INDIANAPOLIS — A major new athletic complex could soon be coming to downtown Indianapolis.
The Indiana University Board of Trustees has approved the construction of a $110 million athletics center on the IU Indianapolis campus, which the university said "will be suitable for hosting significant indoor sporting and athletic events in a seating capacity currently not provided in the downtown area."
The approximately 134,000 square-foot facility would seat 4,500 spectators and include a multipurpose arena, auxiliary gym and community gathering spaces.
The complex would be located just south of Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hall on the IU Indianapolis campus.
"The facility also will accommodate approximately 16,000 square feet of office spaces, as well as significant athletics support spaces," the university said in a statement.
The majority of the funding – $89 million – will come from state appropriations as part of Indiana's biennial budget for the construction of an amateur sports facility, while the remaining $21 million will come from the school.
Included in the facility will be:
- A basketball/volleyball court
- Locker rooms and training facilities
- Offices for IU Indianapolis Athletics and "select National Sport Governing Bodies"
"A significant portion of the seating will be retractable to provide flexibility and multipurpose use for events like collegiate and high school sports, including volleyball and wrestling, as well as other recreational activities," the university said.
“The board’s action is a major step in making a transformative project possible,” said Pamela Whitten, president of Indiana University. “Thanks to strong financial support from state partners, this facility will contribute to the continued growth of IU Indianapolis as a nexus of activity for the city and the surrounding region. It will serve as a home for Jaguar sports, university activities, and events for organizations from Indiana and beyond.”
The project now moves forward for further consideration and approval by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and the State Budget Committee.
