Source: (Photo by WISH-TV)
INDIANAPOLIS — What the Indy Eleven does is up to the Indy Eleven. That’s what Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett had to say about his push to bring a Major League Soccer franchise to the city.
On Thursday, Hogsett rattled a hornets’ nest of soccer fans loyal to the Indy Eleven when he announced plans to try and lure a new MLS franchise to the city of Indianapolis. This plan includes visions of building a new soccer-specific stadium.
Hogsett said the push is being facilitated both by the city and a new ownership group that he told WISH-TV is “still in formation.”
“We’re trying to give as many opportunities to MLS as we can possibly give them,” Hogsett said. “I can’t guarantee MLS will ultimately award a franchise to Indianapolis, but passing up the opportunity is not acceptable.”
He urged fans of Indy Eleven to understand that position.
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What he did not add clarity on is what the push means for the future of the Eleven Park development project.
Last year, Hogsett was present and even put a shovel in the dirt for the groundbreaking of Eleven Park, which was assumed to be a partnership with Keystone Group, whose owner Erzal Ozdemir also owns the Indy Eleven, to build a soccer-specific stadium along with living space and retail space.
The idea of the agreement was to use a tax district to pay for the stadium which meant no new taxes on Indianapolis taxpayers.
However, the city has said since Hogsett’s MLS announcement that the deal between Keystone and the city was nothing more than a proposal despite the fact that construction has already begun on the project. The project’s future still lies in a state of ambiguity.
“We are not building two soccer stadiums. We are just going to build one,” Hogsett said. “Where that goes is largely dependant on what MLS is going to expect.”
Again, what about Eleven Park?
“That’s entirely up to my friend Erzal Ozdemir,” said Hogsett. “Whether he wants to continue or not. What we are focused on is bringing a third major league franchise to the city of Indianapolis.”
Hogsett reiterated that he intends to “grow the city” along with the “fastest growing sport in the world.”
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Hogsett: Future Of Eleven Park Is Up To Indy Eleven, Erzal Ozdemir was originally published on wibc.com
