Indianapolis (IPA: [ˌɪndiəˈnæpəlɪs]) is the capital city of the U.S.
state of Indiana, and the county seat of
Marion County, Indiana. The 2000
Census counted the city's population at 791,926. It is Indiana's most populous city and is the 13th largest city in the U.S., the third largest city in the Midwest, and the second most populous Capital in the U.S. (including Washington D.C.), behind Phoenix, Arizona.
Indianapolis has shed its image as a Rust Belt city, due in part to an aggressive
downtown revitalization campaign. The diversification of the city's economic base since the 1960s has also contributed to this
transformation. A large part of this diversification involves the hosting of events, especially sporting events. The labels of
The Amateur Sports Capital of the World, and The Racing Capital of the World, have both been applied to
Indianapolis. The city has hosted the 1987 Pan American Games, the
NCAA Basketball Tournament, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, the United
States Grand Prix (last race June 2007), and is perhaps most famous for the annual Indianapolis 500. The attendance at both the Indianapolis 500 and the Allstate 400 makes them the
largest single day sporting events in the world, with well over 250,000 fans in attendance at each. Indianapolis also has the
second most monuments inside city limits, behind only Washington D.C.
The Indianapolis metropolitan area is among the
fastest growing in the Midwest and the United
States, with growth centered in the surrounding counties of Hamilton,
Hendricks, and Johnson.
Hamilton and Hendricks Counties are currently the fastest growing counties in Indiana. [1]
History
-
Indianapolis was founded as the state capital in 1821. Jeremiah Sullivan, a judge of the Indiana Supreme Court, invented the
name Indianapolis by joining Indiana with polis, the Greek word for city; literally, Indianapolis
means "Indiana City". The city was founded on the White River under the
incorrect assumption that the river would serve as a major transportation artery; however, the waterway was too sandy for trade.
The state commissioned Alexander Ralston to design the new capital city. Ralston was
an apprentice to the French architect Pierre L'Enfant, and he helped L'Enfant
plan Washington, DC. Ralston's original plan for Indianapolis called for a city of only
one square mile (3 km²), and, at the center of the city, sat the Governor's Circle, a large circular commons, which was to be the
site of the Governor's mansion. Meridian and Market Streets converge at the Circle and continue north and south and east and
west, respectively. The Governor's mansion was finally demolished in 1857 and in its place stands a foot ( m) tall
neoclassical limestone and bronze monument, the Soldiers' and
Sailors' Monument. This is now known as Monument
Circle.
The city lies on the original east-west National Road. The first railroad to service
Indianapolis, the Madison & Indianapolis, began operation on October 1, 1847, and subsequent railroad connections made expansive growth possible. By the turn of the century, Indianapolis
had become a heavy automobile manufacturer, rivaling the likes of Detroit. With roads leading out of the city at all directions, Indianapolis was on its way to
becoming a major hub of regional transport connecting to Chicago,
Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis, as is befitting the capital of a
state whose motto is "The Crossroads of America." This same network of roads would
allow quick and easy access to suburban areas in future years. Natural gas and oil deposits in the surrounding area in the late
19th century helped the economy of Indianapolis prosper. City population grew rapidly throughout the first half of the 20th
century. During this period, rapid suburbanization began to take place, and racial relations deteriorated throughout the 1960s,
although, on the night that the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated,
Indianapolis was the only major city in which rioting did not occur. Many credit a speech by Robert F. Kennedy, who was in town campaigning for President that night, for helping to calm the
tensions. Tragically, his life was cut short a few months later in California. Racial tensions heightened in 1970 with the
passage of Unigov, which further isolated the middle class from Indianapolis's growing African American community. Court-ordered
school desegregation busing by Judge S. Hugh Dillon was also a controversial change.
In the 1970s and 1980s Indianapolis suffered at the hands of urban decay and
white flight. Major revitalization of the city's blighted areas, such as Fall Creek Place, and especially the downtown, occurred in the 1990s and led to an acceleration of growth in and around the
Indianapolis Metropolitan Area. The city's relative flat terrain allows for easy access to areas in and around the city.
