Indy Eleven owner talks Eleven Park, new city plans for MLS in Indy

Hogsett's announcement of his pursuit of a Major League Soccer expansion team came as a surprise to many last Thursday. Hogsett announced the Pearl Street site with an unnamed group of investors that did not include Ozdemir, the owner of the Indy Eleven.

Ozdemir is the founder of the Keystone Group, the developer behind the $1 billion Eleven Park, which would include apartments, office space, restaurants and, of course, a 20,000-seat soccer stadium.

"That part of downtown has been left alone, no development, a lot of industrial building, no progress," Ozdemir said. "We felt like this will make that huge impact that the southwest side will need."

Now, there are questions swirling around his dream of a permanent home for his Indy Eleven even if the Mayor, Governor and more city leaders were all smiling at the groundbreaking for the site in May 2023.

"Since then we've hired architects, the plans are 40% complete, we're moving forward with that," Ozdemir said. "The site is ready, we've demolished the buildings, down all the remediation that needs to be done and we are ready to build Eleven Park."

Ozdemir said he's been going through all the right steps since the groundbreaking, everything from demolition to City-County Council approval. He said Keystone Group was working to finalize the deal with the city the last few months until they weren't.

"So you're going to have to ask the mayor what has changed on this site," Ozdemir said.

Whatever did change, it appears to have led to Hogsett flying to New York last Monday to sit down with the Commissioner of MLS. In a Friday interview on FOX59 morning news, Hogsett called the meeting "very encouraging."

Ozdemir said it's always been his dream to bring the MLS to Indianapolis. He believes his "organic" plan is the best way to do it.

For the first time since the bombshell news of Mayor Hogsett's pursuit of an MLS team, we sat down with Indy Eleven owner Ersal Ozdemir. On @FOX59 & @CBS4Indy, we talk Ozdemir's Eleven Park, his dream of MLS in Indy and how he says his plan is the quickest way to it. pic.twitter.com/rDJR7LJo1v

— Eric Graves (@ReporterEric) April 29, 2024

"That's why we worked over 10 years to buy a franchise, build a team, get fans to the stands, show the support to Indiana, get our vision to the statehouse and then get their support to Eleven Park," Ozdemir said. "We've kind of been doing the process for the whole time to get to a place MLS will consider Indianapolis."

Ozdemir said he has added prominent Indianapolis families to his local ownership group to pursue the MLS, as well.

"We could never guarantee there is an MLS [team], but we are following the organic way," Ozdemir said. "The team for the people, we're building with the people, with the fans, with the supporters."

Ozdemir called this the right way to build a franchise.

"Instead just flying into a city, just saying, 'Hey, I'm going to bring you an MLS franchise'," he said.

Despite the uncertainty the Mayor's Thursday announcement meant for Eleven Park, Ozdemir did add it was exciting to hear the Hogsett's publicly advocating for MLS in Indianapolis.

"We would love to work with the mayor to bring MLS to Indianapolis," Ozdemir said. "If there is going to be MLS, this is the quickest way to get MLS. I own it, it's already being demolished, the site is ready."

Ozdemir said the plans for Eleven Park are about 40% complete. He even has a row of different stadium seats lined up in a conference room, all are candidates to be seats in the new Eleven Park.

The next step in Hogsett's plan around the Pearl St. site comes Wednesday when it's reviewed by the Metropolitan Development Council. The plan has several steps to go through, including a visit to the state legislature, before June 30.

While this happens, Ozdemir said his focus remains on the Eleven Park vision, and gaining the necessary state and city support to make it happen.

"We are the Indiana soccer team, so we want to continue to stay that and build that," Ozdemir said.