Pan American Games Mascot, Amigo, and Mayor Hudnut, 1987, Image 2

Civic leaders in Indianapolis continued to seek major sporting events as opportunities to bolster development, investment, and infrastructure expansion in the city, as well as to bolster civic pride and promote a positive image of a dynamic metropolis. In 1987, Indianapolis hosted the Pan American Games, an international event involving thousands of athletes from nations of North, South, and Central America. Opening ceremonies were held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with 80,000 spectators watching 6,500 performers in a spectacle produced by the Walt Disney Company. Twenty-two other venues (including the Hoosier Dome) hosted events.