Video from April 13, 2015 announcement of Fishers Sports Complex
It was nearly one year ago when a big announcement was made at Fishers City hall. Mayor Scott Fadness and the (then) City Community Development Director Tom Dickey announced a $75 million sports complex in the Saxony area of Fishers, near I-69. It would host major Olympic-style events, contain a 4,200 seat arena and allow access for Fishers residents to use on a regular basis. The complex would include a 600-car parking garage.
A series of public meetings were held for residents of the area to be briefed and make comments on the plans. Everything appeared to be moving forward.
Then I began to hear rumblings that appraisals were being done and that the financing for the project was not a sure thing. We are nearly one year later, and there is still no financing in place for this mammoth sports complex.
The Indianapolis Business Journal April 4-10 edition carries a front page banner headline – “$77 Million Sports Complex Appears Stalled.” In the piece, reporter Lindsey Erdody writes the project (is it $75 million or $77 million? Who knows?) is no closer to a construction date now than when the plans were unveiled April 13, 2015.
GK Sports, the developer of the proposed complex, is now peddling a similar structure in a growing suburb of Madison, Wisconsin.
I have periodically asked city officials what is happening with the sports complex, and I receive the same answer each time…nothing new to report, no financing is yet in place. Mayor Scott Fadness said as much to Erdody, telling her of his weekly updates he receives but the most recent update indicated “no breakthrough.”
Erdody goes into some detail in her story about Barry Kiesel, a principal of GK Sports, the proposed developer of the Sports Complex, and several court proceedings where he has been a party to litigation.
Fishers City Council President John Weingardt told Erdody he won’t get “fired up” about the sports complex until a closing is proposed. “It’s a definite maybe,” Weingardt told Erdody.
You can read Lindsey Erdody’s story at this link. (NOTE: If you are not an IBJ subscriber, your access to this story link may be limited)
