u/Horror_Job6035

Story:

Federal aviation officials have denied the Indianapolis Airport Authority’s request to close the downtown heliport — putting a major damper on the Hogsett administration’s plan to redevelop the site.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita on Friday announced that the Federal Aviation Administration has rescinded its November 2024 notice that would have permitted the airport authority to sell the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport to the city, saying new federal policies prioritize retaining aviation properties to advance various operations and that there are benefits to preserving the heliport’s infrastructure.
The heliport has not been used for active operations since December 2025.
“This is a win for Indiana’s taxpayers, public safety, the future of advanced air mobility, and aviation generally,” Rokita said in a press release on Friday.
Rokita asked federal officials to reconsider their approval of the closure earlier this year.
“The downtown heliport is a unique asset that in addition to serving passengers and general aviation, also serves law enforcement, homeland security, military support, and emergency medical services,” he added. “It will also help with the emerging technology. Closing it for non-aviation redevelopment would have been shortsighted and contrary to the public interest, not to mention a waste of the millions of dollars state taxpayers have invested in the infrastructure.”

Megan Carrico, senior director of public affairs for the IAA, said in written remarks that the airport authority has received the FAA’s determination.
“At this time, we are still reviewing the agency’s determination and are not in a position to discuss potential future actions,” Carrico said.
Representatives for the Indiana Mayor Joe Hogsett did not immediately return IBJ’s email requesting comment.
The city last year moved forward with an agreement to buy the 5-acre heliport property, 51 S. New Jersey St., for $10.88 million, with plans to close and tear down the structure to make way for a proposed Major League Soccer Stadium. The city is now prioritizing a site near Lucas Oil Stadium for a soccer stadium instead of the heliport area.
According to Rokita’s office, the FAA received more than 700 comments about the heliport during an extended public comment period, many of which support keeping the facility open. Supporters included Gov. Mike Braun, the Indiana State Police, aviation professionals, emergency medical providers and business users.
“We appreciate the robust public dialogue across our region and the many perspectives shared with the FAA throughout this process,” Carrico said. “One thing that has been made abundantly clear is that Hoosiers care deeply about this public asset and its future.”
Plans to sell the downtown heliport had been in the making for years. In 2021, the city signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with the airport authority to either find a third-party developer for the site or to sell the property to the city or related entity, such as the Capital Improvement Board.
According to the FAA’s determination letter, provided by the Attorney General’s Office, the IAA argued earlier this year that the heliport was not needed for emergency management, law enforcement, fueling, hospital helicopter operations or major event planning. It also argued that it could not cover operating expenses.
The FAA says it received “diverging opinions” about the heliport’s use.
“Although some entities and individuals have moved away from using the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport by utilizing other airport facilities or substituting helicopters for drone technology that doesn’t require a dedicated heliport, there were a significant number of comments that detailed how the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport is still needed in their operations,” the FAA’s determination stated.
In addition to filing his request to stop the heliport’s closure, Rokita asked the FAA to reconsider the city’s proposed purchase of the heliport.
Fort Wayne aviation business owner Chuck Surack made a $15 million offer for the property just days before the airport authority advanced plans to sell it to the city.
The FAA said it was unaware of the offer before it issued its 2024 letter permitting the heliport’s closure.
Surack leads a coalition consisting of numerous national businesses and organizations who were against the closure of the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport. Called the Sunlight Coalition, the group includes aviation manufacturers Airbus and Bell Flight, Fort Wayne-based hospital system Parkview Health and Vertical Aviation International.
Surack, who has been working to keep the heliport running for nearly five years, said he appreciates the parties that stepped in to help overturn the decision.
“It just takes patience,” he told IBJ on Friday.
When asked why securing the heliport means so much to him, Surack said a downtown heliport is part of what makes a city world-class.
“For Indianapolis to have lost its heliport is just a black eye,” Surack said. “I’m going to fight to keep it as a heliport.”

Fort Wayne billionaire might get his wish to keep the heliport :(

I have no idea where this new site is gonna be tbh. (Story below for those without a subscription).

—-
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber (Photo courtesy of Major League Soccer)
Indianapolis is apparently still in the hunt for a Major League Soccer club, but city officials confirmed Friday a marked shift in their approach to how and where a stadium for that team might be developed.

City officials met with MLS executives last week in New York City, during which Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett pitched an undisclosed site near Lucas Oil Stadium for a soccer-specific venue.

