Indy leaders urge peace as WNBA All-Star weekend approaches
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IMPD Chief Chris Bailey talks WNBA All-Star safety while flanked by IFD Chief Ernest Malone, Mayor Joe Hogsett, Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines and Downtown Indy Inc. president and CEO Taylor Schaffer. Photo: Justin L. Mack/Axios
Local civic and law enforcement leaders want everyone to know that downtown Indianapolis is a safe place.
Why it matters: Tens of thousands of people are about to descend upon the Circle City this weekend for arguably the biggest WNBA All-Star celebration of all time and the final weekend of Indiana Black Expo's 2025 Summer Celebration.
The big picture: The message that multiple agencies will be working overtime in an effort to keep downtown safe follows consecutive weekends of violence that have cast a deadly shadow over the start of summer and reignited conversations on how to protect — and police — the city's youth.
What they're saying: "I'm asking people to come downtown, or into any of our neighborhoods, and have a peaceful heart," IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said during a Monday press conference. "Continue to be that example and the guiding light for our youth as we move into a very busy weekend in our city."
Zoom in: Bailey said there will be more police in every part of the county thanks to partnerships with the Indiana State Police and federal partners.
- Along with increased foot, car, bike, horse and ATV patrols, public safety drones will keep an eye on things from above.
- Privately owned drones of any kind, regardless of size, are prohibited in venues and the immediately surrounding area.
- A complete breakdown of what is and isn't allowed can be found here.
Mel Raines, Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO, said security inside Gainbridge will be similar to what we see during regular Fever games, with all the same registrations and bag policies in place.
- She added that the ticketed checkpoints used during the Pacers' NBA Finals run are making a comeback.
- That means starting four hours before tip-off, fans must show their tickets to gain access to the different parts of Gainbridge, including the Morris Bicentennial Plaza public space outside the arena.
Zoom out: Outdoor activities will pack fans into Monument Circle and Georgia Street as well, prompting a series of closures that start as early as Wednesday.
- A full list of WNBA All-Star road closures and recommended travel routes can be found here.
- Downtown parking info can be found here.
- To make getting around with all those fans less painful, IndyGo buses will be free for all riders on Friday and Saturday.
- Pacers Bikeshare will also be free to check out with a promo code.
State of play: To keep fans in the loop, an emergency mass text service is being established specifically for All-Star Weekend.
- To receive real-time public safety updates, text ALLSTAR25 to 67283.
- When the weekend ends, registered numbers will be cleared from the system.
What's next: Though the immediate focus is this weekend's celebrations, Mayor Joe Hogsett said leaders will be taking steps during the rest of the summer to make our weekends peaceful.
- That includes the City-County Council's consideration of an extended curfew to get kids off the street two hours earlier each night.
- "The curfew is important, and we're moving it through the council now …. but that's not a standalone issue," he said. "I encourage everyone to come downtown if they want to come downtown. Just don't bring a gun with you. That's one way to be peaceful."