Indianapolis Final Four's $400M Economic Impact and What's at Stake

Indianapolis is hosting the NCAA Men's Final Four for a record-tying ninth time, and the economic stakes are enormous. Visit Indy estimates $400 million in economic impact from the event, more than the six largest Indianapolis conventions combined generated in a single year. Chris Gahl, executive vice president at Visit Indy, explains how the city is targeting fan bases in Chicago, Detroit, and Champaign to drive tourism beyond ticket holders, and how a 60-to-70 percent convention close rate during major sporting events makes the Final Four one of the city's most powerful sales tools. For the first time, Indianapolis is also hosting national championship games across every NCAA division and the NIT simultaneously. Also covered: Eli Lilly receives FDA approval for a new oral weight loss drug; SpectronRx secures $85 million in new investment to expand its radiopharmaceutical campus near Grissom Air Reserve Base; Purdue University rolls out a mobile audiology van to combat hearing loss among Indiana farmers; a $65 billion industrial campus is proposed for Sullivan in west-central Indiana; Mishawaka-based Butcher's Bounty expands its freeze-dried pet treat business to 40 states; and Sport Graphics, the Indianapolis company behind the iconic JW Marriott bracket display, celebrates 40 years in business. Purdue head coach Matt Painter also weighs in on NIL and the changing college basketball landscape.

Indiana could soon toll I-70 from border to border, a proposal that would cost passenger vehicles roughly $16 and trucks more than $80 per trip across the state. Danville Duncan, associate professor at Indiana University's O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, breaks down the fuel tax erosion driving the push for new highway revenue and the real concerns about traffic diverting to smaller roads like State Road 40. Also covered: Indianapolis prepares for its ninth Final Four, with Post Malone headlining the NCAA March Madness Music Festival and the city hosting Division I, II, and III championships alongside the NIT for the first time ever, a combination expected to generate $400 million for the Indiana economy. Toyota is investing $200 million at its Princeton plant to boost Grand Highlander production, and Patrick Industries is rolling out a digital design studio that lets RV buyers visualize their purchase on a life-size virtual screen. Then, the turnaround story at Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis. After a winless 2023 season, the football program built back-to-back winning records by adding Mental Resiliency Training, a pilot program led by Dr. Elaine Gilbert of Riley Children's Health and supported by a grant from the Riley Children's Foundation. The program is now expanding to athletes across all Indianapolis Public Schools. Plus, Fort Wayne's Science Central opens a new $3 million planetarium, the region's only public facility of its kind, and IBJ Media's Innovate Indiana series returns for a fifth year with nine stops across the state.

Indianapolis International Airport is on track for its second-busiest spring break season ever, with an estimated 620,000 passengers expected between mid-March and mid-April. Airport Authority Executive Director Mario Rodriguez joins the show to discuss a new airline, Avelo, launching nonstop service to New Haven, Conn., and Concord, N.C., on June 18, bringing the airport's total nonstop destinations to 57. Work continues on a new on-property Westin hotel and Rodriguez discusses the benefits of a $76 million parking expansion completed in 2024. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun announces a $1 billion, 10-year investment in agriculture technology and life sciences with a goal of creating more than 100,000 jobs statewide. Eli Lilly commits an additional $1.8 billion to its technology center near downtown Indianapolis and remains on schedule to begin producing medicines at the LEAP District in Lebanon. Also: a look at aviation growth at Fort Wayne, South Bend, Evansville and Purdue University airports; the Monon Corridor South Shore Line extension opening March 31; and Amish bull rider Marcus Mast representing Indiana on the PBR Unleash the Beast Tour.

The WNBA and its players union remain in collective bargaining negotiations, with players pushing for higher salaries, retired player benefits and team-provided housing. IU Columbus Associate Professor of Finance Ryan Brewer breaks down what is at stake as the league navigates its first profitable year, fueled in part by Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. Also, GE Aerospace commits $65 million to three Indiana facilities in Indianapolis, Terre Haute and Lafayette as part of a $1 billion U.S. investment plan. Plus, the Televerde Foundation helps women in Indiana correctional facilities build workforce skills through a six-month career program. And a look back at the legacy of Purdue University's Dr. Philip Low, a serial entrepreneur whose work helped launch Indiana's radiopharmaceutical industry.

Indiana’s $6.5 billion defense sector is playing a growing role as the U.S. military operates in the Middle East. Sen. Todd Young and industry leaders discuss how assets like Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, hypersonics research, microelectronics and a new munitions campus are expanding the state’s national security footprint and supporting more than 60,000 jobs. Also in this episode, mortgage rates dip below 6% for the first time in more than three years. Indiana Association of Realtors CEO Mark Fisher explains what falling rates and rising inventory mean for buyers and sellers as the 2026 housing market begins to thaw. Plus, a Fishers filmmaker releases his short film about losing his sister to addiction on YouTube to expand its reach to students and educators. And in Plymouth, Zentis North America marks 20 years of production as the largest popping boba manufacturer in the United States.

