Latest news with #GenCon
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jim Irsay built everything we love about downtown Indianapolis
Some cities are shaped by rivers, some by railroads. Indianapolis was reshaped by sports. And no one left a deeper imprint than Jim Irsay. Walk downtown and you'll see the evidence. Children playing in new parks, runners gliding on protected trails and a sports district rivaling cities twice our size. There are tower cranes above hotel rooftops, patios full on weeknights and a steady hum of out-of-towners attending some unheard-of convention. Downtown is alive. People live here, work here and linger here. None of it happened by accident. This is very much part of the legacy of Irsay, who died May 21 at age 65. This transformation stems from a strategy Indianapolis adopted earlier than most: a belief that, while businesses create jobs, cities create places. One of the most pivotal moments came in 1984, when Robert Irsay's Baltimore Colts arrived in Indianapolis. The city had a vision. Leaders including former Mayor Bill Hudnut believed sports could be more than entertainment. They could shape identity, spur investment and give people a reason to come downtown. At a time when most American cities were watching their cores erode, Indianapolis made a bold choice: to bet on connection, culture and, yes, sports. But it wasn't until Jim Irsay stepped into full leadership and the team drafted Peyton Manning in 1998 that the Colts became an unstoppable civic force. The rise of the Colts mirrors the city's own. More from Jeffery Tompkins: Indianapolis makes construction too slow, expensive and exhausting The early 2000s marked a new chapter. The Manning Colts' playoff runs brought sellout crowds and national attention, but they also brought momentum. As Manning broke records on the field, the city was marking milestones of its own. The Indiana Convention Center expanded in space vacated by the former RCA Dome, allowing it to host larger events. Developers began investing in new housing and hotels near the stadium. Construction began on Lucas Oil Stadium, a major public-private investment that would reshape the city's event infrastructure forever. The Colts were no longer just a sports team. They had become part of the city's economy. Their sustained success helped elevate Indianapolis to a top-tier convention and tourism market. That progress culminated in Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, which brought more than $150 million in direct economic impact and gave the city an unforgettable moment on the national stage. The imprint of that era is still everywhere. Georgia Street, transformed ahead of the Super Bowl, functions as a civic plaza and festival corridor in the heart of downtown. Gen Con, once a niche gathering, attracts more than 70,000 attendees each year and ranks among the world's largest tabletop gaming conventions. Visit Indy estimates the city hosted over 800,000 convention attendees last year, generating more than $900 million in direct economic impact. Downtown hotels outperformed expectations, with major events pushing occupancy rates to more than 113% of projected demand last year. These wins ripple outward, supporting hundreds of small businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, hospitality workers, event crews and the countless everyday jobs that make a city go. It's an ecosystem built over decades, and Irsay was at the center. It's not just conventions brought by a new stadium. It's the Colts Canal Playspace, the expanded Cultural Trail, a new YMCA – all sponsored by the Colts. Few cities owe more to a team that relocated. But even fewer owe as much to a team that stayed and to an owner who saw his franchise not as an island, but as part of the city's fabric. Former Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has credited Indianapolis as the blueprint his city followed to revive its own downtown. The fact that this year's NBA Finals could come down to those very two cities speaks volumes, not just about basketball, but about civic vision and the long arc of strategic investment. That story belongs to many leaders, planners, and institutions, but Irsay's role was singular. He understood that a sports franchise could be more than a team; it could be a partner in the life of a city. His investments extended into community engagement, philanthropic leadership and the kind of cultural presence that helped Indianapolis punch far above its weight on the national stage. As an urban planner, I think about how Irsay came to embody the state he called home. Indiana, ain't it troubled sometimes? But it's also strong. Resilient. A little weathered. Often underestimated. It's got heart. It's bold when it needs to be. It knows how to endure. And, when it's wrong, it knows how to make things right. For all its faults, you love it. The story of downtown Indianapolis rising from anonymity to become an event powerhouse isn't just a story of economics or infrastructure. It's a story of belief. And, in many ways, mirrors Irsay's own. It's not the LED horseshoes along the Circle that let me know Irsay's impact. Nor is it the state-of-the-art YMCA downtown that bears his name. It's the rising skyline, packed sidewalks, the roar of a fall Sunday at the House That Peyton Built – all of it carries the imprint of Irsay's long-term vision. Briggs: Indianapolis needs to raise taxes to fix its potholes Taylor Swift wouldn't be performing three sold-out nights in Indianapolis without the infrastructure, momentum, and yes, reputation sparked by the investments Irsay helped set in motion. Even now, his presence is felt not just in the past wins, but in the way this city continues to dream forward. Like his father before him, Irsay understood that a team needs a community just as much as a community needs a team. That relationship isn't optional. It's foundational. Rest in power, Mr. Irsay. And, yes, the roof will be open. Jeffery Tompkins is an urban planner. He lives in downtown Indianapolis. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: From YMCA to Colts Playspace, Jim Irsay built downtown Indy | Opinion
