FAIR OAKS, Ind. — Marvella, the nation's first sports complex dedicated to empowering girls sports and leadership, is coming to northwest Indiana.
It will be located at Fair Oaks Farm, at 856 North 600 East, in Newton County. That's a little over 100 miles northwest of Indianapolis.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) said the sports center is expected to create 1,000 new jobs and fuel tax revenue and economic momentum across northwest Indiana.
Marvella will be supported by Indiana's Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative 2.0 (READI 2.0). READI 2.0 funding will be used to support the first phase of the three-phase development. Gov. Eric Holcomb established the now $1.25 billion READI 2.0 program in 2021.
“Right now, Indiana is riding a wave of momentum in women’s sports,” Holcomb said. “It’s important we don’t take our foot off the gas and that we continue to tap into our state’s strength in sports. This is a project to keep your eyes on, and I’m certainly excited to see the impact of this facility on our communities and future leaders, our state and our leading sports ecosystem.”
Marvella will "empower youth athletes and girls sports in the community and across the nation," IEDC said. The sports complex will offer leadership, character development, mental health, wellness, fitness and nutrition programming. It will also fuel tourism and the sports economy by hosting tournaments, camps and clinics.
The IEDC said the first phase of development is a $38.8 million investment, including a $4.5 million READI 2.0 allocation, to build a 300,000-square-foot facility with 16 courts and fields.
Officials said future phases of development will include adding a health and wellness center, women in sports and leadership museum, championship arena and 12 outdoor fields.
Marvella is being funded by a combination of public dollars, private equity investments, debt financing, social impact investments and charitable funding.
"I am so inspired by the Governor's support of our mission at Marvella,” said Allison Barber, Ph.D., incoming chair of the Marvella Foundation. “I want to thank the IEDC for this grant, as well as Marvella Founder and President Glenn Tilley for inviting me to join his team and their mission. Glenn’s foresight and vision to launch the country’s first girls sports and leadership campus provides us the opportunity to honor the state of Indiana as the birthplace of Title IX, and most importantly, for Indiana to lead the country through sports to develop confident, healthy female leaders for the future.”
Construction is expected to start later this fall and conclude in spring 2026.
