History
The Capital Improvement Board (CIB) is a municipal body of Marion County created in 1965 by the Indiana General Assembly and authorized by the statute to finance, construct, equip, operate and maintain any capital facilities or improvements of general public benefit or welfare which would tend to promote cultural, recreational, public or civic well-being of the community. The CIB operates facilities used in cultural, recreational, and convention activities in downtown Indianapolis. The Mayor of the City of Indianapolis appoints six of the nine board members, two are appointed by the Marion County Board of Commissioners and one is appointed by the City-County Council of the Consolidated City of Indianapolis-Marion County.
Among the facilities managed by the CIB is a multi-purpose sports and convention facility, the Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium (formerly RCA Dome), which is located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, bordered by the State Capitol, Pan American Plaza, Union Station, Capitol Commons, Circle Centre Shopping and Entertainment Complex, Victory Field and several major hotels.
The Indiana Convention Center currently features 308,700 square feet of clear span convention and exhibition space, 48 meeting rooms and four ballrooms. The seven exhibit halls range in size from 29,500 square feet to 51,000 square feet. The Sagamore is the largest ballroom, with 33,335 square feet, and can be divided into seven different sections. It is the largest ballroom in the state and the largest among cities with which Indianapolis frequently competes for business. Since opening in 1972, the Indiana Convention Center has had three major expansions and a fourth is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010. An expansion in 1999 added 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, expanded registration and lobby areas, 25 truck docks and 2 drive-in ramps. In keeping pace with the changing business environment, global single and multi-mode networks for video conferencing and Internet access have also been added. The former RCA Dome will be demolished in 2008 to make way for the fourth and much needed expansion of the Convention Center scheduled for completion in 2010. The expansion will increase exhibition space to 564,000 square feet of contiguous space and increase meeting rooms to a total of 71.
Lucas Oil Stadium (LOS) is the new multi-purpose facility that replaces the former RCA Dome and opens as the home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts for the 2008 NFL season. LOS is a state-of-the-art, retractable roof, multi-purpose stadium featuring spectacular views of the Indianapolis skyline. In addition, the stadium has an infill playing surface, 7 locker rooms, exhibit space, meeting rooms, operable north window, dual two-level club lounges, 137 suites, retractable sideline seating, house reduction curtains, two large video boards, ribbon boards, spacious concourses, interior and exterior plaza space, 11 indoor docks and two vehicle ramps to the event level. In 2010, LOS will be connected to the newly expanded convention center and several hotels and entertainment options by a new pedestrian connector. Tradeshows can take advantage of an indoor 30,000 square foot loading dock with 11 bays, retractable seating and operable walls to utilize up to 183,000 contiguous square feet of space. Football games can be played indoors or outdoors using the retractable roof and operable north window. The house reduction curtain system covers the entire Terrace Level seating, reducing capacity from 63,000 to approximately 41,000. Basketball and other mini-dome events have the option of playing in the round for up to 70,000 fans or in a much smaller configuration with a house reduction curtain system. Concerts may be played indoors or outdoors in a full stadium or reduced house configurations. Seating configurations range in size from 15,000 to 65,000.
Over the years, the Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome has contributed greatly to the economic condition and revitalization of downtown Indianapolis and will continue to do so as the Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium. Not only does the facility draw millions of visitors annually, it also acts as a catalyst to produce additional economic impact throughout the city.
The CIB also is responsible for ownership of several other sports-related facilities in downtown Indianapolis. This includes Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the National Basketball Association’s Indiana Pacers, and Victory Field, where the International League’s Indianapolis Indians play their Triple A baseball schedule.