Re: Mr Kurt

Guest 7/17/2008, 6:57 pm

OK, here's the scoop. The following hotels are BOOKED for the magic weekend: Holiday Inn Express, Hyatt Regency, Hampton Inn, Days Inn, Courtyard, SHeraton, Residence Inn, and Embassy Suites.

Conrad ($615), Westin ($554), Canterbury ($647) and University Place ($354) are still available. For the price difference I'm thinking I'll stay at University Place (near the IUPUI campus). Is this within reasonable walking distance to the downtown restaurants/pubs/Lucas Oil? They have a shuttle that runs between the hotel and the downtown area but I'm guessing that will be jammed or otherwise unavailable on game day so I'll probably have to walk back to the hotel after the game.

Any suggestions? Clearly, the places are filling up fast. Cravn, have you booked your trip yet? Better hurry!

I figure the whole weekend will cost me about a grand. Better have some good eats at the bash and the Colts had better beat the crap out of the rat birds. cheerstoyou

Magic 7/17/2008, 8:40 pm

I still like the old Omni Hotel in downtown Indy myself.

cravnravn 7/18/2008, 1:27 am

You havent figured it out Blue, Im nothing but a 4 star hotel stayer. Westin could be nice, and dont worry Kurt theres plenty of time to book, I hope Blue is not just trying to book thru the hotel, caus thats pretty pricy for a weekend..Im looking at deals now on Travelocity, Expedia and Hotwire, that are not even close to those prices and include air fare!!!! Im sorry Blueman, but 9 1/2 hrs in a car would do me in. We'll hook up though dont you worry.

cravnravn 7/18/2008, 1:30 am

I figure the whole weekend will cost me about a grand. Better have some good eats at the bash and the Colts had better beat the crap out of the rat birds.

You know the food will be good..Sorry you wont get your other wish though Blue, Now Im glad Im flying, 9.5 hrs back with a crying Colts Fan would definately put me over the edge.

Guest 7/18/2008, 6:29 am

Magic wrote:I still like the old Omni Hotel in downtown Indy myself.

Good choice, Magic. Right in the heart of things and first class accomodations.
The University Place is not too far, but that's a relative term... depends on what is too far to you. Some I know park a mile away from the stadium to save $5 parking... to me, that's too far.

I'd like to start dialing in the plans a bit. You guys are spending some heathy coin to come visit our fair city... I want to make sure its worth your while! Tell me again when you plan on arriving? Leaving? When's the best time for the bash? Saturday before gameday? It will be here before we know it.

cravnravn 7/18/2008, 6:45 am

ColtsKurt wrote:
Magic wrote:I still like the old Omni Hotel in downtown Indy myself.

Good choice, Magic. Right in the heart of things and first class accomodations.
The University Place is not too far, but that's a relative term... depends on what is too far to you. Some I know park a mile away from the stadium to save $5 parking... to me, that's too far.

I'd like to start dialing in the plans a bit. You guys are spending some heathy coin to come visit our fair city... I want to make sure its worth your while! Tell me again when you plan on arriving? Leaving? When's the best time for the bash? Saturday before gameday? It will be here before we know it.

I plan on arriving Saturday am, then departing Monday late am early afternoon. Lets get a menu started, seafood anyone?

dblshockpwr 7/18/2008, 7:46 am

cravnravn wrote:
ColtsKurt wrote:
Magic wrote:I still like the old Omni Hotel in downtown Indy myself.

Good choice, Magic. Right in the heart of things and first class accomodations.
The University Place is not too far, but that's a relative term... depends on what is too far to you. Some I know park a mile away from the stadium to save $5 parking... to me, that's too far.

I'd like to start dialing in the plans a bit. You guys are spending some heathy coin to come visit our fair city... I want to make sure its worth your while! Tell me again when you plan on arriving? Leaving? When's the best time for the bash? Saturday before gameday? It will be here before we know it.

I plan on arriving Saturday am, then departing Monday late am early afternoon. Lets get a menu started, seafood anyone?

Cravn you're going to be disapointed with the seafood in the midwest unless you have some shipped in... just to give you heads up on that one...

dblshockpwr 7/18/2008, 7:50 am

BlueShoes1 wrote:OK, here's the scoop. The following hotels are BOOKED for the magic weekend: Holiday Inn Express, Hyatt Regency, Hampton Inn, Days Inn, Courtyard, SHeraton, Residence Inn, and Embassy Suites.

Conrad ($615), Westin ($554), Canterbury ($647) and University Place ($354) are still available. For the price difference I'm thinking I'll stay at University Place (near the IUPUI campus). Is this within reasonable walking distance to the downtown restaurants/pubs/Lucas Oil? They have a shuttle that runs between the hotel and the downtown area but I'm guessing that will be jammed or otherwise unavailable on game day so I'll probably have to walk back to the hotel after the game.

