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National Catholic group, Brickyard 400 making hotel rooms scarce in Indianapolis this weekend – Indianapolis Business Journal

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National Catholic group, Brickyard 400 making hotel rooms scarce in Indianapolis this weekend – Indianapolis Business Journal


Banners for the National Eucharistic Congress are displayed on the eastern facade of the Indiana Convention Center on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

Downtown Indianapolis hotels are virtually sold out for this weekend, with tens of thousands of Catholics and racing fans set to flock to the city for separate events.

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The National Eucharistic Congress—the first U.S.-wide gathering of Catholics in more than 80 years—is expected to draw as many as 60,000 visitors to the Indiana Convention Center from Wednesday through Sunday, while NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 and related events could draw another estimated 60,000 people to Indianapolis Motor Speedway from Friday through Sunday.

According to tourism agency Visit Indy, about 80% of downtown’s nearly 8,400 hotel rooms will be occupied by the Catholic gathering on Friday and Saturday, the event’s peak nights, with thousands of other rooms being used for the stock car race, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

“With 60,000 attendees visiting for the National Eucharistic Congress and another 60,000 for the 30th anniversary of the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, this weekend is another example of Indy’s ability to host a wide array of events simultaneously,” Clare Clark, senior communications manager for Visit Indy, said in a written statement. “As Indy prepares for this influx of visitors, hotels are showing strong demand and compression throughout downtown and central Indiana with limited availability remaining.”

The National Eucharistic Congress, which is meant to help Catholics develop a deeper connection to their faith, will use about 27,000 room nights over five days. The organization has contracted with 88 hotels throughout central Indiana for the event.

Tim Glemkowski, CEO of National Eucharistic Congress Inc., said the event was “bumping up against capacity issues” even before the date for the Brickyard race was announced last year. Some attendees are staying at hotels as far as an hour from downtown Indianapolis—a typical occurrence with major events that book Indianapolis, including the National FFA Organization, National Rifle Association and Gen Con.

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Thousands of attendees are also expected to stay at area rental homes through companies like Vrbo and Airbnb, as well as local churches or in university dormitories including Butler University, the University of Indianapolis, Marian University and Indiana University Indianapolis, according to Visit Indy and NEC officials. Several local retreat centers and recreational vehicle areas are expected to be used for the five-day event, too.

  • Indianapolis Archbishop Charles Thompson presided over a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Indianapolis Archbishop Charles Thompson presided over a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Indianapolis Archbishop Charles Thompson presided over a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Catholics hug during the National Eucharistic Congress welcome service at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Indianapolis Archbishop Charles Thompson presided over a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Hundreds attended a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

  • Indianapolis Archbishop Charles Thompson presided over a welcome service for the National Eucharistic Congress at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

The last National Eucharistic Congress took place in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1941, less than six months before the U.S. became involved in World War II. The last major international Catholic gathering was held in 1976 in Philadelphia, drawing 1.5 million people over a single week.

Despite lodging restrictions, Glemkowski has said Indianapolis is an ideal spot for the national gathering because of its proximity to a large portion of the U.S. population. The church, he said, is focused on adding to its membership through specific outreach programs, rather than relying solely on individuals predisposed to joining or remaining in the church through cultural traditions or upbringing.

That’s why the church opted against hosting the event in a Catholic hotbed such as Boston, Chicago or Philadelphia, he said.

He said while the event is competing for hotel rooms with the race, Indianapolis Motor Speedway is offering a discounted ticket to Congress participants. There will also be a dedicated seating section for attendees, NEC officials said.

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“Even in these competing moments we’ve still found that Hoosier hospitality to be present,” he said.

On Tuesday, four groups of pilgrims arrived in Indianapolis after separate two-month journeys from different parts of the United States. The groups, which traversed the country largely on foot, hail from San Francisco; Lake Itasca, Minnesota; New Haven, Connecticut; and Brownsville, Texas.

