For the Month of May, the JW Marriott hotel in downtown Indianapolis will be getting makeover to celebrate the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.
Adoring the exterior of the downtown hotel will be a 74,538 sq. ft. graphic that will have a rendering of the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy. The graphic has been commissioned by the 100th Running Host Committee.
“I can’t think of a better way to build anticipation for the 100th Running and celebration this city’s unique capacity to successfully host marquee sporting events,” said Patty Martin, member of the 100th Running Host Committee’s Executive Committee and the 2016 chair of the 500 Festival Board of Directors. “The 100th Running Host Committee, with its many wonderful volunteers and generous donors, is extremely proud of this effort that will inspire pride amongst Hoosiers and awe from onlookers across the globe.”
The full graphic besides featuring the trophy will have an IndyCar, racing strips and the phrase “Epic Race. Epic Place.
The graphic that will cover 501 panels will be installed by hand beginning April 18th with the installation fully complete for most of the month of May. Once fully installed it will be 246 ft. wide and 303 ft. tall. If all the panels were laid end to end, they would cover 13,200ft, the 2.5 mile length of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This is not the first time a graphic to celebrate a notable sports event in Indianapolis has adored the JW Marriott. The first time was for the 2012 Super Bowl, while the second time was for the 2015 Men’s Final Four.
The 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 will run on May 29th on at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
