--- title: "A Breath of Fresh Air: How Indy is Redefining the Event Experience With Green Space" id: "56464" type: "post" slug: "a-breath-of-fresh-air-how-indy-is-redefining-the-event-experience-with-green-space" published_at: "2025-05-19T13:00:00+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T17:45:04+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/19/a-breath-of-fresh-air-how-indy-is-redefining-the-event-experience-with-green-space/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/19/a-breath-of-fresh-air-how-indy-is-redefining-the-event-experience-with-green-space.md" excerpt: "Green space takes center stage in Indy’s $3 billion transformation." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "event planning" - "green space" - "Meetings" - "Onsite Experience" - "outdoor events" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » A Breath of Fresh Air: How Indy is Redefining the Event Experience With Green Space Imagine stepping out of a breakout session and into a tree-lined promenade, the buzz of downtown giving way to open air, skyline views, and spontaneous connection. In Indy, this isn’t just possible — it’s the new standard. ## Outdoor Spaces Elevate the Event Experience As the city undergoes a $[3 billion wave of tourism-related development (opens in a new tab)](https://www.visitindy.com/meetings/why-indy/new-developments/) , it’s doing something rare: placing green space at the center of the convention experience. Here, fresh air and flexibility aren’t just amenities — they’re built into the meeting design. Nowhere is this more evident than Georgia Street, already known for Super Bowl activations and Final Four fan energy. It’s being completely reimagined into a park-like pedestrian plaza closed to vehicular traffic, creating a seamless, landscaped connection between the front steps of the Indiana Convention Center and the new 800-room Signia by Hilton. This redesigned stretch will offer built-in infrastructure for staging events, hosting receptions, or giving attendees space to recharge — all just steps from the show floor. Both the Georgia Street Redevelopment and the Signia by Hilton are scheduled to open in 2026. ## Expanding Flexible Environments and Riverfront Trails Just west, the White River State Park expansion is adding 15 acres of flexible green space and riverfront trails to downtown. Anchored by a dramatic event venue built inside a repurposed industrial structure, this space combines skyline views, limestone seating steps, and an organic connection to the river — creating a one-of-a-kind backdrop for off-site events, outdoor sessions, or evening receptions under the stars. And it’s all connected by Indy’s expansive, ever-growing trail network. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is expanding westward via the new Henry Street Bridge, while the B&O Trail is linking downtown to Speedway, and the Nickel Plate Trail heads northeast toward Fishers and Noblesville. For attendees, it means effortless movement — from sessions to strolls, keynotes to kick-back moments — with the city as their playground. ## Think “Outside” the Box to Set Events Apart In Indy, outdoor space isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a core part of the convention experience. Explore how your next event can thrive in the open air at [VisitIndy.com/meet (opens in a new tab)](http://visitindy.com/meet) . [Mark Athitakis](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Mark Athitakis, a contributing editor for Associations Now, has written on nonprofits, the arts, and leadership for a variety of publications. He is a coauthor of The Dumbest Moments in Business History and hopes you never qualify for the sequel. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Tags: [#event planning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/event-planning/) [#green space](https://associationsnow.com/tag/green-space/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#Onsite Experience](https://associationsnow.com/tag/onsite-experience/) [#outdoor events](https://associationsnow.com/tag/outdoor-events/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoKevin Hesser Shares His Experience at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 12, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/12/kevin-hesser-shares-his-experience-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Day 2 from the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 12, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/12/asae-tv-daily-recap-day-2-from-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Day 1 from the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 11, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/11/asae-tv-daily-recap-day-1-from-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Final Day at the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 14, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/14/asae-tv-daily-recap-final-day-at-the-2025-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2025%2F05%2F19%2Fa-breath-of-fresh-air-how-indy-is-redefining-the-event-experience-with-green-space%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !