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Last night, we hosted a brainstorming session with members of the Indy Hub and Smaller Indiana - two groups that are trying to make Indianapolis a more hospitable place for talented people and new ideas. The Indy Hub (www.indyhub.org) is a network of young professionals that come together to explore social, professional development and philanthropic opportunities around town… Smaller Indiana (www.smallerindiana.com) is an online social network for Hoosiers interested in making new connections – for business, friendship and discussion of issues of the day.

Both organizations are home to lots of bright, creative people, and I was happy to gather 75 or so of them at the NCAA headquarters to talk about two topic
s in particular:

First, the “civic legacy:” As part of the Super Bowl bid specifications, the NFL expects the host committee to spearhead civic projects that leave a lasting legacy in the host city. These generally fall into two categories: The construction of a “Youth Education Town” - YET Center - managed by the Boys & Girls Club to serve disadvantaged kids, and other ‘quality of life’ initiatives that will benefit the community after the game has been played.

Indianapolis is prepared to build a YET Center, but wants to take the concept a step forward and explore new initiatives and programs (in education, human services, or arts/culture) that can benefit our community, especially our youth. In last year’s bid, we proposed a national center to combat childhood obesity and promote fitness (associated with NIFS at IUPUI)… is this still the best idea, or are there other concepts that would address a pressing issue or help make Indianapolis a better place to live and raise a family?

We also discussed the Super Bowl Village - a downtown area designated for an ongoing festival/celebration during Super Bowl week, providing a way to invite Hoosiers to join the party and create a focal point for festivities (in contrast to some host cities, where activities have been so spread out that it’s been difficult to create a real festival atmosphere – see my last post).

We asked questions like what activities (music, games, exhibits) should be included in the Village, how we can deal with the spectrum of possible weather conditions, and what can we do (in terms of lighting, gateways, promotional strategies) to make the Village a clearly marked destination?

The ideas on both topics came fast and furious - there were suggestions to cover the Village district with interconnecting tents (which could be used as part of the festivities, a la Fremont Street in Las Vegas), as well as hosting the NFL Saturday Night concert at Conseco Fieldhouse and simulcasting it to giant screens on Monument Circle. There were also several suggestions on incorporating environmental themes into the Super Bowl, such as exploring ways to make the game carbon-neutral.

We’re transcribing all of the notes from last night, and I’ll share more thoughts in another post. I want to thank Molly Chavers of Indy Hub and Pat Coyle of Smaller Indiana for being engaged in the process – Molly serves on our Community Advisory Council, and Pat is supporting our online efforts – and all of the folks who came out last night. And just as important, while these face-to-face events are a great way to brainstorm and gather input, remember that we have a 24/7 town hall meeting going on right here – please give us your comments and ideas on the civic legacy, the Village, and other areas through this site, so we can include them in our thinking.

Thanks again, and more to come…

Mark Miles
President & CEO of Central Indiana Community Partnership
ContactUs@OUR2012SB.com

After the media event announcing the 2012 Super Bowl bid on 2-19, it was time to roll up our sleeves and get back to work on making sure the technical aspects of the bid are up to par for the NFL. Last week we hosted a bid committee meeting to give out assignments related to specific aspects of the planning - everything from public safety and hotels to transportation/parking and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Lots of details and requirements… Fortunately, we have a great team led by Jack Swarbrick at Baker & Daniels with expert volunteer support from individuals representing companies and organizations across our community, and well as professional expertise from the Indiana Sports Corporation, ICVA, Capital Improvements Board, NCAA, Conseco Fieldhouse, the Colts and more.

As we’ve made clear, community input will also be critical to the bid… our Community Advisory Council is planning its first town hall meeting for mid-March, with more to come, and we’re also reading through comments from our forum and partner sites on a daily basis.

Last week, we received a lot of good feedback from folks who have attended sporting events out of town - Super Bowls in Miami and Pasadena, Final Fours in Atlanta, Tampa Bay and New Orleans and many more. The comments uncovered a common thread - in many cities, stadiums are isolated from downtown areas, and attractions like clubs and restaurants are too spread out to feature a central hub of activity. Time spent driving or catching a cab adds up, and there is little opportunity to build a “festival” atmosphere.

Indianapolis, with our compact downtown, could avoid these issues. As we dive further into our discussion of the Super Bowl Village, we’re finding this is an invaluable asset.

Among the comments we received, there were some concerns raised about Indianapolis’ ability to stage cutting-edge parties and events that can match cities like Miami. I do believe that Indy can throw a great party with something for everyone, and would assert that our committee is open to new ideas and a diverse array of perspectives on what makes a Super Bowl City… so keep your comments coming, be specific, and volunteer your time if you feel that your expertise could be valuable in this area.

On a lighter note, Victory33 posted this on the IndyStar.com forum: “I went to Wrestle Mania in the Hoosier Dome back in ‘92… gonna be pretty hard to top that venue and lineup. Hulk Hogan stunning defeat of Sid Justice will forever be etched in my mind.”

You’re right, that will be a tough act to follow – but with your help, we’ll give it our best shot.

This week, tell us more about what Indianapolis does well and what we can do better.

Mark Miles
President & CEO of Central Indiana Community Partnership
ContactUs@OUR2012SB.com