The opening of Circle Centre Mall in downtown Indianapolis signaled a revitalization
continued. Currently, the city is experiencing growth in the hospitality industry with the new Convention Center addition and the
construction of Lucas Oil Stadium. A new high-rise hotel will be built to add more
hotel rooms. This adds to the growing list of downtown accommodations and restaurants. Indianapolis International Airport is currently building a new midfield airport
terminal, scheduled to open in 2008.
Geography and climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, "the balance" (that part of
Marion County not part of another municipality) has a total area of 368.2 square miles (953.5 km²)—361.5 square miles
(936.2 km²) of it is land and 6.7 square miles (17.3 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.81% water. These figures
are slightly misleading because they do not represent the entire Consolidated City of Indianapolis (all of Marion County, except
the four excluded communities). The total area of the Consolidated City of Indianapolis, which does not count the four excluded
communities, covers approximately 373.1 square miles (966.3 km²).
At the center of Indianapolis is the One-Mile Square, bounded by four appropriately-named streets: East, West, North, and
South Streets. Nearly all of the streets in the One-Mile Square are named after U.S. states. (The exceptions are Meridian Street,
which numerically divides west from east; Market Street, which intersects Meridian Street at Monument Circle; Capitol and Senate
Avenues, where many of the Indiana state government buildings are located; and Washington Street, which was named after President
George Washington. The street-numbering system centers not on the Circle, but rather
one block to the south, where Meridian Street intersects Washington Street — National
Road.)
Indianapolis is situated in the Central Till Plains region of the United States. Two natural waterways dissect the city: the
White River, and Fall Creek.
Physically, Indianapolis is similar to many other Midwestern cities. A mix of deciduous
forests and prairie covered much of what is considered Indianapolis prior to the 19th
century. Land within the city limits varies from flat to gently sloping; most of the changes in elevation are so gradual that
they go unnoticed, and appear to be flat from close distances. The mean elevation
for Indianapolis is feet ( m). The highest point in Indianapolis lies at Crown Hill Cemetery atop Strawberry Hill (the
tomb of famed Hoosier writer James Whitcomb Riley) with an elevation of feet
( m), and the lowest point in Indianapolis lies at the Marion County/Johnson County
line, with an elevation of about feet ( m). The highest hill in Indianapolis is Mann Hill, a bluff located along the
White River in Southwestway Park that rises about feet ( m) above the surrounding land. Variations in elevation from
700-900 feet occur throughout the city limits. There are a few moderately-sized bluffs and
valleys in the city, particularly along the shores of the White River, Fall Creek, Geist
Reservoir, and Eagle Creek Reservoir, and especially on the city's Northeast and Northwest sides.
Indianapolis has a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dfa). Like most cities in the Midwest, it has four
distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid, with average high temperatures approaching 90 °F (32 °C), with days approaching or
exceeding 100 °F (38 °C) not unheard of. Spring and autumn are usually pleasant, with temperatures reaching around 65 °F (18 °C).
Spring, however, is much less predictable than autumn; midday temperature drops exceeding 30 °F (17 °C) are common during March
and April, and instances of very warm days (86 °F; 30 °C) followed within 36 hours by snowfall are not unheard of during these
months. Winters are cool to cold, with daily highs barely inching above freezing. Temperatures occasionally fall below 0 °F (-18
°C). The rainiest months are in the spring and summer, with average rainfalls of over four inches per month, but these averages
fluctuate only slightly throughout the year.
The city's average annual precipitation is 41 inches (1,040 mm).
The average July high is 85.6 °F (29.8 °C),
with the low being 65.2 °F (18.4 °C). January highs average 34.5 °F (1.4 °C), and lows 18.5 °F (-7.5 °C). The record high for
Indianapolis is 107 °F (42 °C), on July 25th, 1954. The record low is -27 °F (-33 °C), on January 19th, 1994. Snowfall varies
from about 20 to 30 inches (500–760 mm) a year.
| Month[2] |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
| Avg high °F (°C) |
35 (2) |
40 (5) |
51 (11) |
63 (17) |
74 (23) |
82 (28) |
86 (30) |
84 (29) |
77 (25) |
66 (19) |
52 (11) |
39 (5) |
62 (17) |
| Avg low °F (°C) |
19 (−7) |
23 (−5) |
32 (0) |
41 (5) |
52 (11) |
61 (16) |
65 (18) |
63 (17) |
55 (13) |
44 (7) |
34 (2) |
24 (−4) |
43 (7) |
Cityscape
High rise construction in Indianapolis started in 1888 when the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument was completed. The foot ( m)
tall monument sits at the center of Indianapolis and until 1962 it was still the tallest structure in the city.
