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Indianapolis International Airport expects more than 100 private jets as part of All-Star rush – Indianapolis Business Journal

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Indianapolis International Airport expects more than 100 private jets as part of All-Star rush – Indianapolis Business Journal


Numerous banners and other signage has been hung for the NBA All-Star Weekend, set for Feb. 16-18. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

More than 100 private jets are expected to fly into Indianapolis International Airport this weekend for NBA All-Star Game-related festivities.

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The planes, carrying business executives, media, celebrities, professional athletes and others, will be among hundreds of aircraft set to land at the airport during the weekend, Indianapolis Airport Authority officials said.

The officials said they do not yet have an estimate for how many commercial flights will land at the airport and how many passengers those planes will carry. Unlike the Super Bowl in Indianapolis in 2012, the NBA event has not prompted airlines to add more flights or charters specifically for the event.

Even so, airport officials said they anticipate a busy weekend and are working closely with the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and others to accommodate the increased traffic.

“We are prepared, and our team is well versed in managing additional air traffic at the Indy airport during major events,” officials said. “In preparation, we’ve been in communication and coordination with our business partners at the airport, including airlines, concessionaires, and rental car partners to ensure everyone is ready to meet the travel demand.”

The airport authority said while it is not privy to the specific schedules or manifests for the private flights, it expects the figure will ultimately exceed more than 100 flights, as additional private users finalize their plans. Most of those aircraft will rely on what are known as fixed-base operators, or FBOs, which handle general aviation traffic. Million Air and Signature are the two FBOs for the airport and are located away from the main terminal, allowing private travelers to avoid throngs of commercial flyers.

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Marc Ganis, owner of Chicago-based sports consultancy Sportscorp Ltd, said most professional athletes tend to fly on private jets when going to an event like the NBA All-Star Game. Leaders from the league’s sponsors and representatives of television networks also tend to travel to such events privately.

Up to 1,800 media members will travel to Indianapolis for the weekend, with most either driving or flying commercial.

Some flights are expected to land at reliever airports across central Indiana, such as Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport in Fishers or Indianapolis Regional Airport near Greenfield. The airport authority said it doesn’t know whether the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport will be heavily used during All-Star Weekend.

The Indianapolis Executive Airport in Zionsville, which is operated by the Hamilton County Airport Authority rather than IAA, said it does not expect to see an uptick in air traffic during the weekend.

Ganis said the biggest logistical challenges for Indianapolis will come Sunday night and the Monday after the All-Star Game. That’s because numerous private jets will likely depart the night of the event, following its conclusion, while passenger airliners will mostly leave Monday morning and into early afternoon.

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“The corporate types—the ultra VIPs—they generally have to be somewhere on Monday morning,” said Ganis. “And the only way that these people can be back in their office Monday morning is if they leave Sunday night after the game.”

The Monday after Super Bowl XLVI in 2012 is the busiest day on record for commercial traffic at Indianapolis International Airport, when 30,000 people flew out from the city.

Private planes will be welcomed to Indianapolis in unique ways during All-Star Week (portions of Million Air’s and Signature’s spaces are adorned with All-Star promotional items) and the airport is going all-out for those taking commercial flights.

The terminal plaza features a full-size decorative basketball court highlighting All-Star Weekend and vinyl wraps have been installed on pillars in the baggage claim. There is also extensive signage throughout the concourses.

A 6-foot-tall fiberglass basketball is on display in the baggage claim. Hand-painted by local muralist Koda Witsken to celebrates Indiana’s role in the creation of federal Title IX legislation in 1972, the ball is one of 24 that can be found throughout Indianapolis as part of the host committee’s Hoosier History program.

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The airport also plans to station volunteers at the airport to welcome visitors to the city and answer questions they have about navigating the terminal or getting to downtown for All-Star events. Likewise, welcome tables staffed by airport employees will be located in each concourse.

The airport will have several spots selling All-Star merchandise, including a pop-up shop in Civic Plaza, and a kiosk near the entrance to Concourse B, outside the Tumi store. Some All-Star merchandise will be sold in various newsstand and convenience areas, according to airport officials.

The airport said it expects to see an influx of travelers using ridesharing from Uber and Lyft to get to and from downtown.



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Indianapolis, IN

Key Jags player clears concussion protocol ahead of Colts game

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Key Jags player clears concussion protocol ahead of Colts game


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WISH) — There are many players who are listed on the injury report ahead of Sunday’s Colts game against the Jaguars in Jacksonville.

Multiple Colts players will miss the contest. Those players include running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle), cornerback Kenny Moore II (hip) and defensive end Kwity Paye (quadricep).

Two other key players may join that trio as well when it comes to missing the game. That’s because quarterback Anthony Richardson (oblique) and center Ryan Kelly (neck) were both downgraded to doubtful on Saturday.

Meanwhile, cornerback Samuel Womack III (illness) was added to the Colts injury report on Saturday and is now questionable for the AFC South showdown.

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The Colts are not the only team thought in this matchup dealing with injuries.

The Jaguars have a handful of players on the injury list, including linebacker Yasir Abdullah (neck) and safety Daniel Thomas (hamstring), both of whom are questionable.