Indianapolis Star
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Jim Irsay built everything we love about downtown Indianapolis
Some cities are shaped by rivers, some by railroads. Indianapolis was reshaped by sports. And no one left a deeper imprint than Jim Irsay. Walk downtown and you'll see the evidence. Children playing in new parks, runners gliding on protected trails and a sports district rivaling cities twice our size. There are tower cranes above hotel rooftops, patios full on weeknights and a steady hum of out-of-towners attending some unheard-of convention. Downtown is alive. People live here, work here and linger here. None of it happened by accident. This is very much part of the legacy of Irsay, who died May 21 at age 65. This transformation stems from a strategy Indianapolis adopted earlier than most: a belief that, while businesses create jobs, cities create places. One of the most pivotal moments came in 1984, when Robert Irsay's Baltimore Colts arrived in Indianapolis. The city had a vision. Leaders including former Mayor Bill Hudnut believed sports could be more than entertainment. They could shape identity, spur investment and give people a reason to come downtown. At a time when most American cities were watching their cores erode, Indianapolis made a bold choice: to bet on connection, culture and, yes, sports. But it wasn't until Jim Irsay stepped into full leadership and the team drafted Peyton Manning in 1998 that the Colts became an unstoppable civic force. The rise of the Colts mirrors the city's own. More from Jeffery Tompkins: Indianapolis makes construction too slow, expensive and exhausting The early 2000s marked a new chapter. The Manning Colts' playoff runs brought sellout crowds and national attention, but they also brought momentum. As Manning broke records on the field, the city was marking milestones of its own. The Indiana Convention Center expanded in space vacated by the former RCA Dome, allowing it to host larger events. Developers began investing in new housing and hotels near the stadium. Construction began on Lucas Oil Stadium, a major public-private investment that would reshape the city's event infrastructure forever. The Colts were no longer just a sports team. They had become part of the city's economy. Their sustained success helped elevate Indianapolis to a top-tier convention and tourism market. That progress culminated in Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, which brought more than $150 million in direct economic impact and gave the city an unforgettable moment on the national stage. The imprint of that era is still everywhere. Georgia Street, transformed ahead of the Super Bowl, functions as a civic plaza and festival corridor in the heart of downtown. Gen Con, once a niche gathering, attracts more than 70,000 attendees each year and ranks among the world's largest tabletop gaming conventions. Visit Indy estimates the city hosted over 800,000 convention attendees last year, generating more than $900 million in direct economic impact. Downtown hotels outperformed expectations, with major events pushing occupancy rates to more than 113% of projected demand last year. These wins ripple outward, supporting hundreds of small businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, hospitality workers, event crews and the countless everyday jobs that make a city go. It's an ecosystem built over decades, and Irsay was at the center. It's not just conventions brought by a new stadium. It's the Colts Canal Playspace, the expanded Cultural Trail, a new YMCA – all sponsored by the Colts. Few cities owe more to a team that relocated. But even fewer owe as much to a team that stayed and to an owner who saw his franchise not as an island, but as part of the city's fabric. Former Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has credited Indianapolis as the blueprint his city followed to revive its own downtown. The fact that this year's NBA Finals could come down to those very two cities speaks volumes, not just about basketball, but about civic vision and the long arc of strategic investment. That story belongs to many leaders, planners, and institutions, but Irsay's role was singular. He understood that a sports franchise could be more than a team; it could be a partner in the life of a city. His investments extended into community engagement, philanthropic leadership and the kind of cultural presence that helped Indianapolis punch far above its weight on the national stage. As an urban planner, I think about how Irsay came to embody the state he called home. Indiana, ain't it troubled sometimes? But it's also strong. Resilient. A little weathered. Often underestimated. It's got heart. It's bold when it needs to be. It knows how to endure. And, when it's wrong, it knows how to make things right. For all its faults, you love it. The story of downtown Indianapolis rising from anonymity to become an event powerhouse isn't just a story of economics or infrastructure. It's a story of belief. And, in many ways, mirrors Irsay's own. It's not the LED horseshoes along the Circle that let me know Irsay's impact. Nor is it the state-of-the-art YMCA downtown that bears his name. It's the rising skyline, packed sidewalks, the roar of a fall Sunday at the House That Peyton Built – all of it carries the imprint of Irsay's long-term vision. Briggs: Indianapolis needs to raise taxes to fix its potholes Taylor Swift wouldn't be performing three sold-out nights in Indianapolis without the infrastructure, momentum, and yes, reputation sparked by the investments Irsay helped set in motion. Even now, his presence is felt not just in the past wins, but in the way this city continues to dream forward. Like his father before him, Irsay understood that a team needs a community just as much as a community needs a team. That relationship isn't optional. It's foundational. Rest in power, Mr. Irsay. And, yes, the roof will be open.
