Indy Eleven co-owners say heliport stadium is off as city advances separate MLS redevelopment effort

A shifting stadium debate in downtown Indianapolis

Plans to build a soccer stadium tied to the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport are no longer being pursued by Indy Eleven’s ownership, even as city and aviation actions continue to move the heliport property toward potential redevelopment.

Indy Eleven co-owner Chuck Surack, a Fort Wayne-based entrepreneur who joined the club’s ownership group in May 2024, has publicly opposed closing the heliport and has made nearby real estate purchases that he has described as aimed at slowing the decommissioning process. In September 2024, Surack purchased the La Quinta Inn property at 401 E. Washington St. for about $14.5 million. He has also been linked to an earlier acquisition near the site as part of efforts to preserve heliport operations.

Indy Eleven owner Ersal Ozdemir and Keystone Group broke ground in May 2023 on Eleven Park, a separate stadium and mixed-use development planned for the former Diamond Chain factory site west of the White River. The project was designed around a 20,000-seat venue and surrounding apartments, offices, hotel and retail components.

Two competing concepts: Eleven Park vs. heliport redevelopment

The heliport location became central to a different stadium concept advanced through city government in 2024, including creation of a professional sports development area (PSDA) tax district framework intended to support stadium financing through incremental tax revenues. City planners approved a revised district in June 2024 that shifted boundaries away from the Diamond Chain/Eleven Park footprint and toward the heliport area.

While the heliport district has been associated with efforts to position Indianapolis for Major League Soccer, it has also depended on control of the heliport land. The Indianapolis Airport Authority Board voted unanimously on Oct. 17, 2025, to allow the city to purchase the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport at 51 S. New Jersey St. for $10.8 million. At the time, federal action to take the facility out of commission had already been part of the process.

Federal review adds uncertainty to timeline

In early February 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration paused the permanent closure of the heliport while seeking additional public comment after objections were filed, including by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and Surack. The letters raised concerns about the closure and the sale process, adding uncertainty to any redevelopment schedule tied to decommissioning.

What is confirmed now

• Indy Eleven’s ownership continues to be associated with Eleven Park as the club’s long-planned stadium project, with construction having formally launched in 2023.
• Surack’s actions have centered on preserving heliport operations and slowing decommissioning, even while he has said he is not opposed to a soccer stadium concept in general.
• City-led heliport-area redevelopment steps—tax district actions, land-assembly efforts, and the approved heliport sale—have progressed, but federal review has introduced new uncertainty about timing.

The immediate practical result is a bifurcated path: Indy Eleven’s ownership says the heliport stadium concept is no longer in play for the club, while public-sector redevelopment activity around the heliport continues under a separate framework that still hinges on aviation decommissioning and final approvals.

Indy Eleven is continuing to play home matches at Carroll Stadium, with team communications in January 2026 still referencing the venue for the start of the regular-season home schedule.