Kylie Veleta fills in for Gerry Dick with a look at high-tech health innovation in Indiana, including Eli Lilly’s new LillyPod supercomputer built with Nvidia to speed drug discovery and development, and SpectronRx’s growing cyclotron operations fueling radiopharmaceutical cancer treatments. The episode also updates the Chicago Bears stadium push tied to Hammond and Wolf Lake, along with Illinois lawmakers’ efforts to keep the team in-state.Plus, an Indy 500 ticket design reveal and the launch of IBJ Media’s “Playmakers” podcast with Dave Calabro. You will also hear about New Shoe Day’s effort to provide properly fitting shoes for kids across Indiana and plans for new dining options and an incubator space at Indianapolis International Airport.

Inside Indiana Business host Kylie Valeta reports on Indiana’s push to attract the Chicago Bears as lawmakers advance Senate Bill 27 to create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, with Hammond named as the proposed site for a new stadium if a deal moves forward. The episode also takes a close look at ACMI’s new National Security Industrial Hub in Bloomfield near the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, backed by a $75 million federal award and anchored by Prometheus Energetics with plans for dozens of buildings and expanded manufacturing tied to defense production. The show explores the economic impact of the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis and the strategy to keep it in the city beyond 2028, along with the long-term push to land a future NFL draft. It also goes behind the scenes of the upcoming Christie’s auction of the Jim Irsay Collection, featuring iconic music and pop culture artifacts, with a portion of proceeds supporting philanthropic causes. Elsewhere: Spokenote expands its scannable barcode technology with a new Dynamic Video product for personalized messaging at scale, new USDA meat labeling rules redefine what “Product of USA” and “Made in the USA” mean for Hoosier farmers, and Purdue’s Ag Economy Barometer drops amid tighter cash flow and rising loan needs. Also featured: a new pre-hospital blood transfusion program in Plainfield, Hendricks County’s “For Real” tourism campaign, and 2026 food and drink trends from Yelp.

Host Gerry Dick looks ahead to the Indianapolis 500 with IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles, including the rush for tickets, where things stand on the local live broadcast decision and the red-white-and-blue “United We Race” marketing push. The episode also checks in on the IMS Museum and its evolving fan experience, including new engagement plans and talk of a future restoration and event center. The show then turns to the economic and social impact of hunger with Gleaners Food Bank President and CEO Fred Glass on food insecurity, poverty and how hunger affects health, work and communities. In statewide headlines, Portage floats a lakefront stadium district pitch tied to the Chicago Bears talk, Meta begins construction on a major data center in Lebanon and Sweetwater plans a distribution center expansion. Business of Health reporter Kylie Veleta reports on Eli Lilly and Company’s deal for Orna Therapeutics and an Indiana startup’s Bedside Bike technology being studied in hospitals, and the episode also spotlights Jay Leno’s look at Slate Auto plus Dave Calabro’s new IBJ Media Podcast Network show, “Playmakers.”

Inside Indiana Business host Gerry Dick reports from Bloomington’s Trades District, including The Mill, with a close-up look at the launch of Amplify Bloomington. The initiative unites regional public, private and academic leaders to better connect research, business and startups, strengthening the economy, brand and long-term opportunity. The show explores how Bloomington is aligning major employers, civic leadership and Indiana University around an innovation strategy to attract and keep talent, including housing and quality-of-life efforts like Hopewell on the former IU Health Bloomington Hospital site. It also links the region’s growth plans to broader tech and defense assets, including Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center and the corridor to 16 Tech Innovation District. Elsewhere: Subaru starts building Forester hybrid models in Lafayette, Arrow McLaren Racing opens a new HQ in Indianapolis, and Tony Kanaan discusses fan-focused plans. The episode also highlights Purdue University ties to NASA’s Artemis II and research on astronaut health. Also featured: Hancock Health’s podcast outreach, a DORA district in Elkhart, Neighbor Serve, Elkhart Brass winning the Indiana Chamber contest, and Mike DeCourcy on IU football, plus a closing look at Lake Monroe.

Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick highlights Indiana’s growing leadership in radiopharmaceuticals and precision medicine, focusing on Indianapolis-based Spectron Rx and its major expansion near Bunker Hill. The project nearly doubles the company’s footprint near Grissom Air Force Base, expands its Miami County campus from about 20 acres to 34 acres, and quadruples manufacturing space to meet rising demand for next-generation cancer drugs. Business of Health reporter Kylie Valletta explains how Indiana’s nuclear medicine cluster is gaining momentum, with 16 companies statewide and logistics playing a critical role for medicines that can expire in less than 24 hours. The episode also covers aviation growth and workforce development, including the opening of Republic Airways’ new $200 million corporate headquarters in Carmel. Republic President Matt Koscal discusses the campus design, training operations with full motion simulators, and efforts to address the national pilot shortage through LIFT Academy at Indianapolis International Airport. Additional segments examine downtown Indianapolis campus construction tied to Indiana University and Purdue University, statewide business headlines, and a conversation with Jim Cornelison on singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” and its connection to the Indianapolis 500.