INDIANAPOLIS — Monday night’s Indianapolis City-County Council meeting was a big win for Mayor Joe Hogsett and his pursuit of a Major League Soccer team.
After nearly a two-hour meeting, councilors finally voted on the last item on the agenda —proposal 175. It passed 16 to 8, with one councilor abstaining.
The proposal allows the city to create a “Professional Sports Development Area” to help fund a new soccer stadium downtown and attract an MLS expansion team. The special district is projected to generate $250 million.
The PSDA will replace the already-approved district for Eleven Park on the southwest side of downtown. This is where Keystone Group wants to build a mixed-use development and soccer stadium for the Indy Eleven.
During last week’s committee hearing, Indianapolis Chief Deputy Mayor Dan Parker said the mayor’s proposal is the best and only chance of wooing an MLS team to Indy.
Councilors like Kristin Jones disagree. She represents the district that oversees both stadium plans and voted against the proposal.
Over the last month, she said the council and administration received more than 2,277 emails in support of Eleven Park.
In her district alone, she received 176 emails from constituents in support of Eleven Park, compared to just two emails in support of the MLS stadium.
“At no time did my constituents ask me to put aside my oath that I swore to and simply be a rubber stamp of approval for any administration,” Jones said.
Other councilors like Dan Boots are worried about the remaining graves at the Eleven Park site, which was formerly the Greenlawn Cemetery.
Boots said MLS won’t grant an expansion team to that site. That's something city administrators also stated during the previous committee meeting.
“A professional sports league does not want to touch such a controversial issue with a 10-foot pole, very simple,” Boots said.
Minority leader Brian Mowery asked for proof of that belief.
“Is there anybody in the audience that can answer that from the administration?” Mowery asked.
But no one from the administration or council could answer.
Councilor Ron Gibson also announced his support for the mayor's plan, saying it is the only path forward.
"There is no other viable option here. The time is now, and this is bigger than one council district. I'm sorry, it is,” Gibson said.
Council President Vop Osili said conversations over the last several weeks helped put the situation into perspective.
"We are moving forward, and we have an opportunity to do something that would be transformational for the city of Indianapolis,” Osili said.
The proposal will now be sent back to the city's metropolitan development commission. If approved, the mayor will then sign his name and submit the “Professional Sports Development Area” to the state by the end of the month.
Statement from Ersal Ozdemir, founder and owner of Keystone Group and Indy Eleven
"Tonight's vote is the unfortunate result of a false choice presented by city leaders, with a majority seemingly motivated more by fear than hope. That isn't the way Indianapolis has succeeded in the past, and I fear that the tactics used in pursuit of a legislative win at City-County Council may result in huge losses for the future of downtown development and professional soccer in Indiana.
I love Indianapolis, and tonight's decision does not diminish that feeling or my passion for Eleven Park. That is why I believe there is still an opportunity for the kind of collaboration that has always characterized our city at its best. As I have repeatedly said in recent months, Indy Eleven's investors and I remain ready and willing to meet with Mayor Hogsett to discuss a productive way forward as one city. It would be our hope that like so many mayors before, he will see the benefit in bringing all parties together rather than continuing to forge this path alone."
Statement from Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett:
"Tonight, a bipartisan vote of the City-County Council sent a resounding message: Indianapolis is ready to write the next chapter in our sports story. Over the coming months, our community will unite in pursuit of this once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure a Major League Soccer expansion club for our city.
I'm grateful to the City-County Council for supporting the vision to solidify Indianapolis as America's greatest sports city, and extend my thanks to the residents who continue to passionately participate in this process."