Capital Improvement Board Adds New Venue For More Basketball Hype Around NBA All-Star 2024 Weekend

Capital Improvement Board Adds New Venue For More Basketball Hype Around NBA All-Star 2024 Weekend

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Pan Am Tower Will Host Indiana Historical Society’s Travelling Basketball Exhibits, Future Visitor Experiences and Amenities  

January 31, 2024 (INDIANAPOLIS) – The NBA All-Star 2024 menu of events is getting an addition that will showcase the Hoosier State’s storied basketball history.  The Capital Improvement Board of Marion County (CIB) is partnering with the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) to add traveling basketball-centric exhibits at the lower level of the Pan Am Tower, just across the street from the south end of the Indiana Convention Center where NBA Crossover will be taking place.

The 3,000 square foot retail space at 201 S. Capitol Street will be known as The Index and will host the exhibits throughout the run of the NBA All-Star 2024 weekend.

“Indy always strives to put on the most robust and entertaining events on the planet,” said CIB Executive Director Andy Mallon.  “The CIB has three facilities hosting NBA All-Star 2024 events so naturally we’re going an extra mile and adding space to highlight the extent to which basketball is ingrained in our state’s psyche.  Hosting the Indiana Historical Society’s basketball exhibits provides great context to our identity as a basketball state and provides our guests with one more cool, free thing to do while they’re on our campus.”

The Index will be open to the public 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily from Friday, February 16 through Sunday, February 18.  Entry will be free. Here’s what visitors can expect to see:

• Going Pro: Basketball Origins in Indiana focuses on Indiana’s impact on the origins of professional basketball.
• In connection with IHS’s Chuck Taylor All Star exhibit, Converse will showcase archival product that traces their deep historical legacy in basketball from the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star, named after the Indiana great, to the later Converse Weapon, which debuted at All- Star weekend in 1986.
• Video footage of Indiana-related basketball history over the decades, including excerpts from the documentary Attucks: The School That Opened A City.

“Our state has played and loved the game of basketball like no other for more than a century,” said Jody Blankenship, IHS President and CEO. “We are so excited to share stories of Indiana’s basketball past with visitors—from both around the world and here at home.”

The Index provides one of many arts and culture offerings throughout Indy’s Home Court, the footprint for All-Star 2024 weekend activities in downtown Indy.  Visitors should also check out:

• Crossover, a multi-day interactive fan event at the Indiana Convention Center that brings basketball culture to the forefront and features player appearances, live performances and unique activations focused on art, music, fashion, technology and entertainment.
• Hoosier Historia, a set of 24 giant basketball sculptures designed and painted with 24 different interpretations of high school basketball history and located all around downtown Indy.
• Butter at Indy’s Home Court, an arts exhibit featuring black artists at the Artsgarden. 100% of sales proceeds go to the artists.
• Cultural Corridor, a showcase of local brands running along Washington Street. Visitors will find improv comedy, streetwear, food, music and more.

And last but (obviously) not least, the grand finale to all these offerings will be the NBA All-Star 2024 game on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the penultimate State Farm All-Star Saturday Night events taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium.

About the Capital Improvement Board

The Capital Improvement Board (CIB) is a municipal corporation of Marion County created in 1965 by the Indiana General Assembly pursuant to the provisions of Indiana Code 36-10-9, and authorized by the statute to finance, construct, equip, operate and maintain any capital facilities or improvements of general public benefit or welfare which promote and serve the commercial, industrial and cultural interests of Indiana and its citizens. The Board may assist, cooperate and fund governmental, public, and private agencies and groups for these purposes. The CIB operates and/or owns the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Victory Field, Virginia Avenue Parking Garage, and Hudnut Commons, all located in downtown Indianapolis.

About the Indiana Historical Society

The Indiana Historical Society collects and preserves Indiana’s unique stories; brings Hoosiers together in remembering and sharing the past; and inspires a future grounded in our state’s uniting values and principles. IHS is a Smithsonian Affiliate and a member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.

About NBA All-Star 2024

NBA All-Star 2024 takes place in downtown Indianapolis Thursday, Feb. 15 through Sunday, Feb. 18. Indianapolis last hosted the event in 1985. For more information on NBA All-Star 2024, visit www.pacers.com/allstar.