Indiana Convention Center Expansion Fuels Growth
by Mark Hebert, Exhibit City News
Lancaster Management Services, Inc. has delivered quality tradeshow and event services for nearly 20 years. Founded by Patrick Lancaster, the company prioritizes employees and customers, ensuring efficiency, eliminating uncertainty, and enhancing tradeshow value while expanding nationally, always maintaining top-tier customer service.
The Indiana Convention Center is undergoing its sixth expansion, adding the state’s largest ballroom, meeting rooms, and event space. Connected by a skybridge, it will include an 800-room hotel with a rooftop bar and sky lounge. Completion is expected in summer 2026.
Exhibit City News sat down with members of the Lancaster team to discuss Indianapolis.
Q: As a labor company based in Indianapolis, what is Lancaster Management Services’ forecast for the future of Indianapolis as a convention city given the recent expansion of the Indiana Convention Center?
A: We are excited about the future with this new
expansion. Indianapolis is our favorite downtown area, and with the addition of space and a hotel, it is now one of the best downtown convention areas.
Q: What do you see as special challenges facing your growing market for an I&D company–i.e., labor, staffing, training, logistics, budgets, competition?
A: Labor will be a challenge due to the industry’s workforce shortage. We must actively seek new team members to support this exciting time. Competition will increase as companies see Indianapolis as an opportunity, but we welcome it. More exposure will bring more events and revenue for our industry and city.
Q: Do you see Indianapolis becoming a second-tier convention center because of
the expansion?
A: This expansion will give the Indiana Convention Center almost one million square feet of space. While not as large as Chicago or Orlando, we have numerous hotels, dining, and entertainment options within walking distance, unlike other convention cities. Covered walkways make it accessible even during colder weather. I believe it should
be considered a top-tier
convention center.
Q: What is the economic impact of the convention expansion and things like hotel rooms and tourism? What about attractions like dining and entertainment?
A: This expansion will lead to $1.3 billion in conventions committed to Indianapolis, with an additional $1 billion in new conventions coming soon. Notable commitments include:
GenCon: Renewed through 2030
Drum Corps International: Renewed through 2033
National FFA: Renewed through 2033
Alcoholics Anonymous International Convention: Coming in 2035 for its 100th anniversary
Q: How is Lancaster Management Services preparing for more activity and meeting the needs of this growing market?
A: We have promoted Daniel Gibbs to Indianapolis City Manager. He has grown up in the industry, with his father, Skip Gibbs, as our Midwest Regional Director and brother to our owner, Patrick Lancaster. With his promotion, we will have multiple layers of our operations team supporting all the new shows and events from this expansion.
Q: Please give us a bit of background on you and Lancaster Management Services and how it is evolving. As a regional director, how are you personally meeting these expectations?
A: Skip Gibbs, Director of Midwest Operations, has been with the company since 2006. In these 18 years, he has held many roles in our operations, helping shape it to what it is today. “I see my job and performance as a direct reflection of myself personally. This company is my top priority after family. I constantly work on improving our team members and being cost-effective with our materials and equipment to benefit our company and clients,” said Gibbs. “I am also continuously searching, hiring, and training new talent to meet our clients’ needs and our continuing growth.”
Q: Why is Lancaster Management Services the best choice for a company exhibiting in Indianapolis?
A: We started in Indianapolis and have our roots here. Many of our team members are locals with ties to the city. This means we know people, have connections, and have local resources, which is often what it takes to get the job done. This year is our 20th anniversary, and our start was based on providing large-market service in small-market areas. We were servicing this area before other companies even knew where Indianapolis was located. During this time, we have gained a reputation as the go-to labor management company in the area. We are privately owned, making our clients and employees as close to ownership as one can get. Patrick emphasizes family values, reflected in our client relationships and customer service. We don’t have a larger equity firm controlling our
actions, allowing us to meet our clients’ and employees’ needs effectively.
For more information on Lancaster, please visit: www.lancastermanagement.com/ For more about Indianapolis, please visit: https://www.visitindy.com/
This story originally appeared in the Q3 2024 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 52. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/ecn_q3_2024/52.
