INDIANAPOLIS — Officials from Indy Eleven and Keystone Group were joined Wednesday by state and city leaders at the groundbreaking for Eleven Park, a new development centered around a multi-purpose soccer stadium, which will serve as the new permanent home for the Indianapolis men's and women's soccer teams.
Demolition is already set to begin immediately and continue over the next few months, according to Indy Eleven.
Upon completion, the stadium is expected to seat 20,000 people, and Eleven Park will include more than 600 apartments, 205,000 square feet of office space, 197,000 square feet of retail space alongside restaurants, hotels, green space and more.
Officials said they hope building on what they called an "underutilized portion" of downtown will make a new mark on Indianapolis.
"Its impact will be felt by generations of supporters, visitors and residents who will soon be able to enjoy its world-class amenities," said Ersal Ozdemir, chairman and founder of Keystone Group and Indy Eleven.
Gov. Eric Holcomb and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett also participated in Wednesday's groundbreaking.
"The Eleven Park project is a gamechanger for the capital city and magnet for the entire state," Holcomb said. “Border to border for the state of Indiana this really puts us on the global map and on a pathway to greatness in terms of the most popular sport in the world.”
"In this pivotal moment for downtown, developments like Eleven Park, the Henry Street Bridge, and the Elanco Headquarters will grow Indianapolis’ skyline," Hogsett said. "As Keystone Group takes the next step to redevelop the Diamond Chain site, community input will be critical as we help build a more prosperous and inclusive city."
The stadium would also create the first permanent home for Indy Eleven men’s and women’s teams.
“I think it just generates a whole another level of excitement and the guys are going to be fired up for sure,” said Robby Dambrot, a defender for Indy Eleven.
Renderings of Eleven Park
The Eleven Park development is in downtown Indianapolis’ southwest quadrant at the riverfront site.
The site is a block away from Lucas Oil Stadium, Victory Field and the Indiana Convention Center, and near the Eli Lilly & Company global headquarters and the Indianapolis Zoo.
It is also near new developments in the immediate area, which include the new Elanco headquarters, the expanded White River State Park and the extension of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail.
“Cities all across the country are looking at Indianapolis as kind of a benchmark of an event city and we want to continue being on the cutting-edge of that,” said Taylor Schaffer, the president & CEO of Downtown Indy, Inc. “We want to be able to have the types of venues and hotels and convention facilities that keep us competitive.”
The stadium is projected to open in the summer of 2025.
This site also sits on an old burial ground that was primarily used for African Americans. The city and state are aware, saying if any remains are found, work will stop and everything will be documented.