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When Indy Eleven broke ground on a new stadium last year, Mayor Hogsett was in attendance. The team worked with state and city governments for years to broker a deal that would help finance a new stadium.
Courtesy of KeystoneIndianapolis is pursuing a Major League Soccer club, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced Thursday.
The announcement puts the future of the city’s other professional soccer team, Indy Eleven, into question.
Hogsett said he met with the commissioner of the MLS to talk about bringing a team to Indianapolis. The city did not disclose what ownership group was in talks.
During the announcement the mayor touted a long history of sports innovation in Indianapolis.
“Our city knows how to navigate the business of sports,” Hogsett said.
Indy Eleven and developer Keystone did not agree Thursday, and called the move “shocking and disappointing.” In a statement the team said the move sets a “dangerous precedent” for how city negotiators conduct themselves.
Indy Eleven is a United Soccer League team, a tier below Major League Soccer. MLS has 29 clubs across the U.S. and Canada. There are other cities where MLS and USL teams coexist, but it’s unclear what may happen in Indianapolis.
When Indy Eleven broke ground on a new stadium last year, Mayor Hogsett was in attendance. The team worked with state and city governments for years to broker a deal that would help finance a new stadium.
Last year the Indianapolis City County Council created a new Professional Sports Development Area that was meant for Indy Eleven. The riverfront Eleven Park development project included the stadium, housing, greenspace and retail spaces. The creation of the PSDA would help fund the project by capturing state and local tax revenue.
The city will now propose a new PSDA where a stadium for an MLS team could be built near the downtown transit center. The team could also move into the site planned for Indy Eleven.
Hogsett said he knows the deal is not done, but it is worth the risk.
“Every great achievement in our city's history has begun where opportunity was met with action,” Hogsett said.
Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.
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