Forbes
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Voyage Of The Unity For Avatar Legends RPG Launches On Kickstarter
The collaboration between Beadle & Grimm's and Magpie Games brings together the hit role playing ... More game Vatar Legends with the luxurious quality of a boxed set full of a top shelf immerwive experience. Beadle & Grimm's Pandemonium Warehouse is best known as a company that creates deluxe versions of Dungeons and Dragons adventures that enhance the story experience. They've branched out in the past few years to provide premium accessories for other games as well. They have partnered with Magpie Games to create a campaign for Avatar Legends, the Avatar: The Last Airbender role playing game called Avatar Legends: Voyage of the Unity. 'Gen Con 2022 was really a special year for all of us industry folks,' said Mark Diaz Truman, co-founder and CEO of Magpie Games. 'After two years of not having a full Gen Con, the emotions were really high for all of us—just to be back in the same space!—and stuff like the ENnies felt incredibly special. When we won an ENnie for Root: The Roleplaying Game, I remember Matthew Lillard grabbing me as I came off the stage and hugging me, telling me we needed to talk about doing something together with Beadle and Grimm's. And when we got on a call with everyone from the B&G team, it was really obvious that we shared a lot of the same excitement about making really innovative, exciting RPG products that would last for years and years. One of the most exciting parts, though, was that the B&G team is great at doing stuff Magpie Games doesn't do very often—stuff like scrolls and in-game artifacts. So when we started talking about what we could do together, something for Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game was just so appealing because it gives us a chance to make these beautiful items that I know Avatar fans are going to love!' 'Part of what made the timing of this project work out so well was that,' said Matthew Lillard, co-founder of Beadle & Grimm's, 'since we weren't racing to meet someone else's publishing deadline, we were able to take the time to work with Magpie Games to really build out something that we were all excited about. We both latched on immediately to the potential of setting a series of adventures around the Unity and its voyage, and we were able to take the time to really build out what those stories could be. The time also allowed us to benefit from Magpie Games's experience of running their own Avatar Kickstarter, working closely with Paramount and Avatar Studios, and creating a much-beloved game world that we were only too happy to jump into with them!' 'Our kids grew up with Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph,' said Charlie Rehor, co-founder of Beadle & Grimms. 'Honestly we probably liked the show even more than they did if that's possible. And so we were really interested, nervous, and ultimately impressed by the skill and love that Magpie Games put into the Avatar Legends game. And then, as we kept bumping into Mark Diaz Truman and his team at conventions, we found out, not surprisingly, that they were really cool and wanted to work with us as much as we wanted to work with them. We have a lot of experience making really expansive, detailed deluxe boxes for RPGs like D&D, Pathfinder, and Critical Role, and last year we released a box set for Candela Obscura with some adventures that we wrote. So when the idea of doing a new adventure and premium edition for Avatar Legends came up, we felt like we were ready to do it right. We've been moving into creating our own content more and more since we started Beadle & Grimm's, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity and challenge for Beadle & Grimm's now.' Avatar Legends allows players to create characters in the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender just as memorable as anyone from the show. The game features mechanics to highlight the internal struggles of these characters as much as their fighting styles or their bending skills. While Avatar Legends may be based on a kids show, it has plenty of adult fans who want to mix martial arts action with deep character development at the gaming table. 'Every aspect of the game is built around making meaningful, consequential decisions that affect your balance and the balance of the world around you,' said Rehor. 