Whitestown Hopes to Score With Major Development
(photo courtesy: Town of Whitestown)
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowWhitestown Town Council President Clinton Bohm says the announcement of a $135 million mixed-used development, including a 200,000-square-foot youth sports complex, would spur additional growth in the community.
“It’s a major, major win for Whitestown, but as I like to tell people this is just beginning. We are not stopping here,’ said Bohm. “This is not a keystone. This is not a crowning achievement. This is only the next step on our path of growth and development.”
On Friday, Whitestown town leaders were joined by Indianapolis-based real estate developer Milhaus and Homefield LLC to announce the Boone County joint venture, which includes an indoor sports complex, as well as residential and commercial space.
Homefield is a Kansas City-based developer of amateur sports complexes.
The project means the transformation of the Wreck’s Inc. property, a former automobile junkyard just off I-65 and Indianapolis Road. The town acquired the 120-acre property two years ago.
“We had other people come to us with potential deals, but they were only going to take portions or small parts of the property and develop that and leave the rest for us, the town of Whitestown to develop,” said Bohm. “When this deal came forward, it was going to be these two entities working together to develop the entire project the entire 120 acres and that was something that we saw great benefit to.”
The town says the project will include 250 market-rate apartments, as well as the potential for about 75 for-sale residential units. Plans also call for a hotel with at least 105 rooms, an outdoor water sports and entertainment venue, at least 50,000 square feet of medical office space and about 50,000 square feet of commercial and retail space.
“We believe the project we have attracted is an ideal complement to Little League International’s new Central Region Headquarters currently under construction in Whitestown,” said Town Manager Jason Lawson. The baseball complex is scheduled to open this June.
Homefield is owned by Robb Heineman, who also owns the Sporting Kansas City professional soccer team. The town says the youth sports environment will include at least one outdoor field.
“Whitestown is a promising location for Homefield because of its vibrant and growing community,” said Heineman, who also serves as chief executive officer of Homefield. “We’re excited to bring the joy of Youth Sports to the athletes, families and fans in this area. We think Whitestown can be a role model for the future of youth sports in this country.”
The town is seeking local incentives to support the project, including tax increment financing and the adoption of a food and beverage tax. Nathan Messer, director of operations and economic development for Whitestown, says the town is in the process of implementing local incentives that will be included in the final development agreement.
The Whitestown Town Council is set to hear a presentation on the project at its February 10 meeting.
If the project moves forward, Bohm says the partnership hopes to break ground this October, with the opening of the sports complex in June 2022.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Bohm said the proposed development could have a broad impact.