In the 1970's the city center, like many other 'Rust Belt' cities of the United States, saw decreased economic activity,
racial tension, and white flight to gentrified suburbs. As a result, Downtown Indianapolis saw little new construction. The city
of Indianapolis dealt with these issues by developing plans, in the 1980's, to redefine the city's downtown. Downtown Indianapolis began to develop into the state that it is today. Neighborhoods in the
downtown area were designated in relation to their proximity to the city center, and plans were initiated for them to be
redeveloped. A series of modern skyscrapers were constructed, including what is currently the
tallest building in downtown, the newly renamed Chase Tower. The third
tallest building, One Indiana Square, is going through an exterior make over after being damaged by high winds in April
2006.[2]
Tallest Buildings[3]
- Chase Tower; feet ( m), 49 floors
- OneAmerica Tower; feet ( m), 38 floors
- One Indiana Square; feet ( m), 36 floors
- Market Tower; feet ( m), 32 floors
- 300 North Meridian; feet ( m), 28 floors
Neighborhoods
Indianapolis in the 1910s
-
- See also: Indianapolis Cultural
Districts
Indianapolis has several distinct neighborhoods and cultural districts throughout the city.
Demographics
The 2006 Census estimate for Indianapolis, Balance (an unofficial area which is only a portion of the Consolidated City of
Indianapolis) is 785,597. (The population of the full Consolidated City of Indianapolis contains approximately another 9,974
people--derived by adding the 2006 Census estimates for areas left out of Indianapolis, Balance and using 2000 Census data for
portion of Cumberland, Indiana included in Consolidated City of Indianapolis).
Greater Indianapolis is a rapidly growing region located at the center of Indiana
and consists of Marion County, Indiana and several adjacent counties. The
Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Indianapolis will likely exceed 2 million
people in the 2007 estimate, ranking 23rd in the United States and 7th in the midwest. As
a unified labor and media market, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had a 2006 population of 1.66 million
people, ranking 33rd in the United States. Indianapolis is the 7th largest MSA in the Midwest.
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 791,926 people, 320,107 households, and 192,704 families
residing in the city. The population density was 2,163.0 people per square mile
(835.1/km²). There were 352,429 housing units at an average density of 975.0 per square mile (376.4/km²). The racial makeup of
the balance was 69.1% white, 25.50% black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.04% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. 3.92% of the population
are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
From 2000 to 2004, the Hispanic population in Indianapolis increased by 43%.[4] The majority of the
non-white population lives in the central and north portions of the inner-city area. Indianapolis has over 6000 immigrants from
the former Yugoslavia[citation needed].
The median income for a household in the balance is $41,964, and the median income for a family is $48,755. Males have a
median income of $36,302 versus $27,738 for females. The per capita income is
$21,640.[5] 14.8% of the population lives below the poverty
line. Out of the total population, 16.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.1% of those 65 and older are living below the
poverty line.
There are 320,107 households out of which 29.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% are married couples living together, 15.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% are
non-families. 32.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or
older. The average household size is 2.39 and the average family size is 3.04.
The age distribution is: 25.7% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.0%
who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 93.7 males. For every 100 females
age 18 and over, there are 90.2 males.
Government
Indianapolis utilizes Unigov, a complex, multi-tiered consolidated city-county government with overlapping and incomplete jurisdictions at many
levels. The current mayor of Indianapolis (as of 2007) is Bart
Peterson (D). Mayors since the institution of the current government structure have been: Steve Goldsmith (R), 1992-1999, William Hudnut (R),
1976-1991, and current U.S. Senator Dick Lugar (R), who served 1968-1975. As the capital of
Indiana, Indianapolis is the location of the Indiana General Assembly, the
Supreme Court of Indiana, and the office of the Governor of Indiana.
