Permanent stadium

Market square is off the table. Old plant across the river from victory field is likely.

 

at the public forum at the Chatham Tap they said they plan on building the stadium in 2017 and that it should seat around 20,000 right away.

 

starting construction in 2017 or ready for the 2017 season?

 

I believe starting construction

and I think they have started working on it but not 100% sure on that

 

2017 is the target date for opening the stadium. Construction hasn't begun yet, several downtown locations have been identified and work to secure one as the stadium site is ongoing.

 

this is exciting. how much of the plan is contingent on public funding?

 

Sorry, we're pretty transparent but can't get into addressing any of those details yet.

 

http://www.ibj.com/proposed-gm-plan-reserves-space-for-soccer-stadium/PARAMS/article/44502

 

the article is behind a pay-wall. please copy/paste it in for us. here's the teaser: "One of the players vying to redevelop the former General Motors metal-stamping plant has set aside room in his plans for a roughly 10,000-seat stadium where his own North American Soccer League franchise could play."

 

yeah I don't have a subscription, was just posting the teaser.

 

From what I've gathered if the gm plant is selected then there would be a LOT more development then just a stadium such as residential, shops, etc... But my source of info is from the open meetings so nothing new

 

No doubt stadium will include a variety of additional amenities - and undoubtedly needs to be constructed in the old GM lots.
Right now, Indianapolis misses out on big $ from tax revenue to Hamilton county due to Klipsche. If downtown Indianapolis had a venue other than LOS for hosting large concerts (15k-30k spectators) that still has an amphitheater feel (something BLF and LOS miss on), the tax payoff itself would eventually be worth the build. I feel incorporating a stage is necessary and expect it to be infused much like SKC did in their stadium.

With the stadium, I fully expect offices (future home to XI HQ), bars (future home from home to myself), restaurants, shopping, tailgating lots (not just parking lots, something I'd like to see is what South Carolina did for their Gamecock tailgating lots here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150506753864564.385122.37490844563&type=3), and perhaps even a nice hotel if space allotted.

In an effort to clean up the West side between Indianapolis and Plainfield/Avon (as well as the current revival of the Speedway area), this project will be a massive asset to the IUPUI expansion from its current location to the Speedway on 16th St.

On top of that, I'd like to see this project be a talking point for the 2018 SuperBowl bid. Having another bar area away from Georgia Street (yes, I know that takes away from the "walk anywhere to get everywhere" feel) might benefit the city as a whole. What if, as part of the '18 SB bid (also providing a HUGE contribution to XI games), constructing a TRAM system that hits the zoo, White River, XI Stadium, LOS, Georgia St, and BLF was included? I'd like that, and it is something Indy is DEFINITELY missing right now.

Thoughts?

 

that all sounds great, but who's going to pay for it?

 

Also you are forgetting about the White River Amphitheater. There are several large concerts held there every summer.

 

@stphnsn Ersal seems pretty well against private funding to the public, but I know of multiple Indianapolis wealthy donors looking to get into the pot - one of which is waiting to see what I believe is the inevitable success of the organization this spring. The area will pay for itself over a few years, but if it can't be funded privately, I think we can all agree LOS paid off, as will the GM Lot Project.

When I asked about private funding in a public forum to Ersal, he didn't seem too keen on the idea. But then again, I'm sure there would be a different tone in front of wealthy inve$tor$ than a 20-something hooligan fan and all of my enthusiastic peers.

@jack_ketch As for White River, the shows there are enjoyable and respectable for a younger crowd. I've seen a lot of my smaller, favorite performers there and enjoyed it very much. The problem is that they have a capacity of 6k for concerts (http://www.nuvo.net/indianapolis/fa...-state-park/Location?oid=2058720#.UsWhk6XIZSU), plus it is all lawn seating unless you want to be farther away from the concert experience, sitting at the top of the lawn. Not to mention the aesthetics at white river are very subpar compared to major concerts at Klipsch.

A stadium that can hold 25k spectators for concerts and allow VIP access, an enjoyable aesthetic and sound show, a large crowd feel, and larger seating area for older folk (the older great performers like Petty, DMB, U2, etc would never play at a standing only venue in Indianapolis, in my opinion) would be ideal compared to other venues in the area.

Plus, I'm no major performer, but the drive to Klipsch from the airport is double to even triple the drive time than a venue at the GM Lots would be. I don't know how much that matters, but I hate driving from the southwest side to the north-northeast. Thought I'd make that plug as well.

 

you might be mistaken on the bolded statement. i'm just one guy, but i don't like the idea of the public paying for a stadium to appease a private business. also, consider the fact that LOS is not remotely close to being paid off, and in fact loses more money each year. the stadium tax on entertainment in marion and surrounding counties is not going away any time soon. so what are they going to do? propose an additional stadium tax on top of the one that is already costing everyone money? i don't see how that happens.

 

Personally, I think it does much more than appease a private business. It helped create and modify the community. Think about the resulting factors of LOS. Created the newly renovated Georgia St thru the SuperBowl, the JW, and put Indy on the national sporting map. The entire area has improved 10x in my opinion when compared to pre-Indy LOS/Superbowl. Let's not forget Chelsea-Inter. We do not get that game without LOS (RCA Dome was not constructed to accommodate soccer). Remember post ICC? Worldwide brand recognition for XI has a lot more to do with the success of that ICC game. Not to mention convinced many doubters that the ability for soccer to excel in Indiana is here.

Don't get me wrong, I would MUCH rather the project be privately funded. Especially after atrocities like PPL park in Chester (see here for a great article on this topic:
http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/america-has-a-stadium-problem-62665/ ), but I think LOS and the XI project does much more than just build the business. I couldn't imagine if the Colts would have moved/never came to Indy. Peyton's Children Hospital, Irsay's millions he spreads across the local and national community, Pat McAfee's hilarious antics, so on and so forth. I understand what Aaron Gordon's point is in the above article. But I think anyone that travels across America visiting major cities can tell you, Indianapolis dances to the beat of its own drum. And it is something very, very special. Maybe LOS has not fiscally paid off, but the greater good that has come from the stadium, in my opinion, is worth the extra tax. I think, 6 years after the GM Lot completion, I will have the same feelings.

Then again, I eat premade mac-n-cheese every night for dinner so...

 

I think it's important not to get carried away by unrealistic hopes and dreams here. Eager as we all are here to see Indy Eleven take the field, and ready as we are to offer our sull-throated support to the club (I personally own two scarves, two jerseys, a polo shirt, a technical shirt, and a t-shirt to go with my three season tickets), we must remember that this is still soccer, and Division 2 soccer at that. It's not the NFL. At least for the next few decades, Indy Eleven will not have the same impact on the city's culture that the Colts have; that's just unavoidable. Rivaling and/or topping the Indians is a more realistic goal.Plus, although the GM site isn't distant from downtown, it's still separate (I've run enough 5k races past the site to have a sense of the locale), and a facility that hosts 20-25 events per year (Eleven matches, plus some concerts) isn't likely to prove a sufficiently consistent draw to support a significant restaurant/bar/retail scene around it. It's great that we're thinking big, but it's still going to be a difficult process.

 

I believe its more realistic than we think because Peter Wilt thinks it can be done. That's good enough for me.
Maybe IUPUI can get a football team and use the stadium as well?

 

I work on the IUPUI campus and know a bit about the athletic department. And, well, no.

 

and why would you want a football team tearing up the soccer field?