Consider this Super Bowl Sunday to be proof that anything is possible.
A generation ago, Hoosiers would have considered it ludicrous to think that Indiana and its capital city would someday serve as the host site of the most popular event on the American sports calendar. Before 1984, the only major-sport franchise in the state was the Indiana Pacers, who then were still considered by the NBA elite to be a stowaway from the defunct American Basketball Association. High-profile football was limited to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on the college level. Indianapolis handled the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” year after year, yet few expected anything more from the Circle City.
Thank goodness Indianapolis’ progressive leaders of that era didn’t fear dreaming big.
All last week, more than 300,000 visitors from around Indy, the state, the nation and, yes, the world descended on the city to savor its amenities and activities in advance of Super Bowl XLVI. Granted, that same number pours into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway every Memorial Day, but in the case of Super Bowl week, Indy needed more than a race and its historic venue to entertain the masses. Performing such a feat outside of the Speedway would have been unimaginable 30 years ago. Instead, the global guests have been raving about Indianapolis’ $12-million Super Bowl Village; the NFL Experience; the wild zipline that gives adventurous riders a bird’s-eye view of downtown; clubs; performers; restaurants; and the massive Lucas Oil Stadium.
The stadium is the successor to the Hoosier (later RCA) Dome, which got the green flag from visionary former Indianapolis Mayor William Hudnut. The original facility’s construction lured an NFL franchise, the Colts, from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984. The city was in the midst of a transformation. It developed into a host site for spectator sporting events, such as the Pan Am Games, NCAA basketball Final Fours, the NBA All-Star Game, and various Olympic Trials, as well as high-caliber musical concerts inside the sports venues and outdoor amphitheaters.
All of those bold steps led to tonight’s NFL championship at Lucas Oil between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. Since Indy won the bidding in 2008 to be the official site of Super Bowl No. 46, the town and surrounding state have been preparing to welcome the world — both those who physically visit and the estimated 112 million people who will watch the game and the wacky commercials on television. Rather than shuddering in anxiety, Hoosiers have enthusiastically embraced the challenge; we are indeed up to it.
Thus, Indy officials already are talking about hosting another Super Bowl, and maybe even a Republican or Democratic party national convention. Bring it on.
In the meantime, Terre Haute can draw inspiration from this moment. Like its larger, neighboring city, Terre Haute has surprised its skeptics by deftly handling events such as the Colts summer training camp (from 1999 to 2009), the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, the NCAA Division III women’s Final Four and the growing Blues at the Crossroads Festival.
Today, the phrase “we can’t do that here” is pretty rare in Indiana.
Editorials
EDITORIAL: Big dreams do come true
Hoosiers prove they are more than capable of hosting major events
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EDITORIAL: Towering response
It comes as incredibly sad news that a Garfield Towers resident has succumbed as the result of a fire last week at the northside apartment complex.
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EDITORIAL: Independent running mates
Almost certainly, running mates will not influence voters choosing Indiana’s next governor.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
• Cream of the crop
• Keep the ideas flowing
• Remembering fallen officers
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EDITORIAL: Hazards of the spring abundant now on I-70
A major holiday weekend is approaching. The weather has been consistently inviting for travel and outdoor activity. Gas prices are even inching downward.
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EDITORIAL: Embrace the Sycamores
Terre Haute should understand the rarity of an opportunity to celebrate a championship.
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EDITORIAL: Good choice for stability
For the first time in 25 years, Indiana will have a new chief justice for its Supreme Court. For those who value stability on the state’s highest court — and we count ourselves among those who do — the appointment Tuesday of longtime Justice Brent Dickson is good news.
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EDITORIAL: Correcting the prison imbalance
Terre Haute will no longer count federal prisoners when the city slices its population into six equal City Council districts. That decision by the City Council last week to remove the inmates at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex from the council district mathematical formula may not make waves, but it makes sense.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the News
• Sometimes bureaucracies do listen
• April hours bring May flowers
• Getting our airport off the ground
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EDITORIAL: When it’s IU vs. UK, there’s got to be a way
If the annual Indiana-Kentucky basketball game was not significant, would the coaches of the two universities be talking like this?
