are also available for rent on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who need equipment for hearing enhancement can find it at the First Aid Office. Additionally, anyone that has a service animal is allowed to bring them inside the facility.

 

Tips

  • Make use of the skywalk whenever possible. The skywalk makes getting around Downtown Indianapolis simple. However, keep in mind that the opening and closing of the skywalk depends on events being held at the Indiana Convention Center. Generally, the skywalk is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • There are 29 parking facilities in the vicinity of the Indiana Convention Center. Of these parking facilities, there are 12,000 parking spots immediately surrounding the facility and 40,000 in a 10-block radius of the convention center. Parking can range anywhere from $5 to $30 per day. So, if you plan on driving, do some research to find the best prices for your budget.
  • No outside food is allowed inside, but there are three food courts in the Indiana Convention Center. Centerplate, the hospitality company for food and drink solutions used in over 140 venues nationwide, is the dining service used for any catering event at the venue. In addition to this catering service, guests will find food courts and vendors throughout this massive facility. Places to eat in the convention center include the Espresso Caffé, Indiana Grille, American Delicatessen, The Crossroads Bistro, and Pizza Express. You will see some of these dining options repeated in a few areas of the venue.
  • Bring a reusable water bottle. As part of the Indiana Convention Center’s green initiative, they installed water stations to fill up water bottles. They do not sell individual water bottles. This allows them to use less plastic and waste less water.
  • Wear comfortable shoes. The total space of the convention center is over one million square feet. With over 700,000 square feet of exhibit space to walk around, you will want to wear shoes that won’t make your feet ache later on. Plus, think about how much you’ll want to explore the rest of the city. You don’t want sore feet to stop you!
  • Free Wi-Fi is available in select areas. You will be able to connect to free Wi-Fi in the food court areas of the Indiana Convention Center. This Wi-Fi is intended for tasks that do not require higher connectivity, such as browsing the web or reading emails. Guests that will require Wi-Fi with stronger bandwidth would need to contact Smart City Networks.

 

Trivia

  • The venue first opened in 1972. It was originally called the Indiana Convention-Exposition Center. The first expansion was completed in 1984. This expansion included the Hoosier Dome or “RCA Dome,” which was connected to the convention center. That first expansion cost $94 million.
  • Most recent expansions of the Indiana Convention Center were from 2008 to 2011, which included the construction of the connected Lucas Oil Stadium. Lucas Oil Stadium was constructed during the very first phase of the expansion, and it replaced the former RCA Dome. This multi-purpose stadium allows it to host not only NFL football and NCAA basketball but also, concerts, national conventions, trade shows, tournaments, band competitions, and other amateur sports events.
  • Lucas Oil Stadium is home to the Indianapolis Colts. The stadium can hold roughly 67,000 fans. Having seven locker rooms, it has more backstage space than any other NFL stadium.
  • Superbowl XLVI took place at Lucas Oil Stadium. This was the first Superbowl ever hosted in the city of Indianapolis. The teams that played were the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. The Giants defeated the Patriots, scoring 21 to the Patriots’ 17.
  • There are major annual events that take place at the Indiana Convention Center. Some of the events include Gen Con, which focuses on tabletop games, Indy PopCon, Indiana Comic Con, Indianapolis Auto Show, and the Performance Racing Industry Show.
  • The Indiana Convention Center practices recycling and offers wholesalers ways to recycle. Every year, the convention center recycles over 60 tons of aluminum cans, plastic, glass, and cardboard. Wholesalers can recycle pallets, paper, and cooking oil through the convention center as well. They’ve also recycled batteries, computers, and light bulbs. The Indiana Convention Center even uses a food pulper to condense waste before taking any dishwater waste to a landfill.
  • The Indiana Convention Center continuously gives back to the community. The venue has donated kitchen equipment, various furniture, and televisions to local community centers and charities. Signage and banners from the past Superbowl were also used by a local non-profit to create items like wallets and duffel bags, and when those products are sold, the funds help fund products that will improve Indianapolis. Some staff even donate leftover items from events, such as tote bags, to local charities.