The seemingly endless yellow brick road to Oz, or what residents of central Indiana have come to accept as privately owned professional sports franchises seeking financial sustenance to build and upgrade, is nearing a tipping point of practical expenditures.
Local NASL team locking horns with big boys from Chicago. Match played at Purdue should draw fans from Indy and Windy City.
The Indy Eleven soccer team would generate just $2 million to $4 million a year in ticket sales, a fraction of the $51 million that owner Ersal Ozdemir has estimated a new downtown stadium would generate including non-soccer events, according to an independent analysis.
The Indy Eleven won’t play its first game for nearly seven weeks. But officials with the North American Soccer League franchise say there’s already an urgent need to plow ahead with building the team an $87 million stadium.
The Ways and Means Committee voted 18-2 Thursday afternoon in favor of a bill that would facilitate a new downtown soccer venue.
House Ways and Means Chairman Tim Brown said lawmakers will consider a plan by the IndyEleven soccer team to finance an $87 million stadium. The proposal is likely to be attached to an existing Senate bill.
By asking for tax money to help finance an $87 million, 18,500-seat venue, soccer team owner Ersal Ozdemir is gambling with one of his franchise's most valuable assets.
