This story has been updated.
The state transportation department broke ground Tuesday on a $53 million welcome center on I-70 near the Illinois border, west of Terre Haute.
The new Clear Creek Welcome Center will feature exhibits on the Indianapolis 500 and racing in the state, as part of a collaboration with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It also will include a dog park, walking path, and recreation area.
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The reconstruction is part of a ten-year $600 million plan to improve 21 of INDOT’s 26 rest areas and welcome centers.
What a great way to kick off #Indy500 race week! ☀ Today, INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith was joined by Mark Miles, President and CEO of Penske Entertainment and others to break ground on a project to reconstruct the Clear Creek Welcome Center on I-70. ? CONT... pic.twitter.com/ueRmVgF9I0 — INDOT West Central (@INDOT_WCentral) May 23, 2023
Spokesperson Megan DeLucenay said each rest stop will have a different theme. The Indy Car theme was chosen for the Terre Haute site because it’s a major entry point into the state.
“We know a lot of people come into the Hoosier State for the Indianapolis 500. So at that rest area, welcome center at that border, we wanted to make sure that they know that racing is an important part of our history,” DeLucenay said.
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Designs for the rest area were shared last week alongside new highway entry signs, which Governor Eric Holcomb said will “take Hoosier hospitality to the next level.”
INDOT confirmed that the rest area is fully funded by federal money. Construction is to be completed in 2025.
