Indianapolis Getting Rave Reviews

[MoparsRule]

I'm with PDC on this one.

[akh_v2.0]

...I don't know if New Orleans will try to do anything different next year. I've never heard anybody complain about a New Orleans Super Bowl.

New Orleans is Party City, but it has almost none of the pluses that Indy had this year. The Superdome is sandwiched in next to the Interstate, miles from the French Quarter, and is not that nice a stadium in the first place. Walking in the city is adventuresome at best and downright dangerous if you go one block in the wrong direction. I've never flown into Indy, but their airport HAS to be better. MSY is a pit, and the cab ride to downtown/FQ can be as close to the Third World as you can get in the continental US. Friendliness of the local population...Hah!

[Turn13]

I've never flown into Indy, but their airport HAS to be better.

Indy has one of the best airports anywhere

[Gomer Simpson]

Indy has one of the best airports anywhere

By far the best into which I've ever flown. Shortest waits in security, shortest taxis, shortest distance walking through concourses and shortest walks to ground transport. All of it in a large feeling, modern and beautiful package. It could use a few more food options on the other side of security, but that's my only complaint.

[Jim Wilke]

Jim, I would love to see Seattle get the SB someday. From everything I've seen and read, it is a beautiful city.

[mstove]

The point I am making is that Seattle is a pretty good sized burg, not some village stuck in Southern Alaska.

WheelerDealer, you are right about the hike to downtown. I've only done it once, took a cab to the game and walked back. Once.

Having said that, there are a lot of shops, bars and restaurants along the way at Pioneer Square and the adjacent areas. Seattle's stadium is a lot closer to civilization than many others like Dallas.

Still, my bet is that the next 10 Super Bowls will alternate between warm weather sites and cities with new or extensively remodeled facilities. LA will make the list, so will Minnesota and San Francisco. I believe Seattle - and Indy - will be waiting a long time.

Point taken, but outside of people in your state, I don't think anyone relates Seattle to Alaska. Seattle is considered a good sized city by most throughout the country. The only thing remote about it is that it takes a long time to get there from the more populated areas. I've only been once but it is a beautiful place.

[CARTer]

New Orleans is Party City, but it has almost none of the pluses that Indy had this year. The Superdome is sandwiched in next to the Interstate, miles from the French Quarter, and is not that nice a stadium in the first place. Walking in the city is adventuresome at best and downright dangerous if you go one block in the wrong direction. I've never flown into Indy, but their airport HAS to be better. MSY is a pit, and the cab ride to downtown/FQ can be as close to the Third World as you can get in the continental US. Friendliness of the local population...Hah!

I've been to NOLA several times and always had a blast. My only complaint is that Bourbon Street has pretty much lost all authenticity and was little more than a big frat party during my last visit (April 2011).

[MoparsRule]

Indy has one of the best airports anywhere

By far the best into which I've ever flown. Shortest waits in security, shortest taxis, shortest distance walking through concourses and shortest walks to ground transport. All of it in a large feeling, modern and beautiful package. It could use a few more food options on the other side of security, but that's my only complaint.

And the reviews of the new airport during SB46 week were over the top positive!!!

[skypigeon]

Pretty cool. Last week, Indy showed 'em all:
* How to have a party
* How to keep the party under control
* How to build a downtown
* How to build an airport
Not a bad little list of accomplishments there...

[Jim Wilke]

Point taken, but outside of people in your state, I don't think anyone relates Seattle to Alaska.

A joke made on national TV by Jimmie Johnson: 'Nobody knows the Seahawks because they play way out there in Southern Alaska...'

FWIW, this is pretty cool:

[Ren Butler]

I've always thought that the Seahawks' stadium was the most photogenic in the league. It really stands out on TV compared to a lot of other stadiums that look pretty much identical.

LOS and Ford Field look great too. Paul Brown, Arrowhead, UPhoenix, and Raymond James at least have some unique features.

Most of the rest are either old and dumpy or look a lot like the others.

[skypigeon]

Arrowhead's renovation came out pretty decent. No rolling cover like Lamar wanted though. [-sigh-] Oh, well.

[Truth Detector]

More

[Ren Butler]

Irsay says that, from what he is hearing, Indy needs another big-time hotel if it wants to land the Super Bowl again.

[Ken-Paul]

Irsay says that, from what he is hearing, Indy needs another big-time hotel if it wants to land the Super Bowl again.

I think downtown Indy has awesome hotel offerings.

The Conrad and JW Marriott certainly meet the requirements for "big time" hotels.

Perhaps the addition of a Ritz Carlton or InterContinental would help

Hell, even Cleveland has those!

[Turn13]

Hell, Cleveland has Mafiosi

We just have Gomerati

Or is it Groverati?

[Ken-Paul]

Hell, Cleveland has Mafiosi

And Cleveland had Danny Green.

He showed those guys a thing or two.

Until that visit to the dentist.

[Jim Wilke]

Cleveland? This never gets old:

[Truth Detector]

I would imagine one of the next targets on the city's radar is the Republican National Convention -- which also tells Indy they need more hotels.

[Ren Butler]

We were very close to landing the RNC in recent history.

But even though studies have shown little to no correlation between the sight of a political convention and actual ensuing voting patterns, Indiana might be too solidly red (yes, despite what happened in 2008) for the GOP to pick Indy.

[Ken-Paul]

Cleveland? This never gets old:

h

[Truth Detector]

We were very close to landing the RNC in recent history.

But even though studies have shown little to no correlation between the sight of a political convention and actual ensuing voting patterns, Indiana might be too solidly red (yes, despite what happened in 2008) for the GOP to pick Indy.

I thought they wanted to reward the red states.

I know that Indy was on the radar 8(?) years ago but was determined to be significantly short on hotels. They have a minimum number but I have no idea what it is.

[Ren Butler]

I thought they wanted to reward the red states.

Conventional wisdom (ha!) is that the events are awarded to toss-up states.

EDIT: Well, looking back, the GOP has recently gone to NYC, California, and Texas, so maybe there's not such a long history of holding events in toss-up states. But I don't think there's really a better explanation for the Dems to be in Charlotte of all places this year.

[Davydd]

The 2008 Republican National Convention was held in St. Paul, MN. Minnesota has never been a swing state in the presidential election and definitely Democratic. The mayors of both St. Paul and Minneapolis are both very left leaning Democrats yet they swallowed political pride, did what they had to do and graciously hosted. I think when it comes to getting such a big prize, the locals go non-partisan. My son-in-law's father was the executive director of the Minneapolis Visitors and Convention Bureau. The inside insights were interesting.

[mstove]

The Democratic convention hasn't been going to many swing-states in recent history. I don't think there is a lot to that theory.

[Frank Capua]

I would imagine one of the next targets on the city's radar is the Republican National Convention -- which also tells Indy they need more hotels.

Not to mention more Top Shelf Hookers.