Any suggestions? Clearly, the places are filling up fast. Cravn, have you booked your trip yet? Better hurry!

I figure the whole weekend will cost me about a grand. Better have some good eats at the bash and the Colts had better beat the crap out of the rat birds.

blue it would be a pretty stiff walk....... I don't think that I would recommend walking from university place to the stadium myself... plus there are still some undesireable elements downtown lurking around.... I wouldn't do it myself.

If you want to be in walking distance and safe the Westin is probably your best bet buddy.....

plus there is a Shula's resteraunt there too.

Guest 7/18/2008, 8:51 am

Cooking seafood isn't a midwest staple... we could go to OceanAire if we've got to do seafood... I've been told they have the best local seafood. $$$$ rating, though, and I was thinking the grill was gonna be in use. (We could eat somewhere downtown pre/post game...)

Tilapia in a pan on the stove is as far as I've gone, seafood cooking wise.

Who's hosting the bash? Sounds like Saturday evening is the best bet... 2shock... you seemed rather high on your backyard retreat... or mine is fine. You're far W as I recall, I'm far NE. 99, sorry, you're too far north, in Huntington, right?

Guest 7/18/2008, 9:09 am

My plans:

Arrive early Saturday afternoon. Leave Monday morning. I'm not gonna stand in the way of a seafood bash but can someone grill at least two burgers? If I end up flying, I'll ship a shoe-fly pie to Kurt's house. Won't be able to bring the Yeungling's Lager though. If I drive, all's good. I should firm up my hotel/flight plans within the next week or so.

Cravn, On Expedia - Westin 2 nights plus Philly flight is $760. That's about the best I've been able to find (now that University Place is out of it). Orbitz has the Canterbury plus flight for $776. For the extra $16 could stay in real luxury for two nights.

dblshockpwr 7/18/2008, 11:42 am

ColtsKurt wrote:Cooking seafood isn't a midwest staple... we could go to OceanAire if we've got to do seafood... I've been told they have the best local seafood. $$$$ rating, though, and I was thinking the grill was gonna be in use. (We could eat somewhere downtown pre/post game...)

Tilapia in a pan on the stove is as far as I've gone, seafood cooking wise.

Who's hosting the bash? Sounds like Saturday evening is the best bet... 2shock... you seemed rather high on your backyard retreat... or mine is fine. You're far W as I recall, I'm far NE. 99, sorry, you're too far north, in Huntington, right?

LOL my house is kinda in mid-remodel right now CK......I should be done before the game though....(right now as we speak all the carpeting is gone and I'm on plywood floors.)

Would everybody be open to a Bookie Challenge Ultimate tailgate party? I mean everybody IS going to be heading downtown right? (it would give me an excuse to buy that receiver hitch grill I've been looking at LOL) I've got a turkey fryer set-up as well.......and a small generator.....we would just have to make some kind of parking arangements in advance, but we could do it up right there at the stadium if thats more convenient for everybody...

dblshockpwr 7/18/2008, 12:17 pm

plus if Blue is going to be driving at least 10 hours I doubt if he would want to fight the westside or the northside traffic on top of that...

Agent 99 7/18/2008, 12:27 pm

ColtsKurt wrote:Cooking seafood isn't a midwest staple... we could go to OceanAire if we've got to do seafood... I've been told they have the best local seafood. $$$$ rating, though, and I was thinking the grill was gonna be in use. (We could eat somewhere downtown pre/post game...)

Tilapia in a pan on the stove is as far as I've gone, seafood cooking wise.

Who's hosting the bash? Sounds like Saturday evening is the best bet... 2shock... you seemed rather high on your backyard retreat... or mine is fine. You're far W as I recall, I'm far NE. 99, sorry, you're too far north, in Huntington, right?

Yes,

I'm about 25 miles SW of Ft. Wayne.

I have been to the Oceanaire and it's damn good food. Fresh seafood flown in every day. You guys just let me know what we're doing about eating. I can bring food as well. I make a mean rub for ribs!

We'll probably be staying in Indy for the weekend as well. So I hope you don't mind Mrs. 99 coming along. It's a package deal!!!!

Magic 7/18/2008, 1:12 pm

Well of course you have to bring Mrs.99 Cole!

She has to keep you out of trouble in the big city

I still have to talk Mrs.Magic into going again.

Now how much farther away from the Omni is the Lucas compared to the RCA?????

I don't do lots of walking and I won't make the Mrs. do that but as I recall it was a short walk from the Omni to the RCA.

We walked around that area and saw the Capitol and that old Catholic church.......and that damn Shula place that I walked by and gave it the "bird"

I do remember it wasn't cheap since we stayed 4 days but I would be tempted to stay a week if I can get her to go.

