Will Higgins

IndyStar

Gen Con, Indianapolis' largest annual convention, will expand its game-playing presence Downtown next year.

Organizers of the gaming confab, with its some 60,000 attendees and $50 million economic impact, will expand into Lucas Oil Stadium for its 2016 event Aug. 4-7. Previously, it has occupied only the Indiana Convention Center and some surrounding hotels.

A Gen Con favorite attraction called "True Dungeon" will be moved to the home field of the Indianapolis Colts football team. The "live action role-playing" game, or LARP, is a bit like going through a haunted house but with a job to do. "You're trying to solve a mystery," said Stacia Kirby, a Gen Con representative.

The expansion plan marks a turn of events from earlier this year when Gen Con hinted at looking to host its convention elsewhere. CEO Adrian Swartout had objected to the Indiana General Assembly's passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. He said that a competitive offer from a state that grants civil rights protections to gays and lesbians could be a “catalyst” for Gen Con exiting Indianapolis when its contract with the city expires in 2020.

Gen Con's objection was part of a firestorm of protests that forced legislators to modify the legislation, amending the measure so that local human rights ordinances would no longer be negated by the new law.

The question of whether to go further and expand Indiana’s civil rights law to include sexual orientation and gender identity is still being debated.

Regardless of the outcome, Gen Con may depart after 2020, Kirby said. It already has begun considering other locations.

"'Shopping around' is not the right word," Kirby said, "but generally with conventions this size, you take a look at other options. It's very standard in the event industry."

She said the expansion into Lucas Oil Stadium is simply an effort to improve conventioneers' experience. "True Dungeon," one of Gen Con's most popular attractions, often sells out even before the convention begins, Kirby said.

By moving the live action role playing game to the stadium, Gen Con can "take advantage of a massive dividing wall to completely isolate the darker adventure area from the brighter lit (and more noisy) coaching area," a statement from the organization said.

Contact Star reporter Will Higgins at (317) 444-6043. Follow him on Twitter @WillRHiggins.

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