Shiel Sexton Prepares for the Big Game
Adorning a 21-foot “Super Scarf,” Indiana’s largest Super Bowl volunteer can be found right outside of 902 North Capitol Avenue. “StructureMan,” Shiel Sexton’s three-story mascot, is one of over 12,000 Super Bowl volunteers who are donning a donated scarf as part of the “Super Scarves” program.
The 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee’s “Super Scarves” program provides an opportunity for knitters from far and wide to donate scarves for the big day. The Host Committee has well exceeded their initial goal of 8,000 scarves, having received over 12,500 scarves from 44 states, Washington, D.C. , Canada, England and South Africa. The surplus means that front line hospitality volunteers will also receive scarves in addition to every Host Committee volunteer.
“StructureMan” may be the most visible Shiel Sexton Super Bowl volunteer, but other Shiel Sexton employees have been working with the Host Committee behind the scenes on various projects. One of these employees is Shawn Hitchcock (project manager, LEED AP).
With more than nine years of managing project teams in higher education and recreation/sports facility construction, Shawn was brought in to the Host Committee as their director of special projects. Shawn provides coordination, scheduling, administrative/technical direction, and oversight of planning for a wide variety of projects. He is an Indianapolis native and earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Building and Construction Management from Purdue University.
Three of Shawn’s biggest projects include:
1. The NFC Practice Facility at the University of Indianapolis
UIndy is hosting the NFC Practice Facility within its newly-built Athletics and Recreation Center (ARC). The 103,000-square-foot, air-supported ARC features an indoor practice field that will be used by the NFC Champion New York Giants in preparation for the big game.
After the Super Bowl, the ARC will be transformed for multi-purpose athletics use, and its field turf will be relocated to the football field at Arsenal Tech High School.
View photos of the practice facility at the Indy Star.
2. Chase Near Eastside Legacy Center and Youth Education Town (YET)
Made possible through a partnership with the John H. Boner Community Center, the Chase Near Eastside Legacy Center and Youth Education Town (YET) is located within the campus of Arsenal Tech High School. Shawn and Shiel Sexton are the Owners Technical Representative for the 27,000-square-foot center that features a state of the art fitness center, high-tech classrooms and media studio, an educational kitchen, a garden and a green house. This facility will benefit the thousands of youth on the Tech Campus and leave a lasting legacy on the Near Eastside Community for years to come.
3. Super Bowl Village
One of the largest Host Committee ventures is the Super Bowl Village. Beyond Shawn’s involvement, Shiel Sexton President/CEO Mike Dilts serves as the Village Committee co-chair.
The free, family-friendly Super Bowl Village has transformed the heart of downtown into a three-block interactive festival of football! It opened on Friday, Jan. 27 and will run through Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 5. Featured areas/activities include live entertainment, a four-line zipline, lounges, 30-foot Super Bowl Roman Numerals, Tailgate Town, ESPN Broadcast Studio and more.
On the eve of its opening, Shiel Sexton employees worked through the night to ensure that the Super Bowl Village would be ready for the next day’s festivities. WISHTV 8 interviewed Shiel Sexton Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Hunt, about the construction team’s efforts.
The Host Committee announced themes for each day’s events in the Super Bowl Village, and the theme for Wednesday, Feb. 1, was “Super Biz Bowl.” Shiel Sexton employees Ali Wuensch (manager of corporate projects) and Julie Utes (marketing manager) helped organize the day and were onsite to host its events, including a Village-wide scavenger hunt.
Adjacent to the Village is “The Huddle.” This three-floor area occupies the old Nordstrom retail space within Circle Centre Mall. “The Huddle” features family and recreational space, a beer garden, broadcast studios (WISH-TV and the Bob & Tom Show), United States Postal Service satellite store, a Lids retail store, a nightclub (Huddle After Hours), and private party space. Matt Main (Shiel Sexton field operations manager) managed the project, utilizing Shiel Sexton’s own workforce to self-perform the majority of construction.
Check out our Q&A with Matt about his experience at Shiel Sexton and involvement with “The Huddle.”
On behalf of Shiel Sexton and the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee, we would like to wish you a fun and safe Super Bowl.
Learn more about the 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee and additional Super Bowl fesitivites at www.indianapolissuperbowl.com
About the 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee
The purpose of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee, as defined by the NFL, is to centralize the planning and execution of the 2012 Super Bowl through one entity to ensure coordination of all efforts and community resources. The Host Committee serves as an extension to the National Football League in the local community, as the city’s ambassador to incoming Super Bowl fans, guests, and corporations, and as a manager of local resources such as city services, event venues, accommodations, and thousands of volunteers.
