Residents` Perceptions Towards the Social Impacts of the Indianapolis 500 And factors Influencing Residents` Support of the Hallmark Event

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify the major social benefits and costs associated with hosting the Indianapolis 500 in Indianapolis, Indiana as perceived by the residents. How residents’ perceptions toward this sport event are formed, what other antecedents’ factors helped in shaping residents’ perceptions, as well as how the perceived social impacts affected their support towards the future of hosting this event. As the theoretical framework the paper used the social exchange theory to examine residents’ perceptions of the event impacts. The paper employed qualitative semi-structured in-depth interviews with 12 residents of Indianapolis, Indiana. The result of the qualitative study revealed that the sense of community, enhancing city image and the sense of pride are among the positive social impacts as perceived by the residents. Further analysis demonstrates that resident support for the Indy 500 is influenced by the perceived benefits in accordance with the social exchange theory. Perceptions are aligned with groups of factors, the attachment to the event, personal experience, and the attachment to the community as well.