Drum Corps International, the event producer and sanctioning body for the world's most elite and exclusive marching music ensembles for students, along with the Indiana Convention & Visitors Association (ICVA) and Indianapolis city officials, announced Tuesday that it will move its headquarters to the city of Indianapolis and bring its World Championships to Lucas Oil Stadium beginning in 2008. The milestone announcement was made on the 50-yard line of Indianapolis' RCA Dome in a press conference that was attended by various city officials, business leaders and Indianapolis media outlets including four television stations and several print publications. President and CEO of the ICVA Bob Bedell, Drum Corps International Executive Director Dan Acheson and Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson all spoke at the event. Carolina Crown set the background, performing portions of their 2006 competitive program to introduce the media to a world-class drum corps ensemble.

News crews capture Tuesday's press conference in the RCA Dome.
Drum Corps International, currently headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Addison, joins the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Bands of America, the Percussive Arts Society, the American Pianist Association, Orchestra America and others in relocating to Indianapolis. DCI is expected to move its national offices to an undetermined Indianapolis location sometime in 2008. The ICVA estimates the Drum Corps International World Championships will have a beneficial economic impact of about $10 million per year with a projected impact that could exceed $100 million through 2018. Matt Carter, Vice President of Strategic Development for the ICVA, facilitated DCI's relocation on behalf of the city. "We are not merely coming to Indianapolis to produce our World Championships, we look forward to becoming a part of the community and doing our part as Indianapolis continues to evolve into an arts, education, and cultural hub," said Dan Acheson, DCI executive director. "As Marching Music's Major League, Drum Corps International has the opportunity with its world-class performers to make Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium the world-capital of marching music." Added Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson: "This will be an extraordinary event both for the participants and for the citizens of Indianapolis. We are delighted to add Drum Corps International to our ever-growing portfolio of music-based organizations." Bob Bedell, President and CEO of the ICVA, also welcomed Drum Corps International. "Attracting Drum Corps International to Indianapolis is another shining example of strategically targeting music associations and the events these associations can bring to the city," said Bedell. "Like our highly successful sports initiative, we are continuing to develop a tremendous synergy among talented musicians and music organizations that will pay dividends for years to come." Read a series of frequently asked questions about Drum Corps International's move to Indianapolis. Watch a video of the entire press conference.