“Last week, I had the opportunity to visit with Commissioner [Don] Garber and MLS leadership,” Hogsett said in a statement through a spokesperson. “Given Major League Soccer’s continued growth as a league, and soccer’s growth as a sport, I remain committed to doing everything in my power to position Indianapolis for success. In the coming weeks and months, I will be presenting both MLS and state and local partners a path forward.”

That path is expected to consist of what’s being called a “Football Stadium District” in the southwest quadrant of downtown, which would position the facilities together as part of a larger mixed-use development. The plan is expected to complement future improvements to Lucas Oil Stadium that the Colts are beginning to consider as the team nears an early-exit clause in its contract in 2032.

The new possible location is a move away from plans announced more than two years ago that called for the redevelopment of the Downtown Indianapolis Heliport area into a soccer stadium site.

Story Continues Below

It’s unclear whether the city will continue its effort to acquire the heliport, for which it has been under contract for more than a year, as the Federal Aviation Administration revisits its decision to close the property to aviation activity.

Major League Soccer confirmed its meeting with Indianapolis officials, indicating the league still has an appetite to bring Indianapolis into the fold.

“I recently met with Mayor Hogsett to continue discussions about Indianapolis’ efforts to develop a new soccer-first stadium as part of the city’s vision for Major League Soccer,” Don Garber said in a written statement. “I was encouraged by our conversation and appreciate the mayor’s leadership and commitment to pursuing a team for Indianapolis. The city has established itself as one of America’s great sports cities, with a strong track record of hosting major events and a growing passion for soccer. We look forward to continuing our conversations as the city’s plans continue to take shape.”

City officials plan to begin meeting with state leaders, including key lawmakers, over the next several weeks to discuss a potential request during the 2027 Indiana General Assembly legislative session, which as a budgeting session could create avenues for new or modified funding mechanisms.

The city has so far been tying the cost of a stadium — a proposed 80%-20% public-private split — to a professional sports development area taxing district, or PSDA, that was passed in 2019.

Andy Mallon, executive director of the Capital Improvement Board of Marion County, told IBJ that the taxing district remains the starting point but indicated other avenues could be explored. He declined to elaborate on what that could entail.

“Those conversations honestly start with the state, and we’ll talk about the original PSDA and how we make that work and and that concept work,” he said. “We have a supplemental financing plan and we want to work with the state to discuss that and get their feedback, because this is a partnership with the state and we want to work together to make sure that they are bought in and comfortable with everything, so that that remains to be sort of discussed and and worked through.”

Pacers Sports & Entertainment, which has long been attached to the project as a would-be lead investor or operator of the MLS team, is no longer involved in the effort, Mallon said.

“Right now, [Pacers Sports & Entertainment owner] Herb Simon is not currently part of the ownership discussion,” he said. “That’s obviously a change, and we’ve been working closely with the MLS … on really identifying the ownership group.”

He said Major League Soccer would be in the driver’s seat for final decisions on team ownership. He added that while the Colts might be tied into the larger stadium district project there’s no indication that they would operate or be a majority investor in the soccer club.
The Colts did not immediately respond to a request for comment from IBJ. Pacers Sports & Entertainment also did not immediately return a request for comment from IBJ.

Mallon and multiple other officials also confirmed that while a soccer stadium would shift to the area around Lucas Oil Stadium, there are no plans to use the former Diamond Chain Manufacturing Co. site owned by Keystone Group, for the stadium. That site in 2023 was proposed — and later saw a groundbreaking for — a $1.5 billion, stadium-anchored district called Eleven Park that would have been home to the Indy Eleven professional soccer team.

That site is just west of Lucas Oil Stadium, along the White River, but it has encountered development challenges after the city withdrew its support due to concerns about a stadium being built atop a former city cemetery. Major League Soccer has also indicated it has no interest in a stadium for one of its clubs being built on the site.

Mallon said that he anticipates any future development at the Diamond Chain property would be able to tie in or complement the city-led Football Stadium District effort and he plans to discuss the matter with Keystone as part of any long-term planning efforts.
This story will be updated.

I knew this was going to happen when they announced Latina Royale. Generally speaking, Lolita Banana is a great host. This speech to replace her with a U.S queen is just nonsense and weird. I honestly wonder how many fans who aren’t Mexican are the ones with the hand on the pedal for this hate train.

I really think this has been the best season yet. The camera work during the lip syncs have been so dynamic and engaging. The drama between the CONTESTANTS on a COMPETITIVE show is great. We get heartfelt moments but they don’t overly saturate the show and make it a slog.

This whole “it’s unfair” and they’re “biased” are tired arguments.