Those journeys drew more than a quarter-million people along their respective routes to offer encouragement and prayer, the organization said. The groups were welcomed to Indianapolis with a church service at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 126 W. Georgia St.

The service, known as a liturgy, was led by Archbishop Charles Thompson, who oversees the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and included the participation of a representative of Pope Francis.

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Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis isn’t known for skyscrapers, but these are the 10 tallest buildings

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Indianapolis isn’t known for skyscrapers, but these are the 10 tallest buildings


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  • Salesforce Tower is the tallest building in Indianapolis, standing at 701 feet with 49 floors.
  • The top three tallest buildings were all completed between 1969 and 1990.
  • One of the top ten, the Signia by Hilton, is currently under construction and expected to be finished in 2026.
  • Many of the city’s tallest buildings have been known by several different names over the years.

While Indianapolis isn’t exactly known for it’s tall buildings, we do have quite a few that tower above the city. The tallest, is visible nearly 10.5 miles outside the city.

These are the 10 tallest buildings in Indianapolis, according to Skyscraper Center.

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1. Salesforce Tower

Salesforce Tower is the tallest building in Indianapolis. It’s located at 111 Monument Circle.

Construction on this building was completed in 1990. The office building boasts 49 floors and towers over the city at 701 feet tall.

It has also been known as the Chase Tower, the Bank One Tower and the American Fletcher Bank Tower.

2. One America Tower

The second tallest building in Indianapolis is the One America Tower. It is located at 200 N Illinois St., has 38 floors and is 533 feet tall.

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The building was completed in 1982 and was previously known as the American United Life Insurance Tower.

3. One Indiana Square

The One Indiana Square building is the third tallest building in Indianapolis at 504 feet tall.

The building was completed in 1969 and has 37 floors. It has also been previously known as Union Planters Bank, Indiana National Bank Tower, INB Tower and NBD Bank Tower.

4. Signia by Hilton Indianapolis

Signia by Hilton, previously known as the Indianapolis Convention Center Hotel, is currently under construction, but is the fourth largest building in Indy.

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The building is set to have 37 floors and be 441 feet tall once construction is complete, which is expected to happen in 2026.

5. Market Tower

Market Tower, located at 10 West Market Street, is the fifth tallest building in Indianapolis at 421 feet.

The building was completed in 1988 and has 32 floors. It has also been known as the Mansur Center.

6. 300 North Meridian

300 North Meridian, which shares a name with its address, is 408 feet tall and has 28 floors.

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The building was completed in 1989 and is the sixth tallest building in Indianapolis.

7. BMO Plaza

BMO Plaza, located at 135 North Pennsylvania St. is 401 feet tall.

The building has 31 floors and was completed in 1988. It has also been known as M&I Plaza, First Indiana Plaza and Marshall & Isley Plaza.

8. JW Marriott Indianapolis Downtown

Perhaps one of the most visually recognizable on this list, the JW Mariott Indianapolis, located at 10 South West St. is the eighth tallest building in Indy.

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The large blue hotel was completed in 2011, stands at 376 feet and has 34 floors. Over the years, the hotel has put giant images on the side of the building to celebrate current events in both sports and pop culture.

9. City-County Building

The City-County Building, located at 200 East Washington St. is the the ninth tallest building in Indianapolis.

The building was completed in 1962 and is 372 feet tall with 28 floors.

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10. 101 West Ohio

The tenth and final building on this list is 101 West Ohio. The building, which shares a name with its address, is 360 feet tall and has 22 floors.

The office building was completed in 1987 and was previously known as Old National Financial Center.

Katie Wiseman is a trending news reporter for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Contact her at klwiseman@usatodayco.com. Follow her on Bluesky @katiewiseman and X, formerly Twitter, at @itskatiewiseman.



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IMPD reinforces downtown safety as crowds grow with warmer weather

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IMPD reinforces downtown safety as crowds grow with warmer weather


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana Metropolitan Police Department is reinforcing downtown safety as crowds grow with warmer weather.

