Thursday, April 09, 2015

Senate Passes Publicly-Financed Soccer Stadium For Indy Eleven

Ersal Ozdemir (Indianapolis Star Photo)
The Indiana General Assembly proves once again that they are the best legislature money can buy. The Senate overwhelming passed on a 46-3 vote enabling legislation to allow for the construction of a publicly-financed soccer stadium for the Indy Eleven minor league soccer stadium. The three senators who stood on the side of taxpayers are: State Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper); State Sen. Greg Walker (R-Columbus) and State Sen. Carlin Yoder (R-Middlebury). State Sen. Amanda Banks (R-Columbia City), who is filling in for her husband, Jim Banks, during his tour of duty in Afghanistan was not present for the vote. The shadowy Turkish immigrant owner of the Indy Eleven, Ersal Ozdemir, proves you can buy politicians in America just like they do in his native country of Turkey.

WISH-TV includes this quote from Indy Eleven's Peter Wilt, the same huckster who sold the suburban Cook County municipality on a new professional soccer stadium for the Chicago Fire before he was fired from that job, a stadium that has left residents of Bridgeview reeling from skyrocketing taxes to pay the mounting debt on a stadium that never lived up to its expectations:
“We are thrilled that the Senate’s vote today furthers our goal to secure a proper stadium for ‘the World’s Game’ and all of its passionate supporters from across Indiana,” said Peter Wilt, president and general manager of Indy Eleven. “We look forward to building on this momentum with our partners at Indiana University and IUPUI and working towards a venue plan that will do the City and State proud while boosting Indiana’s economy for all Hoosiers.”

7 comments:

Eric Morris said...

This is the straw that will finally drive this economy into high enough gear that tax money will gush forth so I will not have to dodge potholes the size of Mack trucks on my way to shop at Costco in Marion County. If only the idiot mayor of Carmel had given the keys to the kingdom to Costco rather than his crapartment developer buddies I would never have to risk my car's alignment. Now, with Indy Eleven, I can have my cake and eat it as well since the roads are sure to be fixed.

Anonymous said...

No matter how often or how much Advance Indiana exposes the male prostitutes in Ersal Ozdemir's harem of political whores, led by sell-outs political male whores Brian Bosma and Murray Clark who tender their souls for the proverbial ounce of gold, these filthy deals go through.

The criminal justice center is next. And the City Councilors will abet the financial raping of their own constituents!

This financial rape of Marion County taxpayers- many not yet conceived- continues in all the crony insider special interest done-deals-before-they are-announced.

Sir Hailstone said...

Fox 59 just reported the bill passed by the Senate was the $20M for renovating IUPUI Carroll Stadium and not the $86M for a brand new stadium so it has to go back to House conference committee to iron out the differences
So which is it?

Anonymous said...

I'm so sick of the non-stop crony mega-million dollar deal making in this city. How stupid are our elected leaders who think we should subsidize an unproven one year old minor league franchise of a second tier sport to the tune of $83M? Where does the pillaging ever stop for these people, Gary? When we're in the same boat as Greece? Since the city and state have such high credit ratings do they just figure we haven't been milked enough?

Anonymous said...

Ozdemir's Keystone Construction Corp is 12 years old and not many years ago their core business was rehabilitating houses in Indy. Now they are doing $30M plus sized projects - mostly "mixed use" multi-story buildings. This level of construction is painfully complex and challenging for even the most seasoned contractors with hundreds of vendors and trades involved in each project. Does this level of growth strike anyone as being really odd? Would you hire a contractor to build you a new home if, until recently, his relevant experience was mowing lawns? Of course not. Does anyone really think this business won these projects the old fashioned way by boasting a legitimate resume? And to put icing on the cake about everything they do has some kind of government subsidy involved.

Gary R. Welsh said...

The media is representing the bill passed by the Senate. It limits IU's contribution to a $20 million bond issue. An amendment adopted in the Senate allows the money to be spent on a renovated Carroll Stadium or replacement. Ballard plans to have the CIB to kick in the balance of what will be needed to build the new stadium Ozdemir wants, which would require razing Carroll Stadium and moving the track and field facilities to a new nearby site.

Anonymous said...

Team Soccer Stadium scored a major victory last week in the second half of the Indiana General Assembly Political Game.  Their opponent, Veterans, continue to be shutout!  Senator Long, lead a huge $20 MILLION score that will be hard for veteran advocates to overcome thanks to the lobbying efforts by Team Soccer Stadium.  Senators for veterans have been unable to crack the staunch defenses of the Administration and select leadership in charge of key committees.  During the first half of this political game House Representatives for veterans were also blanked and at half time of the General Assembly game, nothing related to finance survived.  Fans for the veterans will have to step up and cheer loudly if veterans are to get in the game.  Matching the $20 Million score will be very difficult as the “’pretty big wish list’ that ought to have been pared down” must have been a foul play as it was cited with a yellow card.  

 

Advocates are not professionals, they are passionate armatures working for the needs of veterans, and telling legislators, they know they will not get it all.  This appears to be an offending maneuver play.  In previous General Assembly tourney financial seasons, veterans lost big; looks bad this political season again.  

 

Miracles can happen, maybe in “extra time” during reconciliation between the Senate and House.  Rumors exists that veterans treatment courts, clinical trials to help veterans with traumatic brain injury, and a few other small financial scores could happen.  It is doubtful they will be able to match the $20 Million score that is sure to be permanently posted by the Governor.  Let’s hope veteran’s legislators keep trying and at least the final score will not be a shutout.