Indy Eleven stadium bill is dead

The Indy Eleven is undefeated on the field this season, but its record in the Statehouse dropped to 0-2 on Wednesday.

A bill to renovate IUPUI's Carroll Stadium for the North American Soccer League team didn't make it through a conference committee on the last day of the legislative session.

"We just couldn't get all the parties on the same page," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Todd Huston, R-Fishers. "Everybody was acting in good faith, willing to get something done. But it wasn't going to work out this session.

"We were defining contributions and getting the right language with the state, IU, the team, the city. There were too many details from a financial standpoint for each of the parties. Honestly, we just ran out of time to nail everything down."

The bill would have used tax money captured from the stadium and a hotel being developed by the team's owner, Ersal Ozdemir, to fund $20 million for renovating the stadium at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

The team, Indiana University and the city would have had to fund costs beyond $20 million. An IU official estimated the cost of a new stadium at $50 million to $60 million.

A plan circulated this week that would have increased the state's contribution to $25 million did not advance out of a committee trying to reconcile bills passed by the House and Senate.

"While we are disappointed in the final outcome from the Indiana General Assembly, we are encouraged by the widespread support that was gained in both houses," Indy Eleven President Peter Wilt said in a statement. "Nevertheless, we will endeavor to return and build upon the support generated at the Statehouse and by our loyal fan base."

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard spoke at a Statehouse rally last month in support of the House bill.

"It's disappointing to see the conversation end so abruptly," said Jen Pittman, a spokeswoman for the mayor. "The stadium concept sparked some great dialogue about the connection between sports and economic development in Indy — both now and in the future.

"Soccer promises to play an increasingly prominent role in our economy and in our leisure activities, and I hope we keep thinking about ways to make a Hoosier mark on the world's sport."

Tom Morrison, IU vice president for capital planning and facilities, did not immediately respond to an interview request.

Huston said the complications included how hotel tax money would be used compared with tax money captured from the team and stadium. He noted that the Capital Improvement Board, which operates Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center, receives hotel tax money for its work.

This is the second year the team has failed to get a stadium from the legislature. Last year, before playing a single game, an Indy Eleven stadium bill stalled in the Senate.

This year, the team released renderings for an $82 million stadium at an undetermined Downtown location. The renderings dazzled many who saw them. The bill passed by the House would have used tax money from the stadium and Ozdemir's hotel to fund the $82 million.

The team argued that a modern soccer stadium was the next step in the evolution of Indianapolis as a sports town. Critics were concerned about taxpayers having to pick up the tab if the captured tax money wasn't enough to pay debt service.

"When the bill changed in the Senate, a lot of good thought went into that," Huston said. "But it put another set of variables into play."

After a Senate committee passed the stadium renovation idea, Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, called on Ozdemir to put up some of his own money on the project.

Huston said the entire debate included "really good discussion."

"I would suspect that next year we would have a similar type of conversation," Huston said. "I'm sure the team will be considering their options as far as facilities and communities."

Call Star reporter Mark Alesia at (317) 444-6311. Follow him on Twitter: @markalesia .