Ozdemir Relieved As Airport Board Cancels Medical/Sports Complex Deal

The Indy Eleven's Ersal Ozdemir no longer has any worries about that half-billion dollar development project planned for the old airport terminal site, which included an 18,000-seat stadium its developers planned to use to lure a major league soccer team. The Indianapolis Airport Authority Board, now controlled by Mayor Joe Hogsett appointees, voted unanimously this morning to nix the medical complex Athlete's Business Network planned to develop at the site, along with that new soccer stadium according to the IBJ. If the development had gone forward and the stadium constructed, it would have dealt a death blow to Ozdemir's efforts to get a publicly-financed stadium downtown for his minor league soccer team.

The IBJ reports the vote came after a closed-door executive meeting of the board. "We will leave our options open and continue to search for the optimal project that will provide significant benefits to Central Indiana and especially the west side of Indianapolis," the board said in a written statement. "The airport has been listening to the community�s input and will always put our community first, so the IAA has cancelled the request for proposals for the 130 acres at the former airport site," the board�s statement said. "We will also continue to engage and gather feedback from our stakeholders, including the City of Indianapolis, our neighboring communities and others."