20A • JULY 25-31 2011 • INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL FOCUS❘ HOSPITALITY/MEETINGS/TOURISM ❘ PAGES 15A-21A Photo Courtesy Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau Atlanta hosts collegiate athletic events including the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Indianapolis outpaces Atlanta pound-for-pound on tourism QUICK HITS Major conventions (2011) With 1.8 million people, the Indianapolis Indianapolis: National FFA Convention, CEDIA area is only one-third the size of Atlanta, Expo, Fire Department Instructors Confer- yet the area holds its own in conventions ence, Gen Con Indy, Dealer Expo, International and tourism. Indianapolis, for example, has Motorsports Industry Show, National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, National about half the convention space of Atlanta. Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry Atlanta: AmericasMart January Gift & Home Furnishings Market, AmericasMart July Gift Convention center space & Home Furnishings Market, Bronner Bros. Indianapolis: ........................... 749,000 sq. ft. Mid-Summer 2011 International Hair Show, Primerica Life Insurance Inc. International Atlanta: .......................................... 1.4 million Convention Hotel rooms metro area Major events (2011) Indianapolis: ....................................... 33,793 Indianapolis: Indianapolis 500, OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and 5K, Brickyard Atlanta: ...............................................94,000 400, NCAA Final Four Women’s Basketball Championship, Indiana Black Expo Sum- mer Celebration, Indiana State Fair, Big Ten Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournaments, Hotel rooms downtown Red Bull Indianapolis GP Indianapolis: ..........................................7,102 Atlanta: Chick-fil-A Bowl, Chick-fil-A College Kick Atlanta: ............................................... 12,000 Off, SEC Football Championship, Cheersport Limited, Wrestlemania 2011, Atlanta Football Classic, Tampa Bay Volleyball Big South Quali- fier, USA Volleyball Association Girls Cham- Room nights booked (2010) pionship, SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, PGA Championship Indianapolis: ..................................... 650,020 Atlanta: .......................................... 1.8 million Major attractions Indianapolis: White River State Park (Indianapo- Annual budget lis Zoo, Indiana State Museum, NCAA Hall of Champions, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indianapolis: .............................. $12.8 million Indians and Western Art), Central Canal, Atlanta: ......................................$20.4 million Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Atlanta: Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, Stone Mountain Park, Inside CNN Studio Tour, Promotion staff High Museum of Art, Atlanta History Center, Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Cen- Indianapolis: ...............................................59 tennial Olympic Park Atlanta: .......................................................64 Downtown attractions Indianapolis: White River State Park (Indianapo- Annual visitors lis Zoo, Indiana State Museum, NCAA Hall of Indianapolis: ................................... 22 million Champions, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art) Atlanta: ........................................... 34 million Atlanta: Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, Inside CNN Atlanta Studio Tour, High Museum of Art, Museum of Design Atlanta, Center for Downtown restaurants Puppetry Arts Atlanta Botanical Garden Indianapolis: .............................................200 Sources: Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Atlanta: .............................................300-plus Association, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.