Quick concerts are expected to draw thousands to the county

Oct. 31—ANDERSON — As tens of thousands of Taylor Swift fans descend on Indianapolis this weekend to see three concerts by the global superstar, tourism officials in Madison County are anticipating an influx of visitors — and the dollars that come with them.

Mark Thacker, executive director of the Anderson Madison County Visitors Bureau, said many of the concertgoers are not locals, so there will be an overflow of people driving up Interstate 69 to stay at area hotels.

“Those who stay here will spend money in our community,” Thacker said. “With this, and with each of our hotel stays, we hope to give them a glimpse into what else is going on so they can get out and discover some of our own culinary talents.”

Thacker said officials in Anderson and elsewhere are promoting shopping and dining maps to “give ideas about where to go so they get enough of the experience that they want to visit again.”

Swift's performances at Lucas Oil Stadium during concerts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are expected to have an estimated $100 million economic impact in central Indiana, according to some experts. In addition to the hotel stays, other Swift-themed add-on events will also attract attendees, even if they don't have tickets to one of the shows.

With its proximity to Indianapolis, Madison County is well positioned to capture some of that trade, Thacker said.

“Whether it's Taylor, a wedding or just a drive through,” he said, “our goal is to always show what's going on so we can take the next trip where we're in the spotlight rather than across it “to drive around the county” or to another market for another special event.”