Law enforcement
Indianapolis and Marion County historically maintained separate police agencies: the Indianapolis Police Department and Marion
County Sheriff's Department. On January 1, 2007, a new agency, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, was formed by merging the
Marion County Sheriff Department with the Indianapolis Police Department. IMPD is a separate agency, as the Sheriff's Department maintains jail and
court functions. IMPD has jurisdiction over those portions of Marion County not explicitly
covered by the police of an excluded city or by a legacy pre-Unigov force.
Crime
For the past decade, crime rates within Indianapolis city limits have fluctuated greatly. In the late 1990s, violent crimes in
inner-city neighborhoods located within the old city limits (pre-consolidation) peaked. The former IPD police district, which
serves about 37% of the county's total population and has a geographic area covering mostly the old pre-consolidation city
limits, recorded 130 homicides in 1998 to average approximately 40.3 homicides per 100,000 people.[citation needed] This is over 6 times the 1998
national homicide average of 6.3 per 100,000 people.[citation needed] Meanwhile, the former Marion County Sheriff's Department district serving
the remaining 63% of the county's population, which includes the majority of the residents in the Consolidated City, recorded
only 32 homicides in 1998, averaging about 5.9 murders per 100,000 people, slightly less than the 1998 national homicide
average.[citation needed] Homicides in the IPD police
district dropped dramatically in 1999 and have remained lower through 2005. In 2005, the IPD police district recorded 88
homicides to average 27.3 homicides per 100,000 people; nonetheless, the murder rate in the IPD district is still almost 5 times
the 2005 national average.[citation needed]
When considering the total Consolidated City of Indianapolis, the overall crime rate has historically been low compared to the
national average. Nonetheless, crime in impoverished inner-city neighborhoods remains a problem. Areas of Indianapolis that were
unincorporated or separate municipalities before the 1970 city-county consolidation generally have significantly lower crime
rates although their aggregate population is higher than the old pre-consolidation Indianapolis city limits. Thus, crime figures
for the Consolidated City and the entire Marion County average out to a low rate. However, according to FBI reports in 2006, for
the first half of the year, Indianapolis saw one of the larger increases in homicides in the country for the first half of 2006
as compared to the same time period in 2005.[4] Overall
violent crime in Indianapolis increased 8% for the first half of 2006 compared to the first half of 2005. [5] While Marion County has still not surpassed its record homicide number of
162 set in 1998, it is on pace to see one of the highest numbers of homicides since then, with 153 committed in 2006[6] as the year draws to a close. In one 2006 event, seven
individuals from the same family were murdered in their home. In 2007, city leaders such as Sheriff Frank Anderson and Mayor Bart Peterson have rallied in
neighborhoods in effort to stop the violence in the city.
Largely, the immediate downtown area of the city around most main attractions, venues, and museums remain relatively safe.
IMPD uses horseback officers and bicycle officers to patrol the downtown area or the city. Certain areas of Indianapolis, most
notably portions of the city's East Side, remain a challenge for law enforcement officials.
Politics
Until the late 1990s, Indianapolis was considered to be one of the most conservative
metropolitan areas in the country but this trend is reversing. Republicans had held the majority in the City-County Council for 36 years, and the city
had a Republican mayor for 32 years from 1967 to 1999. In the 1999 mayoral election, Democrat Bart Peterson defeated Indiana
Secretary of State Sue Anne Gilroy by 52 percent to 41 percent. Four years later, Peterson was re-elected with 63 percent of the
vote. Republicans narrowly lost control of the City-County Council that year.
In 2004, Democrats won the Marion County offices of treasurer, surveyor and coroner. The county GOP lost further ground during
the 2006 elections with Democrats winning the offices of county clerk, assessor, recorder and auditor. Only one GOP countywide
office remains: Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, who defeated Democratic challenger Melina Kennedy with fifty-one percent of the vote in
his bid for a second term, despite outspending her two-to-one. At the township level, Democrats picked up the trustee offices in
Washington, Lawrence, Warren and Wayne townships, while holding on to Pike and Center townships.
