IndyStar Sports

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis skyline will again celebrate the Month of May and the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil, with a JW Marriott façade installation greeting residents and visitors from across the globe with a special, larger-than-life message.

The 101st Running logo will be presented alongside a message that celebrates the iconic race and the city it calls home: ”The Greatest CITY in Racing.” The graphic will also feature the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Verizon IndyCar Series logos.

Work on the exciting project, part of the recently unveiled 500 Forward initiative, begins today. It will be completed by Indianapolis-based Sport Graphics.

“Indianapolis is known around the world as among the very best hosts for major sporting events, and that all began more than a century ago with the first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race,” Hulman Motorsports Senior Vice President of Events Allison Melangton said. “So this year’s design plays off that concept, celebrating the important role the Indianapolis community has played—and continues to play each year—in the success of the world’s largest single-day sporting event.”

IMS President Doug Boles, Sport Graphics CEO Frank Hancock and JW Marriott Indianapolis General Manager Phil Ray joined Melangton in rising above the city to help install the first panels of the huge graphic this afternoon.

This year’s design covers approximately 18,500 square feet and is more than eight stories tall. The top of the graphic is 325 feet off the ground, and the vinyl decal weighs more than 1,000 pounds.

Last year, to celebrate the 100th Running, the JW Marriott Indianapolis featured a large-scale graphic of the Borg-Warner Trophy. 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, including a major presence downtown and at the Indianapolis International Airport. Stay tuned for more information on these efforts.

The 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil will take place Sunday, May 28. Visit IMS.com to purchase tickets and for more information on the complete Month or May schedule at IMS.