Basketball tourney gives bounce to Indy hotel trade

Next week’s Big 10 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are giving the struggling downtown hotel business in Indianapolis a shot in the arm this weekend, with some hotels hiring extra staff to accommodate the crowds. The Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association cautions that lodging will plunge from about 80% on Saturday to 4% on Sunday night, but the much larger NCAA tourney comes to the city at mid-month.