INDIANAPOLIS -- On Wednesday, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission voted 6-1 to confirm a stadium development district at the downtown heliport, continuing a process to place a soccer-specific stadium at the site.
The commission passed a professional sports development area designation near Gainbridge Fieldhouse in May to build a professional soccer station and mixed-use development.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said that this location would be the best place to build a 20,000 seat, $220 million stadium downtown. The mixed use development would include the new and improved city market which would have apartments, as well as a hotel and residential living opportunities.
In June, the Indianapolis City-County Council approved that designation, helping move forward, and generate funding for, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett's goal of bringing an MLS expansion club to the city.
This comes after the Indy Eleven, along with Keystone Group owner Ersa Ozdemir previously proposed, and are building, a new soccer stadium for Indy Eleven, a USL soccer team. Indianapolis officials have said that they did not think that Ozdemir's team had the financing to complete the mixed-use development and meet the MLS franchise fee price tag.
“When I flew to New York City to meet with Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber in April, he made clear the city’s role in securing an expansion club was creating the financing framework for a soccer-specific stadium on an appropriate site," Hogsett said in a statement on Wednesday. "Today, I was proud to see the Metropolitan Development Commission vote overwhelmingly to confirm a stadium development district at the Downtown Heliport, marking the final step in the local legislative process ahead of the July 1 deadline outlined by state law."
According to previous reports, this does not guarantee that Indianapolis will secure an MLS team. The downtown taxing district will now need final approval from the state.
"We look forward to having conversations with members of the State Budget Committee later this summer as we continue the effort to secure a Major League Soccer expansion club for Indianapolis and solidify our status as the greatest sports host city in the world," Hogsett continued in the statement.
Officials said the mayor's taxing district proposal, along with potentially hearing the names of potential owners, could be heard at a General Assembly House Budget Committee meeting in August.