Indianapolis, IN
Taylor Swift’s Indianapolis Eras Tour shows drive record hotel, short-term rental demand
A look at Taylor Swift’s previous visits to Indianapolis
These images show Taylor Swift performances in Indianapolis from 2007 to 2018. Swift will perform in November 2024 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Wochit
Four months out from the final concerts of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, short-term rentals and hotel vacancies are nearly booked for her stop in Indianapolis at the start of November, as out-of-town fans comprise the majority of ticket holders.
In the midst of a potentially record-breaking year for the city’s tourism, Indianapolis hotels and short-term rentals have had extremely high demand throughout the year because of large one-off events such as the NBA All-Star Game in February, the total solar eclipse in April and the Olympic Swim Trials in June.
But no event in 2024 will bring as many visitors to Indy as the hundreds of thousands of Swifties, who will descend upon the city in November for three nights of sold-out shows at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Hotel rooms across the city are virtually sold out for that weekend at prices three times higher than those in 2023, said Chris Gahl, executive vice president of Visit Indy.
“We know 87% of those clutching a ticket to step inside Lucas Oil Stadium for the concerts are from outside the [metropolitan area,] another strong tourism indicator,” Gahl said.
Short-term rental bookings are up 207% compared to last year during the same weekend, Gahl said.
The Circle City has seen a 7,000% surge in searches year-over-year for Airbnb short-term rentals during the first weekend in November, according to an Airbnb report on the impact of Swift’s concerts. In comparison, Airbnb recorded a 2,000% surge in Indianapolis for the solar eclipse.
Search surges give an idea of how many people are considering a trip to a city during a specific date range. Airbnb does not track booking or occupancy rates due to a potential influx of supply as dates get closer. Plus, most short-term rentals can be cancelled just a few days before a stay.
How it happened: Indianapolis lands Taylor Swift second Eras swing in 2024
The statistics show the strength of Swiftie “passion tourism” that drives fans to travel to great lengths to see their favorite performer. Thousands of Americans have traveled to see Swift play in Europe, where tickets tend to be cheaper and more accessible, said Haven Thorn, a spokesperson for Airbnb.
“These are folks that are more interested in the ‘what’ than the ‘where,’ and they’re traveling for Taylor Swift,” Thorn said. “And Americans accounted for more than a third of all the bookings on Airbnb in Europe during her tour.”
All three of Swift’s Indianapolis shows at Lucas Oil, which can hold nearly 70,000 people, sold out almost immediately, meaning upwards of 200,000 fans will be in attendance over the course of the weekend for Swift’s last concert in the United States.
Indianapolis’ search surge is 14 times higher than it has been for rentals in Miami, which saw a 500 percent increase in searches during the weekend Swift will perform in October and twice as high as the surge for the final 2024 dates in Vancouver.
Hotel rooms going for more than $500 a night for Swift concert weekend
The frenzy of visitors booking stays for the concerts has created headaches for even the most meticulously planned trips by Swifties.
Gracie Smith already saw Taylor Swift live last year and the 25-year-old from Atlanta knew she had to see Swift again when she announced more U.S. stops at the end of 2024.
After persuading her sister, cousin and aunt to accompany her to Indianapolis, Smith searched for hotels that were close enough to walk to the stadium, as the group would not have a car over the weekend, and eventually settled on a room at the Sheraton downtown. They booked it for $457 per night, more than Smith’s initial budget.
Then in January, the group’s room was spontaneously cancelled and a review of bank statements showed no charge was ever attempted for the room.
Scrambling, Smith and her relatives called the hotel every day for a month in search of an explanation. Eventually, Marriott offered them a room at another Marriott-owned hotel, the Courtyard Marriott near Victory Field.
Their new room was roughly $120 more per night, making their nightly hotel cost almost $600. Smith said she has seen firsthand how prices to see Swift have soared since her last tour in 2018, when Smith traveled to Dallas for a concert.
“We thought that it was expensive in 2018, but now we look back at it and think ‘Dang, we really should have taken advantage of it,” she said.
Indiana Airbnbs: Whether you’re bringing a date or book, these cozy Indiana Airbnbs could be right for you
How much would going to a Taylor Swift concert cost?
Any out-of-town fans scoring last minute tickets and travel will face limited options and hefty prices for lodging, though there is still some availability.
On Tuesday, Airbnb search results showed the cheapest price for a two-night stay that November weekend at $188 for a private room in a residence and more than $400 for an entire unit in or near Indianapolis.
Meanwhile, the cheapest hotel room for two people is more than $500 per night after fees, based on prices pulled from an Expedia search on Tuesday.
Currently, the cheapest concert tickets are at least $2,000 apiece on ticket resale sites.
Alysa Guffey covers retail growth and development as well as the economy for IndyStar. Contact her at amguffey@gannett.com. Follow her on X: @AlysaGuffeyNews
Indianapolis, IN
Man confesses to killing his wife, police and neighbors react to the crime
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — While on the phone with 911, a 70-year-old man confessed he “bludgeoned” his wife with a hammer. When the dispatcher asked if he was able to do CPR, his reply was, “it’s too late.”
Jan. 17, 79-year-old Terry Ogle confessed to killing his 76-year-old wife, Mary Ogle, at their home on Questend Drive South and Warman Avenue.
Court documents detailed the crime scene.
Police found Mary dead in a rear bedroom. She was flat on her back. The lower half of her body was covered in a blanket. The right top of her skull was hit. And police saw what appeared to be blood all over the house, on a pillow, on living room reclining chair, from the basement stairs to the kitchen sink.