This comes after a violent weekend that included an early Monday morning shooting, and in a separate incident, an officer and a security guard were hit by an impaired driver.

Police say the shooting that happened Monday near Maryland and Meridian Streets was caused by a fight that broke out at bar in the area and escalated into a shooting at a nearby parking lot. IMPD says a woman has been arrested in connection with the shooting.

IMPD Downtown District Commander Shane Foley says officers were able to take control of the situation quickly.

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“Officers were there when the shooting occured, and then because of their presence, they were able to make a very quick arrest, and arrest another individual for possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon,” Foley said. He says the response from the officers is exactly what he expects to see as the temperatures continue to get warmer.

People who like to spend their time downtown on the weekends say they enjoy that there are things to do, but think the violence is getting out of hand.

“It just gets crazy at night for real, and then, everybody just drinking and stuff and they can’t control their liquor,” Indianapolis resident Schuyler Landrum said.

“Chill out man, you gotta know your limits when you’re drinking because stuff like that can happen. People who don’t go to clubs and stuff, we’re trying to have fun downtown but you guys are getting wild and drunk and stuff, so lets just help each other man,” resident Peyton Bush said.

Officers say they hear the public’s concerns and are doing what they can to prevent incidents before they escalate. Last week, IMPD announced the installation of new public cameras downtown to help assist with monitoring and crime prevention.

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“If you come downtown and you engage in illegal activity, because we have people all over the place, the likelihood of you being arrested is increased. We’re being very proactive with our policing, and if we need to be reactive in making arrests, we’re doing that as well,” Foley said.

People who are frequently downtown say that they hope things get better, but one man says he believes he’s noticed an increase in crime downtown, especially among the youth. “Start thinking before you act, you know? It’s just the way it is,” he said.

“Our officers are working diligently to keep everybody safe. As we have more events, we’re going to have more officers downtown. We want people to not only be safe, but feel safe, visiting, living, working in Downtown Indianapolis,” Foley said.



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Mild temperatures to give way to severe storms in central Indiana | Mar. 9, 2026

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Mild temperatures to give way to severe storms in central Indiana | Mar. 9, 2026


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Mild temperatures are expected Monday, with severe storms possible mid-week.

Flooding threat continues:

Rivers remain elevated across southern portions of central Indiana, where widespread minor to moderate river flooding continues south of Interstate 70. This is likely to persist well into the end of the week, with renewed rain chances moving in Tuesday and continuing into Wednesday.

Today:

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High pressure will keep us quiet across much of the state, with mostly sunny skies. Expect high temperatures to reach the low 70s, which could tie or push very close to the old record in Indianapolis (72° set in 1878).

Tuesday:

Temperatures will be even warmer heading into Tuesday with a strong southerly wind. Highs will reach the mid-70s. The record high for that Tuesday is 74°, set back in 2009.

Strong storms Tuesday/Wednesday:

A cold front will move through the state and trigger scattered showers and thunderstorms late Tuesday night into the overnight hours.

Some isolated strong storms will be possible late Tuesday night. Much of the state is under a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe storms, with all modes of severe weather in play.

Heavy rain Wednesday:

A second round of showers and thunderstorms will move through on Wednesday. While some damaging wind gusts could occur, the primary concern will be heavy rain and the ongoing flooding risk. Much of the state could see anywhere from a half inch to an inch and a half of rain, with some locally higher amounts that will worsen river flooding in the southern half of the state.

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7 day forecast:

Sharply colder temperatures will move in for Thursday, as highs fail to get out of the 40s. We should see a nice bump in temperatures by Friday and through the weekend, with highs in the mid to upper 50s for Friday and Saturday, and potentially near 60° on Sunday.

The end of the weekend looks soggy, with the potential for a significant cooldown in the wake of our Sunday system early next week.



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