John Kerry defeated George W. Bush in the
2004 U.S. presidential election by roughly 6,000 votes in
Marion County, 51 percent to 49 percent.[7]
Indianapolis has been represented by Democratic United States Congresswoman Julia Carson
since 1996.
Education
Higher education
Indianapolis is the home of the following colleges and universities (in alphabetical order): Butler University, Indiana
University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Ivy Tech
Community College of Indiana, Marian College, Martin University, Oakland City University Indianapolis, and the University of Indianapolis(UIndy or U of I).
Butler University was originally founded in 1855 as North Western Christian
University. The school purchased land in the Irvington area in 1875. The school moved again in
1928 to its current location in at the edge of Butler-Tarkington. The
school removed itself officially from religious affiliation, giving up the theological school to Christian Theological Seminary. A private institution, Butler's current student
enrollment is approximately 4,400.
IUPUI was originally an urban conglomeration of
branch campuses of the two major state universities, Indiana University
in Bloomington and Purdue University in
West Lafayette, created by the state legislature. In 1969 a merged campus was
created at the site of the Indiana University School of Medicine.
IUPUI's student body is currently just under 30,000, making it the third-largest institute of higher learning in Indiana.
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, a state funded public
school, was founded as Indiana Vocational Technical College in 1963. With 23 campuses across Indiana, Ivy Tech has a total
enrollment of just over 70,300, with just over 12,000 attending campuses in the Indianapolis area.
Marian College was founded in 1936 when St. Francis Normal and Immaculate
Conception Junior College merged. The college moved to Indianapolis in 1937. Marian is currently a private Catholic school and
has an enrollment of approximately 1,800 students.
University of Indianapolis is a private school affiliated with the
United Methodist Church. Founded in 1902 as Indiana Central University, the
school currently hosts almost 4,300 students.
Primary and secondary education
Indianapolis has eleven unified public school districts (eight township educational authorities and three legacy districts
from before the unification of city and county government) each of which provides primary, secondary, and adult education
services within its boundaries. The boundaries of these districts do not exactly correspond to township (or traditional)
boundaries, but rather cover the areas of their townships that were outside the pre-consolidation city limits. Indianapolis Public Schools served all of Indianapolis prior to
1970, and is still the city's largest school corporation today.
Libraries
Public library services are provided to the citizens of Indianapolis and Marion County by the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library (IMCPL). The educational and
cultural institution, founded in 1873, now consists of a main library, Central Library, located in downtown Indianapolis and 22
branch locations spread throughout the city. Serving over 5.43 million visitors in 2006, IMCPL's mission is to provide "materials
and programs in support of the lifelong learning, recreational and economic interests of all citizens of Marion County."
Cultural features
Indianapolis prides itself on its rich cultural heritage. Several initiatives have been made by the Indianapolis government in
recent years to increase Indianapolis's appeal as a destination for arts and culture.
Cultural Districts
-
Indianapolis has designated six official Cultural Districts. They are
Broad Ripple Village, Massachusetts Avenue, Fountain Square, The Wholesale District, Canal and White River
State Park, and Indiana Avenue. These areas have held historic and cultural
importance to the city. In recent years they have been revitalized and are becoming major centers for tourism, commerce and
residential living.
Monument Circle
At the center of Indianapolis is Monument Circle, a
traffic circle at the intersection of Meridian and Market Streets, featuring the
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. (Monument Circle is
depicted on the city’s flag, and is generally considered the city’s symbol). Monument Circle is in the shadow of Indiana's
tallest skyscraper, the Chase Tower. Up
until the early 1960s, Indianapolis zoning laws stated that no building could be taller than the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.
Each Christmas season, local electricians string lights onto the monument. It is lit for the holiday season in a ceremony that
attracts tens of thousands of Hoosiers to downtown Indianapolis on the day after Thanksgiving. The "Circle of Lights" festival
celebrates the lighting of the city-proclaimed "World's Largest Christmas Tree" which, in reality, is just the monument decked
out in lights.
War Memorial Plaza
A five-block plaza at the intersection of Meridian and Vermont surrounds a large memorial dedicated to Hoosiers who have
fought in American wars. It was originally constructed to honor the Indiana soldiers who died in World War I, but construction was halted due to lack of funding during the Great Depression, and it was finished in 1951. The purpose of the memorial was
altered to encompass all American wars in which Hoosiers fought.