The affidavit revealed that Ogle confessed to murder, citing he was depressed and thought his wife was having an affair. Police said Ogle texted his daughter, admitting guilt, telling her, “I’m going to jail. I killed-“
Ogle slit his wrist and was taken to a hospital after the crime. He was since released from the hospital and taken to the Marion County Jail.
“This is an isolated incident but it effects the whole community and family, and will continue to effect that family,” IMPD public information officer Tommy Thompson said.
He said that, “it doesn’t matter if they’re young or the age that this suspect is. Everyone is going through something. And if you need help, please don’t take it out on someone. Ask for help. Call 911. Get help.”
Victor Onochie, lives across the street from the Ogle. He didn’t know the couple that well, but said they seemed nice.
“I see them walking and exercising together across the street. We greet ‘hi’ and so on, and ‘how are you doing?’ Nothing stood out of the ordinary,” he said. “No, I didn’t think they were in any trouble.”
Ogle is currently in custody without bond.
Indianapolis, IN
Former Colts player Marlin Jackson continues to inspire through nonprofit
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – On Jan. 21, 2007, Marlin Jackson made a game-winning interception that sent the Indianapolis Colts to the Super Bowl, toppling the New England Patriots and securing a place in football history.
Nearly two decades later, Jackson’s unforgettable play continues to inspire sports fans and Hoosiers.
But his impact doesn’t stop there—today, he’s channeling his success into making a difference off the field, using his platform to inspire and uplift the Indianapolis community through his charitable work.
Jackson founded an organization called Fight for Life. The nonprofit partners with educators to provide space for youth to process their experiences and circumstances so they can experience winning moments.
Jackson dropped by the “All Indiana” studio along with Fight for Life’s Implementation Specialist Taylor Massey to talk about the initiative.
Massey shared that teachers and educators use Fight for Life’s Building Dreams platform to help students build good habits and celebrate their accomplishments.
Data from the platform allows educators to better identify barriers to student success.
The nonprofit’s #winningmoments campaign encourages youth and educators to look for personal winning moments, both on an individual basis and from within the community.
You can participate in the campaign by donating to Fight for Life or by sharing your winning moments using the hashtag #FFLWINNINGMOMEMTS.
Indianapolis, IN
Colts’ Top 3 Needs (and Options) to Maximize Lou Anarumo’s Defense
The Indianapolis Colts have reportedly hired Lou Anarumo to be their next defensive coordinator. The former Cincinnati Bengals signal-caller will bring an innovative and unique style to Indianapolis next season (and hopefully beyond).
The Colts have several good pieces to offer Anarumo, including former Pro Bowl nickel cornerback Kenny Moore II and former All-Pro DeForest Buckner. Grover Stewart should also excel in the same scheme that D.J. Reader once thrived in with the Bengals. Aside from those three staples, the rest of the Colts’ defense could be in limbo going forward.
The Colts need to add some veteran help to raise the floor of this defense, or the team could face the same issues the Bengals faced last season. The Colts must bring in veterans for these three roles this offseason for Anarumo’s defense to be successful in 2025.
Coverage Linebacker
Anarumo’s linebackers are the core of what he wants to do on defense. Back in his peak years with the Bengals, Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt were fantastic coverage players that made an impact in the passing game. The Colts, in contrast, haven’t had a premier coverage linebacker since Bobby Okereke and Shaquille Leonard left town.
The Colts must look to free agency to improve upon this weakness. Zaire Franklin can be an adequate cover guy, and rookie Jaylon Carlies showed some impressive flashes, but the team needs to add to the room with those guys. E.J. Speed is simply not the answer for this scheme alongside those two aforementioned players.
Tyrel Dodson (Miami Dolphins), Cody Barton (Denver Broncos), and/or Ernest Jones (Seattle Seahawks) could be viable options to upgrade the Colts’ current roster. Dodson, in particular, is an intriguing option, as the athletic linebacker finished last season with three interceptions (most among all linebackers in the league).
Centerfield Safety
The other massive need to address this offseason is deep centerfield safety. Anarumo likes to play out of a single-high structure, and a sideline-to-sideline free safety is a must for his system to survive. In his best years with the Bengals, Jessie Bates was the star roamer over the top.
The Colts have a young strong safety coming off of a career-best season in Nick Cross, but they desperately need a legit cover guy next to him. Julian Blackmon had his worst career season in 2024, and he shouldn’t be an option to start again next year. The Colts need outside help either in the draft or in free agency to improve at free safety.
Jevon Holland (Dolphins), Trevon Moehrig (Las Vegas Raiders), and/or Justin Reid (Kansas City Chiefs) are among the options that could make sense in free agency. Holland would be particularly interesting if he hits the market, but Moehrig could be an interesting consolation prize if he doesn’t.
Veteran Help at Cornerback
As it currently stands, the Colts only have two playable outside cornerbacks on the roster (Samuel Womack, Jaylon Jones). JuJu Brents has not shown the ability to stay healthy, and after him, the cupboard is bare on the roster. The Colts must add some veteran competition to the room to alleviate some growing pains to the new system.
On the higher end, the Colts could look into players like D.J. Reed (New York Jets), Charvarius Ward (San Francisco 49ers), and/or Rasul Douglas (Buffalo Bills) to come in and immediately start next season. Reed, in particular, would be an excellent fit alongside Jones on the outside as a starter.
Even on the lower end, the Colts could look at players like Benjamin St. Juste (Washington Commanders), Shaquill Griffin (Minnesota Vikings), and/or Eric Stokes (Green Bay Packers) simply to come in and compete this offseason. These players, at the very least, would be upgrades over the Colts’ current backups on the team.
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