City OKs Adjusted Agreement For $15M Fieldhouse
(Rendering provided by the city of Noblesville)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Noblesville Common Council has approved a modified version of a public-private partnership involving construction of a $15 million athletic facility. The city says the new deal with Klipsch-Card Athletic Facilities LLC removes previous revenue sharing and facility rental provisions and cuts $300,000 in annual commitment by the city.
Under the agreement, Klipsch-Card will keep all revenue from the 130,000 square-foot facility and take on 100 percent of rental responsibility. Klipsch-Card will pay all construction, operating and maintenance costs and will not receive a tax abatement for the Noblesville Fieldhouse at Finch Creek Park.
The deal guarantees that Noblesville-based sports organizations, clubs or nonprofits receive a 25 percent discount on rental fees of the facility. The city will also bring in $300,000 annually in property taxes for 20 years and get $500,000 for the sale of the 10-acre site at the city’s next park. Construction on Finch Creek Park is set to begin in the spring and cost a total of $8.9 million.
Mayor John Ditslear calls it "an exciting day" for the Hamilton County city and says the project benefits youth sports clubs and will have a positive impact on local business. "Had the land remained only a city park, there would be zero property tax dollars generated, so this project nearly pays for itself. In return, Noblesville gains a first-rate youth sports complex that will support local youth sports, attract athletic tournaments from outside our region and bring greater tourism spending to support our community including hotels, restaurants and retail businesses."
Klipsch-Card Chief Executive Officer Andy Card says he has already heard from volleyball and baseball team and tournament organizers, as well as an international soccer academy, flag football organization and Futsal League that were all interested in the fieldhouse. He says mentions of Noblesville potentially becoming the international Pickleball headquarters have also emerged. Card says "baseball, volleyball and track will be the prominent sports. Noblesville Fieldhouse will be different than anything else in the country. It will be so unique and set Noblesville apart from anything else in the youth sports industry."
Fieldhouse plans call for five hardwood courts, indoor turf fields, a physical therapy office and a potential 200-meter indoor track.