More Customers & More Revenue - The South Downtown...

Source: John Herrick WIBC / John Herrick WIBC

INDIANAPOLIS — The leaders of your city have introduced a new plan to make downtown Indianapolis more fun, more attractive, and more money.

It’s called the South Downtown Connectivity Plan. In short, it’s a plan to make two of downtown Indianapolis’ busiest areas into entertainment areas, giving you more room to hang out and businesses more room to sell their product.

The first part of the plan begins with Monument Circle, “from July 8th to November 2nd, the southwest quarter of Monument Circle will transform into a pedestrian-only parkway,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett in a Wednesday press conference.

The city has a similar plan for Georgia Street.

“It includes a complete development of Georgia Street,” said Mayor Hogsett, “the first phase will turn the block just east of the convention center into a pedestrian green space.”

That also includes closing the road for a certain amount of time before reopening it with larger sidewalk areas.

“That means more customers. That means more revenue,” said Hogsett.

Combine this plan with the recently approved 600-million-dollar plan to build a 40-story hotel on Pan Am Plaza, and this could be the polishing of the downtown Indianapolis experience that the Hogsett Administration has been looking for, “this [hotel] project will allow us to secure new, large conventions, create jobs, and bring even new economic energy and activity to our city and state,” said Indianapolis Marion County City-County Councilor Kristin Jones.

The city approved that plan Monday night, and several councilors promised the taxpayers would not have to pay for the hotel. Republicans like Councilor Brian Mowery aren’t convinced and say it’s bad business for a city-owned hotel to compete with private sector business.

Despite that, President of Pacers Sports and Entertainment Rick Fusion is excited about the potential for downtown Indy’s future, “hey we got a lot to be proud of, and you know what, we have a dang good place here. We need to make sure we take it forward, like this vision of south downtown continues to do.”