INDIANAPOLIS–All of the renovations at Gainbridge Fieldhouse will benefit much more than just the Fieldhouse, says Indiana Pacers Sports and Entertainment President Mel Raines.
Raines says all you have to do is look at what’s going on throughout the rest of Indianapolis.
“We know that the city is working on everything from the City Market area, the jail site, the new Signia hotel, the redevelopment of the CXS building and the mall, we’re talking about billions of dollars just right here in the heart of downtown,” said Raines in a weekend interview with Gerry Dick on Inside Indiana Business.
Another thing she says you can look forward to is the Bicentennial Unity Plaza, which will be done soon.
“We’ll have everything from ice skating in the winter to hopefully roller skating in the summer, basketball, and community events all year long. We’re hoping to have a ribbon cutting in May,” said Raines.
Raines says that will include expansive art sculptures and a community basketball court that can be converted into a public ice-skating rink larger than the one at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
Gainbridge will also host the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. It was in Cleveland in 2022.
“Cleveland had a $250 million economic impact from hosting. We hope to do a little bit better than that because they were doing it during COVID. Hopefully we’ll be well past that in 2024,” said Raines.
