Indianapolis marks 25th anniversary of Pan Am Games - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

25 years ago, Indianapolis was an international capital. The Pan Am games, its athletes and crowds were everywhere and everyone was watching. This week, community leaders are celebrating the game's silver anniversary, and a legacy that is still shaping the city's future.

In 1987, 17 days all the America's watched Indianapolis: 4,500 athletes, 38 countries, 27 sports, and tens of thousands of fans, journalists and celebrities were part of a sporting spectacle second only to the Olympics.

Even now Pan Am President and COO Mark Miles marvels at the achievement.

"It was an enormous undertaking for our community," he said.

Its organizers and an army of volunteers can testify to that.

"It was like the ultimate rush," Pan Am Games volunteer Mark Craft said with a big smile. Craft's public relations skills were at work during the game's opening and closing ceremonies. They are memories he holds on to as tightly as Gloria Estefan's autograph on his credential and the photograph proving it's real.

"I got to escort Gloria Estefan, who was the main attraction for the closing ceremonies, back stage," he said through an even bigger smile.

Although there are plenty of pictures and memories there are few physical reminders of the games. Pan Am Plaza fell into disrepair and is being rebuilt.

The lasting legacy of the Pan Am games is perhaps more significant than brick and mortar. It's an attitude - a community-wide feeling of we can do, will do and Indianapolis will do it well.

The community quickly scraped together $25 million (close to $50 million in today's dollars) to host the games and recruited 36,000 volunteers to run them.

"The legacy of Indianapolis is that it illustrates this region's, this city's greatest asset and that's volunteerism," explained Craft.

It is a legacy that helped Indianapolis land the Super Bowl. When the NFL questioned the city's ability to field 8,000 volunteers, host committee chairman Mark Miles would answer, "We've turned out 36,000 people before. We know how to do these things."

But the real message from games played 25 years ago Miles sees still guiding the city's future.

"Indianapolis can set huge goals that seem beyond our reach, but pull everybody together and successfully can exceed expectations. We are a can do city than can do great things," he said.

The official Pan Am Games anniversary celebration is Thursday, downtown on Georgia Street, next to Pan Am Plaza. Get details here.