Indy Eleven Launches Stadium For Indiana Website
State lawmakers and soccer fans in Indiana have a new website available where they can get information about the new 18,500-seat multipurpose stadium proposed for downtown Indianapolis. Indy Eleven Professional Soccer announced Wednesday stadiumforindiana.com, which will provide Hoosiers with the latest information on what the club hopes will be a permanent home for Indy Eleven games and more than 30 other sports and entertainment events to be held every year.
Visitors can use the website to learn about the proposal, what benefits the new outdoor venue provides the State, view renderings of the stadium’s potential design - created by world renowned stadium architecture firm Populous - and find suggestions for how supporters can get involved.
"By leading the league in attendance last year, our growing fan base built Indy Eleven into a team that all Hoosiers can root for," said Peter Wilt, president and general manager of Indy Eleven, which is part of the North American Soccer League (NASL).
"These same fans will be the ones who build this stadium because it’s paid for completely by those who attend stadium events. If you don’t go, you won’t pay. It’s that simple," added Wilt.
INDY ELEVEN - AND MORE
Including Indy Eleven games, the stadium is expected to host at least 50 events annually, starting with the venue’s anticipated opening in 2017 at one of multiple locations being considered in downtown Indianapolis.
The projected $82 million cost to construct the facility is considerably less than similarly sized venues geared towards soccer that have been built throughout North America in the last 10 years. Indy Eleven sold out all 14 of its home games in 2014 with an NASL-leading average attendance of 10,465 fans, proving that the people of Indiana will support soccer at the professional level.
"We are excited about building a home for Indy Eleven fans, and for all fans of soccer from around the state. But, our stadium is about more than just soccer," said Ersal Ozdemir, owner of Indy Eleven and president and CEO of Keystone Group. "We encourage state lawmakers to consider the potential for such a facility for all sports at the professional, collegiate, high school and youth levels, as well as other community events, festivals and concerts."
While Ozdemir’s Keystone Group is involved in the stadium’s proposal, and would serve in an advisory capacity on construction, the company is not eligible for the contract to build the stadium.
MAKING THE CASE FOR A ‘STADIUM FOR INDIANA’
On January 9, Indiana State Representative Todd Huston (Fishers - District 37) filed House Bill 1273 to facilitate the stadium’s construction. While the current bill seeks to change the Marion County professional sports development area (PSDA) to include the future stadium site, the bill is likely to see revisions as it makes its way through the legislative process.
A public entity would own the facility with Indy Eleven as a primary tenant.
If approved by the Indiana General Assembly, the proposed funding mechanism will not result in any increase in city or state taxes, nor will it divert taxpayer dollars earmarked for services or programs funded by the City or State.
Indy Eleven and other users of the facility will pay for the venue’s construction through revenue generated by stadium events, including sales and income taxes generated from sales within the facility and income taxes of players and employees. As part of the plan, Indy Eleven will also pay 10 percent of ticket revenues from events towards construction costs.
Ozdemir says he and the Indy Eleven leadership team look forward to meeting with state lawmakers in the coming months to answer their questions and discuss how the multipurpose stadium will be a win for Indiana.
