VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— It’s a sight that is designed to get engines revving among the millions of race fans who visit the Hoosier state.
Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Blake Dollier said the Indy 500 themed welcome center is a fitting first sight for travelers. The welcome center is being built alongside a water tower that will supply water to the center as well as residents of West Terre Haute.
“It is not only going to serve water here at the way station along with the welcome center building itself, but it will also serve area homes here in the West Terre Haute region,” said Dollier. “That is going to be a nice little bonus that is going to help families in the community and help us serve multiple purposes and run off of municipal water.”
Dollier says the progress the 32-million-dollar welcome center has had in just the last few months has been astonishing.
“This was all just an open concept with no walls, post or drywall in this building,” said Dollier. “Now, we have temporary heating and utilities being hooked up in here. There has been a tremendous amount of progress made here in the past couple of months and that is something that we can be proud of and continue to be excited to see more progress on this in the coming months.”
INDOT wants to make everyone feel at home when they enter Indiana.
“To have an Indy 500 finish line or crossing the finish line into the state of Indiana if you will, is going to be a tremendous welcome that Hoosiers coming home and other drivers from out of state can feel at home in the state of Indiana,” said Dollier.
Dollier said the water tower is projected to be done by July of 2025 with the welcome center opening in August of 2025.
