1/17/2007
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Mayor declares ‘Go Blue Weekend’ to gear up for city’s first AFC Championship game
City, colts to roll out “Blue Carpet” to the world with events, displays & banners
Indianapolis – Indianapolis will showcase its world-class status during this weekend’s AFC Championship, the first in the city’s NFL history, Mayor Bart Peterson said today.
He also declared the rest of the week “Go Blue Weekend” in Indianapolis and encouraged all of Indianapolis to gear up for the championship game against the New England Patriots.
In addition, the city will work with several groups – including Indianapolis Downtown Inc., the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association, Indiana Stadium & Convention Building Authority and Indianapolis Airport Authority/BAA Indianapolis – to cloak itself in Colts blue downtown and throughout the city in various ways:
- Downtown banners. Banners welcoming the world to the AFC Championship will be hung from the RCA Dome, downtown buildings and on poles.
- Light up downtown buildings. All downtown buildings are being asked to leave their lights on Sunday night to light up the Indianapolis sky during nighttime.
- Light buildings in Colts blue. Some downtown buildings, landmarks & monuments will be lit in Colts Blue over the weekend, including the Washington Street bridge in White River State Park. Some will sport the Colts horseshoe, including the Indianapolis Power & Light building on the Circle and the new downtown Simon headquarters.
- Blue spotlights on top of downtown buildings. Special lighting will be brought in to light up the downtown skyline.
- Downtown projections. Live Colts highlights and Colts horseshoes will be projected on to the Indiana State Museum and other downtown buildings.
- Airport welcome. Banners and welcoming signs will be out at the Indianapolis International Airport, as well as a welcoming presence for traveling media and fans.
- Light up Lucas Oil Stadium. Special lighting will be brought in to light up Lucas Oil Stadium so camera crews can take a look at the project which will create thousands of jobs, keep the Colts for 30 years and be the new Indianapolis home of the NCAA Final Four for decades to come.
- Indianapolis fans. Also this week, the Mayor is encouraging Indianapolis residents and employees to wear Colts’ colors, shirts and jerseys; fly Colts flags and banners in their homes and offices; and hold Colts parties and get-togethers to watch Sunday’s game with fellow fans.
- Local businesses. Local businesses are encouraged to support the Colts by allowing employees to wear Colts’ colors throughout the week, hanging Colts’ posters and banners in storefronts, spelling out “Go Colts” on their outdoor signs and flying Colts flags and banners.
- Sports Graphics posters. Local company, Sports Graphics, will be printing 55,000 Colts posters to various locations around the city.
- Fire trucks with Colts flags. The Indianapolis Fire Department will fly Colts banners and flags from their trucks.
- Colts Rallies. The Colts will be hosting several rallies this Friday. More details will be available later this week.
“Hosting the AFC Championship is clearly the biggest football event our city has ever seen and it will live up to its billing as one of the best events in the country,” Mayor Peterson said. “This is the reason you want professional sports in your community. It brings dollars and visitors to your city, it allows you to showcase your city to the world in a way that cannot be duplicated elsewhere and it’s great for all fans of different ages, races, religions, political persuasions and neighborhoods.”
The economic impact of the game will be in excess of $15 million. Other events will be announced throughout the week.
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