F
ootball, a classic American hobby, is also one of the big- gest sporting events of the year. In 2012, it will be visiting Indianapolis, IN for the fi rst time.
Sports tourism is big business for the city
that is home to the Indy 500 and as a re- sult of their viable destination, the Indiana Convention Center doubled in size with a $275 million expansion. The NFL experi- ence will take place here for Super Bowl XLVI, it will act as the offi cial tailgate party and feature a hands-on, fan friendly zone where fans can meet past players, in- dulge in great food, and enjoy the festivi- ties. The Lucas Oil Stadium which opened in 2008 will be home to the big game. Midwest Meetings had the pleasure of
speaking with two key partners for this event, Chris Gahl, Director of Commu- nications, Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association and Dianna L. Boyce, Director of Communications, 2012 India- napolis Super Bowl Host Committee. Midwest Meetings: Wow, Super
Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, what an excit- ing time! Have you worked on any similar events before? Chris Gahl: Thank you, we are
very excited! I had the opportunity to work on a committee with the Pro Bowl when I was living in Hawaii and of course working on the Indy 500 has provided good experience. It actually turns 100 this May. Dianna L. Boyce: Many of us
have had connections with sporting events, I worked with the Indiana Sports Corporation and volunteered at the 1987 Pan American games. I also volunteered on several sport- ing events over the years, track and fi eld competitions, the fi rst Big Ten Women’s Tournaments in late 90s and several Final Fours. I worked in the Mayor’s offi ce as the point person for major events coming to town, which provided me with great experience. I was able to learn about
WWW WWW.MIDWEST IDWESTMEETINGS COM
EETINGS.COM
“The quality and caliber of individual people coming for the game are people who might bring a meeting or convention to our city, open a business or relocate a business.” - Chris
all of the special considerations and planning needed for an entire city when hosting large events. I helped coordinate city and state projects, making sure that things were smooth and that the city offered the best fan experience. As the city rep I was able to join committees working with permits, most recent- ly the DOC for Lumina Foundation, which is a national foundation dedi- cated toward higher education. This combined with my volunteer and media experience, seemed like a perfect fi t for me.
MM: When does the planning start? CG: We’ve been preparing for it for the
Gahl, Indianapolis CVA
last three years, since May 2008 when it was awarded to Indianapolis. There is a Super Bowl Host committee made-up of 25 individuals. The committee is charged with the implementation of the plan and work with a $25 million dollar budget funded by corporations and individuals to put on Super Bowl. This commit- tee works directly with the National Football League (NFL). DB: We fi rst bid in May 2007, but
didn’t get the bid, so a small group of community leaders bid again in 2008, which they got for 2011. Once awarded a 501c6 (an organization that is a business league devoted to the improvement of business con- ditions) was setup. The fi rst em- ployees started October 1, 2008 and more in 2009. I started in February 2010 and was the sixth employee. MM: What kind of im-
pact does hosting the Super Bowl have on a community? CG: We are es-
timating 150,000 attendees and
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