Facilities spotlight: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
The $360 million renovation of the Indiana Pacers' home arena, is nearing completion.
On April 12, 2019, The Indiana Pacers and the city of Indianapolis agreed to a deal worth $800 million for the team to stay in Indiana for the next 25 years. The Marion County Capital Improvement Board, which owns or manages the city’s professional sports stadiums, voted unanimously and approved a 25-year agreement with Pacers Sports and Entertainment to improve Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It will keep the Pacers in town through the 2043-44 season.
The terms included $295 million in public money and $362 million for operating expenses. Another $120 million will be spent on technology upgrades over ten years, after which the CIB and the Pacers will renegotiate those terms to keep up with the latest technology.Â
It also included $17.6 million for maintenance and another $4.6 million for the video and sound system that the board had previously agreed to pay. The Pacers contributed $65 million to the project. The contract also included clauses to protect the city to ensure that the team stays the full 25 years. The Pacers would have to pay an enormous fee, estimated to be $750 million if the team decides to leave town early.
The CIB board believes that the Pacers are vital to the area. It said that the team supports 4,000 tourism, event, and hospitality jobs with annual wages amounting to $152 million and $15 million in annual taxes. The stadium hosts more than 500 events annually and attracts 1.7 million people to Indianapolis. The Pacers have played in downtown Indianapolis since the early 70s and at Gainbridge Fieldhouse since 1999.
Gainbridge Fieldhouse by the numbers:
Phase one of the project started on February 1, 2020, and although the CIB was forced to scale back phase due to Covid-19 throwing a wrench on the construction schedule, phases one, two, and three are now in the books, and Gainbridge Fieldhouse is one step closer towards its final product. The Bicentennial Unity Plaza and its three-story entertainment complex are the remaining items on the arena’s renovation checklist. The completed works at Gainbridge Fieldhouse are as follows:
Phase one:
Two new sideline clubs, the 67 Club and PointsBet Hardwood Club
Reconfigured event level with new seats in the lower level and renovated media room
New Indiana Fever locker room and ILA Star Compound for visiting performers
Center-hung scoreboard, which is equipped with more than 3,350 square feet of video area, two LED rings, and underbelly screens
New all-inclusive veranda clubs in the northeast and northwest corners of the fieldhouse, a new kitchen to service the suites, and significant work on the Key Bank Suite Level
Phase two:
Extensive main concourse work, including all-new concessions, all-new restrooms, and a nursing mothers room
Creation of the Sailor Jerry’s Cut Through Bar, Yuengling Flight Deck, and an adjacent Chick-fil-A stand
A renovated team store
a reconfigured Krieg DeVault Club (mezzanine)
all-new restrooms and concessions
An expanded Lexus loft
New bars at each of the corners of the building
New Krieg DeVault Club level terraces and corner lounge areas
It is the culmination of the three-year rejuvenation project-the second most expensive in NBA history behind Madison Square Garden. Its renovation is the latest for a group of similarly aged NBA arenas. The Charlotte Hornets just recently unveiled a $215M plan to upgrade Spectrum Center. Footprint Center, the Phoenix Suns’ home arena, just underwent a major makeover; and Crypto.com Arena and Wells Fargo Center are underway with multi-year, nine-figure renovations. The average age of these venues is 24 years. All are structurally sound and located in desirable mid-city areas.
Many new and revamped spaces and amenities were added to enhance the fan experience. A nursing mother’s room was added, and everything was significantly upgraded, from the restrooms up to the concession areas. The fieldhouse has also gone cashless, and all tickets are digital/mobile.Â
It also has a Grab N Go feature that will allow guests to grab their own food, drinks, and merchandise, which speeds up transactions and makes for a touchless environment. Fans will now enjoy new culinary offerings, upgraded and renovated stands, and a new rotating chef concept called "The Kitchen". It will highlight minority-owned restaurants in the city, spanning a diverse range of cultures and flavors. Each participating guest chef will serve their signature dishes inside "The Kitchen" for three games during the season. Â
The number of suites was also reduced, but premium areas were doubled. Its courtside club was renovated and is now all-inclusive with beverage service to the fans. Two sideline clubs, with the capacity to sit 600 in each space, were added. Lower-level suites were increased from 28 to 38, while upper-level suites were reduced significantly from 36 to 14.Â
This was done to make way for a mix of communal bars, lounges, and terraces. The Varsity Club restaurant was shifted into terraces for group premium rentals but can also be sold as individual suites. A shift in premium is now part of the new Gainbridge Fieldhouse.Â
We've taken the best, most iconic arena in the NBA and we're making it even better, even more state-of-the-art, and even more appealing to a new generation of fans by creating a premium experience for all.-Rick Fuson, President and CEO Pacers Sports and Entertainment
The Bicentennial Unity Plaza will be the final piece of this renovation project. Inspired by the Sacramento Kings' Golden 1 Center, which kick-started the indoors-outdoors fluidity trend in the NBA, Gainbridge Fieldhouse's bicentennial plaza will be home to two interactive LED art sculptures and a recessed community basketball court that, in the winter, will convert to an ice-skating rink larger than the one at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. Â
It will also include a three-story entertainment complex with a speakeasy and restaurant, concert space, and a large gathering room for fans without tickets should the Pacers or Fever make an appearance in the Playoffs. Â
We have to make sure that people feel welcome and comfortable. There's going to be some great things happening down here-especially once the plaza is completed. This is the people's building, it’s not just Indianapolis' building. It’s a building to celebrate in and to make memories in. We can all look forward to more memories being made with family and friends. And I think we need more of that.-Fuson during a print interview with Carmel Monthly