I guess we could get some local like Kurt pick us up at the front door......and I know 99 had no trouble finding me.......and we watched Mrs. Magic throw TD passes outside the Omni for the local espn radio

Guest 7/18/2008, 1:28 pm

Lucas is about 2 blocks directly south of the RCA Dome. Still within walking distance.

As far as transportation from downtown accomodations to wherever the bash ends up, no worries there. We can make that happen. Traffic really isn't an issue on the weekends.

I don't know yet where I'll be parking for the new stadium. I used to walk across the street from the parking garage to the Gate 4 entrance to the dome. If I continue to park there, its still only about 2 blocks further.

The distance from the Omni to the Lucas Oil Stadium would be about the same as from the Omni to the State Capitol Building, Magic. Not far at all. That's why the RCA and now the Lucas stadiums are great for the conventions, NCAA games, and Super Bowl. They are located right in the heart of everything.

Guest 7/18/2008, 1:31 pm

I love it that the thread bearing my name appears to have become the most active thread and the one with the most pages.

Thank you to all the little people that helped make this happen.

I'm humbled.

Magic 7/18/2008, 1:48 pm

Ok that doesn't sound too bad then.

It's not a night game so I'm not worried about the local gansta's

We never used a taxi there but we did get some lil van guy drive us to and from the Omni to the airport.

(ok a Seatoucan friend just showed up here.....catch ya later peeps)

dblshockpwr 7/18/2008, 5:40 pm

ColtsKurt wrote:Lucas is about 2 blocks directly south of the RCA Dome. Still within walking distance.

As far as transportation from downtown accomodations to wherever the bash ends up, no worries there. We can make that happen. Traffic really isn't an issue on the weekends.

I don't know yet where I'll be parking for the new stadium. I used to walk across the street from the parking garage to the Gate 4 entrance to the dome. If I continue to park there, its still only about 2 blocks further.

The distance from the Omni to the Lucas Oil Stadium would be about the same as from the Omni to the State Capitol Building, Magic. Not far at all. That's why the RCA and now the Lucas stadiums are great for the conventions, NCAA games, and Super Bowl. They are located right in the heart of everything.

"traffic isn't an issue on weekends.."
You've got it better than I do I guess CK..... traffic on US 36 around Avon is brutal.... especially now since they almost all of the exists getting on and off of 465 there closed.... it's a mob scene on 10th street, 40 and 136 as well....of course thats what happens when you build 8000 new houses and don't do anything to the damn roads.........

And it's not much farther Magic, like CK said it's just south of the current site, basically across the street......

cravnravn 7/19/2008, 1:29 am

Hey Knuckleheads!!!! I'll bring in some seafood with me..And of course Mr Magic better have some of those Alaskans.

Blue, there is a method to my madness, you never shop online on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, thats peak for prices on the travel sites, 12:00 on Mondays they drop their prices then increase from there each day of the week. Ive been doing this way too long, theres tricks to it, Im fortunate, Im a tweener an hour to Philly, an Hour to Baltimore Washington..or as the brothers have renamed it, Thuragood Marshall..You can do the same from Philly or Harrisburg, or hell look at Newark.

Also, if you just make the reservation for 1, you are screwed, you are paying for double occupancy..Im on Travelocity right now, Im looking at the Cantebury, 900 bucks for 1 person..Its crazy

cravnravn 7/19/2008, 1:48 am

And in my case Blue, leaving out of BWI is saving me over 100.00 on the trip

Alright boys
are these close to Lucas "the Ravens will be oiling up Pay-a-tons butt" Stadium

Cantebury

Courtyard by Marriott @ the Capital

Park Place extended at City Center

Guest 7/19/2008, 5:02 am

The Courtyard is about 7-8 blocks north of the stadium... not really in the heart of things.

Step back from the Park Place...waaaay back. You don't want that. Plus, its further than you want.

I'm assuming you guys want to stay downtown, in the middle of it all... is that right? Cravn, is there a trip out of B-more for fans? Where are they staying?

I'll look into things a bit for you. I used to insure the hotel that was demolished for the Lucas... a Comfort Inn. They now own the Holiday Inn Express directly across the street from the stadium as well as the one going up. I'll see if the "old ties" are stilll there and if I can get a couple rooms.

Have you tried the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza - Union Station? You can stay in a real railroad car converted into rooms there... kinda cool. Magic's fav - the Omni is a very nice place, both my kids stayed there on their wedding nights before heading out on their honeymoons.

I'll check into some of the non-publicized places downtown too. They may be too pricey, though... and not tied to the packages online.

Guest 7/20/2008, 5:11 pm

Hey guys, try sidestep.com for your hotel rooms... I'm getting pretty darn good prices for the downtown area... use the # star sorting to trim the herd.
wink

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