Indy Hosts 70,000 for WNBA All-Star Game and Black Expo's Summer Celebration

City leaders estimate that the WNBA All-Star Game and the Indiana Black Expo's Summer Celebration drew more than 70,000 people to Indianapolis this weekend, pumping millions of dollars into the local economy.

The sold-out WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse packed nearly 17,000 people, while the Indiana Black Expo expected a total of 88,000 attendees over its 10-day event.

Indianapolis is becoming a hotspot for hosting events, and this weekend's celebration is just one example. The city's growth has been noticed globally, with companies moving to the area and young professionals launching their careers.

In fact, Indianapolis has been named one of "cities on the rise" by LinkedIn, an accolade that city leaders find flattering but not surprising.

[blockquote cite="Indy Chamber Vice President of Marketing and Communications Joe Pellman"]"This has become pretty normal for Indy, and it's been pretty amazing to see things, just about every other weekend starting at the beginning of the year."[/blockquote]

Pellman attributes the city's success to its "speed and collaboration" abilities. This weekend's event brought together two major events - the WNBA All-Star Game and the Indiana Black Expo - in a seamless manner.

[blockquote cite="Indy Chamber Vice President of Marketing and Communications Joe Pellman"]"This weekend is really the result of Indy's two superpowers, which are speed and collaboration, but now with the WNBA All-Star game married with Indiana Black Expo, I mean, what an amazing opportunity to combine two major events in our downtown core, and also across pollinate those things across the arts across culture."[/blockquote]

LinkedIn analyzed hiring data and home prices to determine which cities are emerging the fastest. Pellman says Indianapolis has implemented key tools to make it a great fit for work and life.

[blockquote cite="Indy Chamber Vice President of Marketing and Communications Joe Pellman"]"We built something called lifeinindy.com. That connects people to a group who we call Indy-fluencers, who are charged with meeting one-on-one with potential residents or those who have moved here and want a little deeper connection to the community."[/blockquote]

Brands are clamoring to bring business to Indianapolis, with many creating new experiences in downtown. Pellman says it's clear that Indianapolis is not only showcasing itself to the country but also to the world.

[blockquote cite="Indy Chamber Vice President of Marketing and Communications Joe Pellman"]"We love that so many different brands have created new experiences in downtown, especially, Nike, Gatorade, Coach, a variety of really major brands that are not only showcasing Indy to the rest of the country, but showcasing it to the world."[/blockquote]