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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

INDOT says Clear Path 465 nears major milestone with final bridge beams

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INDOT says Clear Path 465 nears major milestone with final bridge beams


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Department of Transportation says the Clear Path 465 project is nearing one of its last major milestones.

On Monday, the state agency announced that 10 bridge beams for construction work are scheduled to be delivered and set this week. It marks the final beams required and the 14th bridge on the project.

The beams will be installed for a bridge on I-69, northbound, over 82nd Street. Drivers should expect closures from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. through early next week as crews complete the overhead work.

  • Wednesday, April 15 & Thursday, April 16
    • 82nd Street is closed in both directions under I-69
  • Friday, April 17 – Monday, April 20
    • Eastbound 82nd Street closed under I-69
  • Tuesday, April 21 – Thursday, April 23
    • Westbound 82nd Street is closed under I-69.

Scheduled work is pending weather conditions in the area.

The mainline portion of Clear Path is still expected to finish this spring. INDOT says drivers should expect traffic shifts on I-465. The shifts will open the interstate to three lanes in each direction.

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Crews will install noise barriers and other final touches later this year. When that step is completed, I-465 will open to four lanes from the White River to Fall Creek.



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Pike Township leaders plan to address issues with N Zone bar after weekend shootout

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Pike Township leaders plan to address issues with N Zone bar after weekend shootout


INDIANAPOLIS — A shootout at a troubled bar near 86th Street and Michigan Road sent two people to nearby St. Vincent Hospital early Sunday morning and has now prompted a review by IMPD’s Nuisance and Abatement Unit. 

Police were dispatched to N Zone Bar and Grill shortly before 2 a.m. after a security guard called 911 and reported the shootout between a man at the bar and a person in a car in the parking lot. 

Photo of the N Zone Bar and Grill in Indianapolis captured by a FOX59/CBS4 crew on April 13, 2026.

Later that morning, two different people walked into St. Vincent Hospital on the north side of Indianapolis with gunshot wounds. The victims who checked into the hospital Sunday morning are believed to have been involved in the shooting.

“No one is immune, things are going to jump off in different areas,” Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson said. “But I would say (I’m) concern(ed).”

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That concern from Johnson stems from the fact that the bar has been the subject of several complaints from people who live in the area, including homeowners associations. Those people have been reporting a host of issues at the establishment. 

“Late-night fights, break-outs,” Johnson said. “To the left of that area, you have apartments that have been there in this community forever, and then you have a housing addition directly across the street.”

A neighboring business told FOX59/CBS4 they were not surprised to hear another incident had occurred given the bar’s past. 

Just recently, video circulated on social media of a large brawl between several women in the parking lot of the bar. Reports made by IMPD show numerous calls to the location in recent years for things like gun crimes and fights. 

In May 2022, a man was shot and critically wounded outside the bar. The establishment was shut down following that incident after officials discovered it did not have the proper permits. 

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Johnson said the fire department has been called to the bar at least 20 times since it opened, which she believes is a lot for a business like that. 

“If you have too many complaints, you know what happens with those types of situations where residents will complain,” Johnson said. “Zoning and making reports on that that go downtown, and sometimes, you’re served papers that you may not be a business anymore.”

Johnson said she doesn’t want to see that happen and hopes to intervene so things don’t reach that level with N Zone. She said her next step will be reaching out for a conversation with the bar’s owners to try and give some best practices for them moving forward. 

The facility appeared to be closed Sunday and Monday. 

Police have not publicly announced if they identified or detained any suspects or persons of interest during their investigation of Sunday morning’s shooting.

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IMPD said its nuisance and abatement team is aware of the location and working to determine if any enforcement action should be taken. 



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Indianapolis Colts Under Fire Following Daniel Jones Decision

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Indianapolis Colts Under Fire Following Daniel Jones Decision



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Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts in action against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

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The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2026 NFL offseason needing to make a decision about the future of quarterback Daniel Jones.

After signing Jones last offseason to a one-year deal in free agency, the Colts liked what they saw from him in 2025. Unfortunately, his season came to an end early after he went down with a torn Achilles.

Before suffering that injury, Jones played in 13 games. He completed 68 percent of his pass attempts for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while also running for 164 yards and five more touchdowns.

Jones was a free agent entering the offseason. Indianapolis moved quickly to lock him in. The Colts signed the veteran quarterback to a massive two-year, $88 million contract.

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Whether or not the move will pay off remains to be seen. It’s a big risk for Indianapolis, but Jones showed the potential of being a legitimate franchise quarterback before the injury occurred.


Colts Under Fire After Huge Daniel Jones Contract Decision

Chris Ballard and the Colts may be confident in Jones’ ability to be their starter moving forward. Not everyone agrees with the contract the team gave him.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport has named the move as one of the worst of the NFL offseason.

“Maybe Jones will be ready for Week 1 despite the severity of the injury. Maybe he can repeat last year’s success despite his struggles in New York. Maybe he’s the next Sam Darnold,” Davenport wrote.

“Or maybe the Colts should have let Jones play out the 2026 season on the transition tag while they saw how all those ‘maybes’ played out.”

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Last season, Jones faced a lot of doubt as well. After his rocky tenure with the New York Giants, no one could be blamed for having reservations about the quarterback. However, after the way he played in 2025, Indianapolis feels good about its decision.


Indianapolis Has Had a Wild NFL Offseason So Far

Outside of the Jones move, the Colts have been very busy this offseason.

Along with re-signing Jones, the team also brought back wide receiver Alec Pierce. In order to make that move happen, they had to pay out a four-year deal worth $114 million.

Plenty of other moves have been made as well. Indianapolis traded star linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers and added pieces like defensive end Arden Key, defensive end Micheal Clemons, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, among others.

Most recently, the Colts have been hit with a trade request from cornerback Kenny Moore.

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Only time will tell how the team’s offseason moves pan out. Indianapolis has taken some risk this offseason and still has holes to fill. However, the Colts looked like one of the best teams in the NFL during the first half of the 2025 season and may not be far off from Super Bowl contention.

Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey





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