INDIANAPOLIS — With 70,000 fans expected in Indianapolis for Final Four weekend, Visit Indy has activated the "Indiana Hoops Pass" to guide visitors through the state's rich basketball culture.
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The pass leads fans to 47 historic basketball sites across Indiana, ranging from retro gyms to museums. At each location, fans can scan a QR code to check in for a chance to win prizes.
"We know we have about 70,000 fans coming into the city this weekend. Plus, we hope residents come down into downtown and explore and get around the state. Indiana is such a basketball state, so to get fans and visitors out and about around the state to see all of these basketball destinations, this is the perfect way to do so," Morgan Snyder with Visit Indy said.
The NCAA Hall of Champions in downtown Indianapolis is one of the stops included on the pass. The venue showcases the history and spirit of college athletics through interactive exhibits.
"It’s really fun to be able to welcome everybody to our backyard and our city. Our city is iconic for hosting large events like this; we are excited to be a part of it," Kortni Gurganus-Wright, the NCAA Assistant Director of Operations, said.
Other locations on the Indiana Hoops Pass include Lucas Oil Stadium, Gainbridge Fieldhouse and Morris Bicentennial Plaza.
Jason Miller and his son visited Indianapolis from Huntington, West Virginia, to attend Sunday night's game between the Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat. They spent Monday afternoon shooting hoops on the plaza court.
"I was just walking by and saw a ball shoot up, and he plays every day, so he said, 'Can we go down there for a second?'" Miller said.
Miller said he loved being able to walk to the game and dinner from his hotel.
"The other cities that I visited, it's not so much sort of spread out a little bit more, and so being here we've been able to walk around and see a lot of stuff and go eat some food, which has been nice," Miller said.
Visit Indy hopes the Indiana Hoops Pass turns the Final Four weekend into a championship adventure that leaves a lasting impression on visitors.
"We get people into the city cheering on their team through a big sporting event. They see what they love. They see the culture, the vibrancy of Indianapolis, and they want to come back," Snyder said.
Fans can register for the Indiana Hoops Pass online. Prizes can be redeemed this weekend at The Index, Indianapolis' official visitor center on Georgia Street. More information is available on the Visit Indy website.
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