Huge Graphics on JW Marriott Indianapolis, Area Art Celebrate May at IMS
April 26, 2019 | By Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Signs of the Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are sprouting everywhere in Central Indiana, with none more visible than the huge graphics celebrating the 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on two sides of the JW Marriott Indianapolis hotel.
Installation of the graphics on the JW Marriott Indianapolis will start Sunday, April 28, with 2016 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alexander Rossi helping to put the finishing touches on the project Tuesday, April 30.
This is the fourth consecutive year the sleek, glass façade at the JW Marriott Indianapolis will feature a massive Month of May message for Central Indiana residents and visitors from around the world who will flock to the INDYCAR Grand Prix on Saturday, May 11 and the 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 26 at IMS.
But this is the first year that signage will appear on more than one side of the building, one of the tallest structures on the Indianapolis skyline. Indianapolis-based Sport Graphics has completed the project all four years.
The 2019 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge official event logo and #ThisIsMay hashtag are featured on the decal on the façade of the hotel. The northern spine of the hotel features a decal that reads “BACK HOME AGAIN” vertically and includes the top of the famous Borg-Warner Trophy presented annually to the winner of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
“There are numerous signals around Central Indiana that the Month of May is rapidly approaching, but none are bigger and more visible than these vivid graphics on the JW Marriott Indianapolis,” said Allison Melangton, senior vice president of events for Hulman Motorsports. “Indianapolis is one of the greatest host cities for major sporting events on Earth, a status that began with the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911. Our exciting, packed lineup of wheel-to-wheel racing, concerts and fun, fan-friendly activities at the track this May will only further enhance that reputation.
“We’re once again thankful for all of our partners for continuing this tradition that revs up everyone in Central Indiana for the INDYCAR Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. There truly is no place like Indy, which is home for race fans worldwide during the Month of May.”
The expanded graphics this year feature impressive dimensions, just like everything about events during the Month of May at IMS:
- The event logo and #ThisIsMay hashtag graphics are comprised of 9,072 square feet of vinyl.
- More than 45 2019 Corvette Grand Sport Pace Cars could fit inside the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge logo on the hotel façade.
- The top of the event logo on the façade is 330 feet above street level, approximately 45 feet higher than the top of the Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis.
- The combined “BACK HOME AGAIN” and Borg-Warner Trophy graphics on the northern spine of the hotel are 290 feet long and contain more than 5,000 square feet of vinyl.
- The flagger atop the Borg-Warner Trophy graphic is nearly 60 feet tall, equal to six stories of the building.
The hotel’s gleaming blue windows are reserved for just the biggest sporting occasions, with only the 2012 Super Bowl and 2015 NCAA Men’s Final Four receiving similar treatment.
This year’s graphic on the JW Marriott Indianapolis will be complemented by a significant décor takeover across Central Indiana. Month of May signage will be prominently displayed in downtown Indianapolis and the Town of Speedway, from Monument Circle to Circle Centre Mall, and Georgia Street to Main Street. And it will be impossible for visitors who fly in and out of Indianapolis International Airport to miss the May-themed décor, with an Indy 500 race car and huge “Back Home Again” graphic dominating the Civic Plaza, and additional signage placed throughout the terminal.
Artwork from the Welcome Race Fans program will be featured around greater Indianapolis, including the multiple locations in the popular Mass Ave dining and entertainment area, the Irvington neighborhood and the Town of Speedway.
Another art tradition, Indy Wings, returns this year bigger than ever as part of the Welcome Race Fans program. Indianapolis graphic artist Mallory Hodgkin created this year’s “wings” – an ode to the famed IMS “Wing and Wheel” logo – that were placed on buildings and on business fronts throughout Indianapolis and Central Indiana, providing a perfect photo opportunity for fans, pedestrians and business customers. Locations include Mass Ave, Broad Ripple, Fountain Square and the corner of Washington and Meridian streets in Indianapolis, Main Street in Speedway, and in the communities of Noblesville, Westfield, Fishers and Franklin Township.
Street signs featuring the names of Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge drivers also were installed recently in downtown Indianapolis.
Flags featuring the 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge event logo were raised and will fly throughout the Month of May at many Central Indiana landmarks, including the Governor’s Residence, Richard G. Lugar Plaza, Victory Field and the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, and locations in Speedway, Franklin and Noblesville.
Valued partners for these promotional initiatives include the Arts Council of Indianapolis, City of Indianapolis, Department of Public Works of Indianapolis, Downtown Indy, Inc., Emmis Communications, JW Marriott, Pattern Indy, Simon Property Group, Sport Graphics, Town of Speedway, Visit Indy and other communities and community partners throughout Central Indiana.
Visit IMS.com to buy tickets or for more information about all Month of May activities at IMS.