The monument is modeled after the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. At 210 feet
(64 m) tall it is approximately seventy-five feet taller than the original Mausoleum which
was demolished to build a fort during the Crusades. The blue lights, which shine between
columns on the side of the War Memorial, make the monument easy to spot. On the north end of the War Memorial Plaza is the
national headquarters of the American Legion and the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library's Central Library.
Indiana Statehouse
-
The Statehouse houses the Indiana General Assembly, the Governor of Indiana, state courts, and other state officials.
Festivals and Conventions
Beginning in 1999 the city became host to the annual Indy Jazz Festival. The festival is a three day event held in Military
Park near the canal. Past stars have included B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Hornsby, Bela
Fleck & The Flecktones, Kool and the Gang, Ray Charles, The Temptations, Dave
Brubeck, Emmylou Harris, Chris Isaak,
Jonny Lang, Norah Jones and regional and local
favorites.
Every May Indianapolis holds the 500 Festival, a month of events culminating in the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade the day
before the running of the Indianapolis 500. The Festival was begun in 1957 and the
first Queen of the Festival was Ann Lawrie who was named in 1959.
The Circle City Classic is one of America’s top historically African-American college football tournaments. The football game
is the showcase event of an entire weekend. The weekend is a celebration of cultural excellence and educational achievement while
showcasing the spirit, energy and tradition of America’s historically black colleges and universities.
In 2003, Indianapolis began hosting Gen Con, the largest role-playing game convention in the nation (record attendance thus far being numbered in excess of
30,000), at the Indiana Convention Center. Future expansion of the convention
space is expected by many to further increase attendance numbers in coming years. The convention center has also recently played
host to such events as Star Wars Celebration II and III, which brought in Star
Wars fans from around the world, including George Lucas. From October 25 to 28,
2006, the convention center was home to the 79th national Future Farmers of
America convention, bringing around 50,000 visitors in from around the country. It will also host it every year up to
2012.[8]
Indianapolis is also home to the Indiana State Fair, as well as the
Heartland Film Festival, The Indianapolis International Film Festival, the Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, the Indianapolis
Alternative Media Festival, the Midwest Music Summit and the Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival.
Indianapolis is home to Bands of America (BOA), a nationwide organization of high
school marching, concert, and jazz bands, and hosts several BOA events annually. Indianapolis is now also the international
headquarters of Drum Corps International, a professional drum and bugle corps
association, and beginning in 2008 will host the DCI World Championships in the new Lucas Oil
Stadium.
The Indy International Wine Competition which is the
largest U.S. wine competition outside of California is held in Indianapolis every July at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
The city has a vibrant arts community that includes many fairs celebrating a wide variety of arts and crafts during the summer
months. They include the Broad Ripple Art Fair,Talbot Street Art Fair, Carmel Arts Festival and the Penrod Art Fair
Ethnic and cultural heritage festivals
Perhaps the largest of Indianapolis's ethnic and cultural heritage festivals is the Summer Celebration held by
Indiana Black Expo. This ten-day national event highlights the contributions of
African Americans to U.S. society and culture and provides educational, entertainment, and networking opportunities to the over
300,000 participants from around the country.
Indy's International Festival is held annually in November at the Indiana State
Fairgrounds. Local ethnic groups, vendors and performers are featured alongside national and international performers.
Other local festivals include:
Sports
Indianapolis is home to the Super Bowl XLI Champion Indianapolis Colts of the
NFL, the Indiana Pacers of the
NBA, the Indiana Fever of the
WNBA, the Indianapolis
Indians of the IL, and the Indiana Ice
of the USHL.
In addition, the headquarters of the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA), the main governing body for U.S. collegiate sports, is in Indianapolis, as is the National Federation of State High School Associations.
The city has hosted the Men's and Women's NCAA Final Fours (the semifinals and final of the NCAA basketball tournament) several times, and as of 2006 the NCAA is
holding the Women's Final Four in Indianapolis at least once every five years. Also, Conseco
Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, will host the Big Ten
Tournament for 5 straight years starting in 2008 after it wo
