Construction of $1 Billion Professional Soccer Stadium Halted After Human Remains Found on Site

Due to the discovery of human remains on the construction site, a project to build a professional soccer stadium has recently been put on hold, which has also caused a dispute between the city and the property developers. But despite the setback and cancellation of negotiations with the city, Indy Eleven remains determined to proceed with its plans for the stadium.

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Halted Construction of the Professional Soccer Project

In May 2023, the Indy Eleven franchise made public its intention to initiate the construction of a stadium with a capacity of 20,000 seats. Additionally, the stadium would feature approximately 600 apartments and approximately 200,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. 

However, due to the finding of 87 cases of human remains at the development site, the construction of Eleven Park, the new stadium that will be built for the football club Indy Eleven, has been placed on hold.

As part of their application to join the Major League Soccer (MLS), the United Soccer League (USL) team had set aside one billion dollars to construct a new stadium in the central business district of Indianapolis. Keystone Group, the company responsible for the development of Eleven Park, issued a statement that they saw these discoveries as an opportunity to rectify earlier mishandlings by previous ownership and relocate and honor whatever may be discovered.

Moreover, a disagreement has arisen between local officials and builders on the appropriate course of action to take in light of the finding of the human remains. To carry out the planned development even further, Keystone is considering building memorials both on-site and in the cemetery, where they also intend to bury the remains.

On the other hand, Mayor Joe Hogsett is reportedly interested in purchasing the property to transform it into a memorial place, as was confirmed by a representative for the city. They also plan to construct a bridge, which will cost roughly $20 million, and the Elanco Animal Health headquarters, which is expected to cost approximately $100 million. Accordingly, the stadium was just one component of a massive renovation of the location. 

Also Read: Singapore Implements Stricter Safety Regulations and Higher Fines for Construction Sites 

Discovery of the Human Remains

Greenlawn Cemetery, the first cemetery in Indianapolis to be built in 1821, has resurfaced as a burden to the development. As mentioned, problems with the cemetery, such as tomb robbing and floods, led to its closure in 1890 and its abandonment in 1930.

Yet, the city and groups that support the Indianapolis Eleven expressed concerns about the authenticity of these remains. The initial human remains were reportedly discovered at the site in December 2023, causing a significant setback for the development. Based on current estimations, the city believes that there could be hundreds of remains buried there.

Furthermore, on May 1, Mayor Hogsett announced that negotiations concerning Indy Eleven and the Park stadium had been canceled because they did not make any sense from a business and budgetary standpoint. Nevertheless, although the municipality has withdrawn its funding for Eleven Park, the group continues to exhibit defiance.

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