Company Responds to Delay on $500M Project Vote
The 130-acre campus would include up to five office buildings.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe company behind a proposed $500 million global brain health center at the former Indianapolis International Airport site says it is "gravely disappointed" at the Indianapolis Airport Authority’s decision to delay a vote on the plan. However, Athletes Business Network says it welcomes further discussions and is confident the board will approve the project.
Indianapolis Airport Authority Senior Director of Commercial Enterprise Marsha Stone says it will likely be at least a month before a vote takes place.
On Tuesday, ABN and the airport announced plans for the campus that would have also included a stadium and a hotel. At the time, leaders from both sides said the project could ultimately create more than 3,000 jobs. The IAA also announced this week that South Bend-based Holladay Properties Inc. was chosen to develop more than 300 additional acres along West Washington Street.
Statement From Athletes Business Network
ABN – as well as our partners, Pataki-Cahill, Ziegler , Walsh Group, Hagerman, and Gensler – are gravely disappointed at the board’s decision to delay its selection of ABN and its project, given its enthusiastic announcement just three days ago that ABN and its project had been chosen. We have been overwhelmed by support for our project and interest in being a part of it by numerous health systems and sports organizations after the Airport Authority’s announcement and subsequent media coverage. Notwithstanding our disappointment, we welcome the opportunity to have further discussions with the Airport Authority regarding ABN’s qualifications and ability to deliver a successful project. We are confident that the board will conclude that its decision to select ABN and its project was the correct choice. It is our hope that the Airport Authority will move diligently to answer any remaining questions that it may have so as to limit any damage to the current momentum behind this project. We respect the process and will be prepared to answer any unanswered questions and we’re confident that the project will proceed.
Statement From The Indianapolis Airport Authority
Since our announcement of the proposed ABN development on the grounds of our old airport terminal parking lots, we’ve heard from many in the community who are excited about the project which would include a medical complex with a Global Center for Brain Health serving veterans, athletes and anyone facing concussions, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries and related health conditions. We have also heard from some in the community asking us to have more conversations surrounding the development.
The Indianapolis Airport Authority is a part of our community so we will always want what is best for the people we serve – you. Under our Land Use Initiative, we have been returning land to the community to create jobs for families, to put money back on the tax rolls and to spur economic development in Central Indiana, and that will remain our goal.
With that in mind, the Indianapolis Airport Authority will delay the agenda item involving the ABN letter of intent at Friday’s board meeting so that we can further process community feedback and have additional conversations.
We will have no other statements at this time.
Stone tells Inside INdiana Business there will be a lot of discussion over the next few weeks.