The Jaguars did receive some good news though on Saturday as defensive end Josh Hines-Allen is no longer listed on the injury report. Hines-Allen, one of the team’s top pass rushers, cleared concussion protocol and will be good to play on Sunday. He was previously listed as questionable after suffering a concussion last weekend against the Texans.

Hines-Allen has one sack and 12 total tackles this season.

Another key player on the Jags though does appear to be on track to miss Sunday’s game. Tight end Evan Engram (hamstring) is “not tracking to play” according to a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

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The Jaguars enter Sunday’s matchup as the only team in the league that is still winless.

“I think in this league, the records – you can throw records out the window in this league, you really can,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said on Friday. “I’ve been a part of teams – played an 0-10 team one time and lost back in the day. It doesn’t matter. You’ve got to show up and play. It doesn’t matter who your opponent is. It doesn’t matter what the record is. You’ve got to show up and be ready to go.”

Kickoff Sunday is set for 1 p.m. EDT inside EverBank Stadium.



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Jaguars-Colts: Week 5 Prediction

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Jaguars-Colts: Week 5 Prediction


The Jacksonville Jaguars have one of their biggest Sundays of the year on the horizon.

Not only will Week 5’s AFC South battle against the Indianapolis Colts serve as a chance for the Jaguars to back on track after an 0-4 start, but the Jaguars will be honoring the greatest head coach and arguably the most influential figure in franchise history in Tom Coughlin.

“In the history of the Jaguars, I think it’s important that they know that and that we get to celebrate Coach Coughlin and also getting some former players, some legends back this weekend,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said this week.

“It will be exciting for the guys to see and visit. So yeah, definitely want that out in front of the team. It’s important they see that.”

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So, can the Jaguars walk out of Week 5 with their first victory of the year? We break it down below.

Prediction: Jaguars 23, Colts 16

The Colts as a whole have been a better team than the Jaguars this season; that much can’t be argued. But the Colts are simply one of the NFL’s most banged-up teams in the NFL right now, and the Jaguars might just be catching them at the right time.

In addition to Jonathan Taylor being ruled out, Kwity Paye and DeForest Buckner, and Kenny Moore will all miss the contest. Center Ryan Kelly is also ruled questionable. For as banged-up as the Jaguars have been in recent weeks, the Colts currently have it even worse.

There is also the factor of Anthony Richardson being questionable, which means the Jaguars will either play a banged-up Richardson, backup quarterback Joe Flacco, or both. The Jaguars have prepared for the event of both quarterbacks all week.

As things stand today, either result may not be too much of an issue for a Jaguars defense that has been reeling in recent weeks but is also now getting healthier.

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The Jaguars will have linebacker Devin Lloyd, who missed last week’s game with a knee injury, and nickel cornerback Darnell Savage, who has missed the last three games with a quad injury, Savage had a dominant performance in Week 1 and his veteran presence has been lost in an otherwise youthful secondary that has had a rookie, a second-year player, and a third-year player all playing major snaps.

Offensively, the Jaguars at least have history on their side. The offense has played well in all four games against the Colts under Doug Pederson, largely because the Jaguars’ scheme has typically been the perfect foil for the Colts’ defense.

This feels like a game the Jaguars need to take control of. With their season spiraling after an 0-4 start, they need some way to find a break and get over the hump and get things back on track. Sometimes it only takes one win. The Jaguars need to make that this week.

If the Jaguars lose this week, they will be heading into London with an 0-5 record. The time to right their wrongs is now.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and never miss another breaking news story again.

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Indianapolis, IN

Wikipedia conference comes to Indianapolis

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Wikipedia conference comes to Indianapolis


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The people behind the online encyclopedia Wikipedia are in Indianapolis this weekend for a 4-day conference to share ideas and talk about how to improve the site.

IU Indianapolis is hosting Wiki Conference 2024. It drew hundreds of people from around the globe, including James Popoola, of Nigeria.

“I contribute mainly on Wikidata, and also I have some African biographies on Wikipedia,” Popoola said.

Justin Clark is the digital initiatives director at the Indiana State Library. He said many of the people who contribute to Wikipedia do so on their own free time.

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“You are being a part of a community,” Clark said. “They’re a community of editors, creators, writers, and experts across many different fields who collaborate together to do this kind of work in real-time.”

Diversifying the types of articles on Wikipedia is a big focus of this year’s conference. Nearly 80% of biographies on the site are of white men.

An effort is being made to include works from people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Event organizer Dominic Byrd-McDevitt said anyone is allowed to edit or make contributions to Wikipedia as long as they follow the organization’s guidelines.

“Misinformation is one of the biggest issues Wikipedia deals with, and bias,” Byrd-McDevitt said. “When it comes to editing Wikipedia, there are a lot of policies that govern the content like neutral point of view.”

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Popoola is also involved with the Wikivibrance project which encourages young people to get involved with initiatives affecting their countries. He’s looking forward to learning a lot at the conference.

“I think especially is how you can pick ideas from here and go plant it where ever you come from like taking action,” Popoola said.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett proclaimed Oct. 4 as “Wikipedia Day.” The IU Indianapolis Library received $280,000 from the Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund to improve Indiana’s digital heritage on Wikipedia.



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