'I personally grew up playing D&D, which to be clear, I love. One of the things you realize after you play a bit, is that one of the most entertaining things that can happen at the table is rolling a 1. When you first start playing, of course, a 1 is just a disaster. It's an automatic failure, and then even worse stuff happens. But unlike a lot of combat in RPGs, a 1 in D&D has no real mechanics other than 'whatever you did didn't work.' But what that one becomes is an opportunity to tell a story about what went wrong. Not 'You miss', but 'I swing my sword, trying to knock down the goblin, and slip on a banana peel, lose my grip, and the sword flies across the room and embeds itself in a door frame.' In Avatar Legends, everything you do, even in combat, is a scene you're building together with the GM. Success or failure are equally important, consequential, and fun.' FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder 'I love the seriously playful tone and world that is created in Avatar Legends,' said Lillard. 'It really evokes the elements of the show that I love the most - the playfulness that doesn't take away from the seriousness of the action. That sense of stakes and consequences is always what made the show feel like more than a kid's cartoon, but the playfulness that runs throughout the series and the RPG keeps it fun for everyone. I've always played RPGs for the storytelling and the interaction between players and characters, and Avatar Legends provides a great sandbox for players and GMs to play together to tell fun stories that matter.' Avatar Legends offers multiple points in the history of the setting for Game Masters to set their games. The Voyage of the Unity is a five part adventure set during the Roku era. It's a fascinating time that gives games plenty of room to explore the history and themes of Avatar stories. 'When we first met Mike and Bryan (Avatar Studios) back in 2021,' said Truman, "we had big questions about the Roku Era in particular. Between the books and comics and shows, there's a lot on the other eras, but the Roku Era was largely unexplored before the RPG. We were stunned when they told us that they wanted us to pitch ideas to them for the Roku Era, and even more blown away by all the things they let us add to the Avatarverse. Truly, one of the most special moments I've had working in RPGs has been developing a part of the Avatar Legends setting. Now… we're doing it at a whole new level, bringing even more new canon content to the world through this really unique medium!" 'The Roku Era felt like the perfect time to set these adventures because they were close enough to the more familiar time period of Aang that fans would recognize characters and places,' said Lillard, 'but still far enough away from the events of the shows to allow players to create their own fiction and their own canon. We wanted a world that felt familiar but still had lots of open space to tell stories and discover things, and the Roku Era felt like the perfect time in which to do that.' "It's an intriguing time," said Rehor. 'The calm before the storm. In the series we never get to see what the war took away from the world, so this is a chance to adventure in a world closer to the balance as it had been for thousands of years. But of course, war is coming, and all the tensions, rivalries, and conflicts that will eventually lead Sozin to take that terrible step are always near the surface. And let's face it, tension makes for good stories! And the Unity, the greatest ship in the world, packed full of representatives of the four nations, seemed like a wonderful stage to play out those rivalries.' Avatar Legends: Voyage of the Unity features several versions on the Kickstarter, including an all-digital version, a slipcase hardcover collection of the campaign, a box that includes the campaign plus several add-ons and the Dragon Edition full of the top notch props and enhanced experiences that Beadle & Grimm's is known to produce. The Kickstarter runs through Thursday, June19th, 2025. Rewards are slated to deliver to backers in Q3 of 2026
Indianapolis Star
14-05-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Gen Con heist plea: Man to pay Wizards of the Coast $27,141 and write an apology letter
One of the two New York men who were charged for their alleged role in a Gen Con heist at the Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium in 2023 was sentenced. Thomas Dunbar, 40, and Andrew Giaume, 41, were both charged with felony theft after Indianapolis Metropolitan Police traced $300,000 in stolen gaming cards to them on Aug. 2, 2023, ahead of Gen Con opening. According to police, Dunbar and Giaume used a pallet jack to remove the cards while vendors were setting up. Grainy images released by police during the search for the men showed a pallet with packaging resembling those of 'Magic: The Gathering,' the Pokemon Trading Card Game and the Disney Lorcana trading card game, all with hyped releases in 2023, and all among exhibitors at Gen Con. Dunbar took a plea to dismiss the felony charge and was sentenced to a lower-level theft charge. His two-year jail time was suspended to probation, and he must pay restitution. 