Susie Townsend, senior vice president of visitor experience for Visit Indy, is working inside the men’s NCAA basketball tournament bubble in Indianapolis and sharing her experiences with MPI. Learn more about her bubble experience as the tournament was about to get under way.

Today is moving day.

You may have read or heard that several of the hotels are “unbubbling.” So what does that mean? In three of the hotels the barricades are going away, the security guards are leaving, all the equipment is being boxed up, printers and video screens are being taken down and all of the Sweet 16 teams are moving into the Marriott Downtown. All of the housekeeping staff (and I am sure all of the managers) are over at the Marriott cleaning guest rooms and meeting space to make room for the new teams that are moving in. In accordance with all the health protocols in place this requires more effort than a typical turnover. Thanks to the crew who are making this happen.

And if you were curious, all of the teams’ luggage, equipment, gear, etc., was moved via box trucks to their new “home” while the teams walked through the skywalks.

Those of us that have been bubbling in the Hyatt moved everything over to the JW. While the JW will be opening for regular business today, part of the hotel is still in a bubble. As I wave goodbye to the Hyatt, I am grateful for the fantastic team lead by Kyle Hueston. This past week was not easy, but all the hotels did a wonderful job fulfilling every possible request and still staying behind the scenes. Literally they were not allowed in front of house.

“Just Do It.”

This is the mantra of Nike, but it is also the mantra of so many at Visit Indy. The “Just Do It” award goes to the team of Michele Coffey, Scott and Janet Moritz and Beth Hensley (Janet’s 89-year-old mother).

 On Friday, when I realized that many of our McLendon Foundation Ambassadors and nurses would be leaving us, I called Michele and asked if she could help put together a gift bag for let’s say 100 people. You all know me and you know Michele and you know Janet—so you must know that the gift bags had to have something yummy and freshly baked, from Indy, in pretty packaging, tied with a bow—something for men or women and with a branded card with my picture on it. 😊 And pretty please I need them Monday. So the incredible team noted above got to work and quickly ordered 100 freshly baked cookies from 4 Birds, 100 bags of Sweet & Spicy Broadripple Chips (cookies and chips were all made fresh on Monday), produced 100 custom note cards and then picked everything up, met in Mooresville, assembled the bags and then delivered them to me through the grid lock delivery system. I was able to hand deliver all of this to the ambassadors, doctors and nurses who helped make all of this March Madness work.

Vaccine shot No. 2.

On a final note of today’s “Inside the Bubble,” I was able to receive my second COVID vaccine today in room 115 at the Indiana Convention Center. I am grateful to Dr. Anne Hulme from IU Health who made this happen. I realized after I had my first vaccine that my second vaccine was due this past Friday. NCAA shared that if I left for any reason I wouldn’t be allowed back in. So again, much gratitude to the nurses and doctors who are working at the ICC and all the hotels. And by the way, they loved their freshly baked cookies!!! (Note to Michele: I may need more cookies.)  😊