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EDITORIAL: Sen. Lugar’s compelling message
Richard Lugar, no stranger to reading political tea leaves, undoubtedly knew for weeks that defeat was coming Tuesday night in his primary fight for re-election against a more-conservative-than-thou opponent. A statement Lugar released just hours after his loss of titantic proportions indicates that the six-term incumbent saw the reality even before he knew Richard Mourdock was to be his opponent this May.
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EDITORIAL: Reviewing the landscape
The compelling story line surrounding the race between Richard Lugar and Richard Mourdock dominated most of the local primary election chatter. With those stunning results now in the books and Mourdock heading toward a showdown with Democratic Party nominee Joe Donnelly of South Bend (the current U.S. House rep from the 2nd District), it’s time to survey the landscape for other general election races that will be worthy of attention.
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EDITORIAL: GOP changed; Lugar didn’t
Six terms. Overwhelming popularity. A statesman and a gentleman. A visionary. An icon in the annals of U.S. Senate leadership, even world leadership. So dominating on the political landscape that the opposing party did not even produce a candidate in the last election.
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EDITORIAL: An exercise in democracy
Primary elections rarely draw the same levels of participation as general elections.
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EDITORIAL: Fight against child abuse demands ongoing attention
As with many of our nation’s most maddening and perplexing social problems, one hardly knows how to fathom the egregious wrongs that occur when a child is abused.
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EDITORIAL: A ‘giant’ for his hometown
Home is where the heart is. That’s true for all of us. In addition, your heart can take you home.
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EDITORIAL: Curbing corruption a worthwhile crusade
If you are cynical about government, down to its most local levels, you may think it is overrun — or even controlled — by corruption.
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EDITORIAL: The politics of Primary 2012
In less than a week, voting Hoosiers get a chance to make a statement about the future of politics in their state and beyond. But whatever that statement turns out to be, the final punctuation marks won’t be added until November. It’s possible that nothing will be settled by the end of the night May 8.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
• Their footsteps can lead us
• It would be music to his ears
• Feeding a genuine need
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EDITORIAL: Hoosier Republicans should stick with Richard Lugar
Until late 2008, most Hoosiers were quite pleased — and in many cases, darn right proud — to call Richard Lugar their senior U.S. senator.
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EDITORIAL: Matt Branam: 1954-2012
The sudden death of 57-year-old Matt Branam on Friday morning continues to leave an air of sadness hanging over the community.
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EDITORIAL: A transplant from St. Ann’s
It would be understandable, for most of us, if we were madder than the opposite of heaven if a beloved, historic, personal part of our lives was to be taken away against our will.
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EDITORIAL: Pragmatic approach to downtown development benefits community
Terre Haute has known for some time now that Indiana State University’s master plan includes creation of student residential centers off-campus in the nearby downtown area.
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TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: A salute to pride of ’55
Terre Haute gets the chance to witness and appreciate the extent of its rich baseball legacy this Saturday. Its past and present will merge at Bob Warn Field.
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EDITORIAL: A match of Mitt and Mitch?
Not every Indiana governor’s endorsement of a presidential candidate has made instant national news as did Mitch Daniels’ support for Mitt Romney on Wednesday.
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EDITORIAL: Drilling for fairness
Consistency and fairness were on trial Monday as the Vigo County commissioners grappled with a controversial rezoning request from a property owner who wants to drill for oil on his land near Hawthorn Park northeast of Terre Haute.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
Cheers, jeers and tears
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EDITORIAL: Be fair, consistent, but keep smokefree ordinance on track
The steps toward a healthier, more vibrant community should continue moving forward.
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EDITORIAL: Inspired by tradition, celebration
With the observance of Orthodox Easter on Sunday, the spring holy holidays for Christians and Jews will have passed for another year.
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EDITORIAL: No need to sing the blues
The words from Terre Haute Board of Works President Bob Murray on Monday afternoon were as sweet to the ear as a blues riff from an electric guitar: “The bottom line is, [Blues at the Crossroads] should be able to operate just as it has before. It will get worked out.”
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EDITORIAL: Traps abound in online world
For parents, guardians, civil authorities and those who supervise and nurture children of all ages, there is nothing new in the notion that the online world of digital communications is fraught with danger.
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