'Gen Con is pleased to see this offender brought to justice and applauds (convention center) security, IMPD, and the Marion County Prosecutor for their diligent work in concluding this case," David Hoppe, President of Gen Con, said in a statement to IndyStar. Gen Con heist: Charges filed against New York men in theft of gaming cards Dunbar was ordered to pay restitution to Alan Hochman, the president of Pastimes Games, and $27,141 to Wizards of the Coast. Recovered items also must be returned to the Wizards of the Coast. Dunbar also has to complete 40 hours of community service in Marion County and the state of New York. He was sentenced to write an apology letter to the Gen Con Community. After completing a year of probation, he will receive an alternative misdemeanor sentencing. He agreed to stay away from the Indiana Convention Center for two years, and the state didn't object to probation being transferred to New York, where he lives. Giaume has a trial set for July 2025. Related: Indy police trace $300K in stolen gaming cards from Gen Con to New York City Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.
Axios
06-02-2025
- Business
- Axios
Why the state of Indianapolis tourism is strong
The people responsible for throwing the Circle City's biggest bashes took a moment this week to celebrate Indianapolis tourism having its best year ever in 2024. The big picture: Part business update, part pep rally, Visit Indy's annual state of tourism event at the Indiana Convention Center provided specifics about the records we smashed in 2024 while highlighting partnerships that will bring new events to the city into the mid-2030s. Why it matters: The people who benefit most from Indy's rise as a red-hot tourism town are the Hoosiers who live and work here year-round. "A tangential benefit of having a year like 2024 is residential sentiment growing. Effusive praise for our city spilling onto social media and to family and friends … That is how you authentically market and sell a city. Through residential love," Visit Indy executive vice president Chris Gahl told Axios. "We believe that love was at an all-time high in 2024, and that is an invaluable sales and marketing strategy." By the numbers: Interest in what Indianapolis has on tap in 2025 and beyond has created a future convention booking pipeline of 3.94 million hotel room nights, a record, per Visit Indy. 2024 saw a record 932,000 hotel room nights booked. Nine of the top 10 days for hotel bookings in Indianapolis history now belong to 2024, driven by events like the National Eucharistic Congress, the total solar eclipse and Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour." Several annual events hit new attendance high marks last year, including 71,000 at Gen Con, 36,500 at FDIC International and 27,000 at the NFL Combine. The 2025 Visit Indy convention and events calendar includes more than 65 events driving an estimated total attendance of more than 1.8 million people. The latest: New medical conferences announced this week plan to come to Indianapolis. The American Academy of Family Physicians will hold its annual gathering here in 2028, bringing an estimated economic impact of $12.2 million. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons will come in 2033 for a conference with an estimated impact of $3.7 million. The intrigue: Emphasized throughout the state of tourism was Indianapolis' focus on women's sports. City leaders have a vision to make Indy the women's sports capital of the world by 2050. In addition to being held on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the event saw the Indiana Fever accept the 2025 Bill McGowan Leadership Award — the city's highest tourism award — for driving interest to the city via their stellar 2024 season. Past award recipients include Madam C.J. Walker, Peyton Manning and David Letterman. Fun fact: After accepting the award alongside Fever president Kelly Krauskopf and chief operating officer and general manager Amber Cox, 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark hyped her upcoming collaboration with a fellow McGowan award-winner. Clark will be a guest on the next season of Letterman's Netflix show. The episode should include a few rounds of duckpin bowling and a stop at legendary Long's Bakery. "Inflation hasn't hit that place somehow," Clark said of the cash-only donut spot. "When they're fresh and they're warm, there's really nothing like it." What's next: The next big event on the calendar is the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium from Feb. 24-March 3. Throughout March, the city will host the Big Ten men's and women's basketball tournaments; the Nike Mid-East Qualifier for volleyball; and the NCAA Midwest Regional men's basketball championship.
