$550 million in developments coming to Fishers District, including event center to be new Indy Fuel HQ

FISHERS — A new event center with the ability to seat up to 8,500 people is coming to the Fishers District — and it'll soon be the new headquarters of the Indy Fuel.

The center is among several new economic, entertainment and residential developments announced Wednesday by the city. The projects will be presented to the Fishers City Council on Monday.

Indy Fuel will call the building home starting with the 2024-2025 season, according to an announcement from the city.

A batch of $550 million developments at the Fishers District is planned for east of Interstate 69 between 106th and 116th streets southeast of IKEA.

“This is a monumental day for our city,” said Mayor Scott Fadness. “Fishers is thriving and today’s announcement demonstrates that our momentum isn’t slowing down. Since 2019, residents and visitors of Fishers have enjoyed The Yard at Fishers District with a demand we haven’t experienced elsewhere. This announcement to expand the District into even more neighborhoods is exciting news from an entertainment perspective, but also because of the economic development promise to come. This expansion not only answers the call from CEOs and employees looking for restaurants and entertainment but can now be home to our schools’ graduations and statewide sporting events.”

Thompson Thrift, an Indianapolis-based real estate company, will be the master developer for the next phase of the Fishers Distrct. The company previously developed The Yard at Fishers District.

“We are excited to grow our presence in the ever-expanding community of Fishers,” said Ashlee Boyd, Thompson Thrift managing partner. “Part of our mission is to positively impact the communities we serve. By attracting new businesses, new jobs and more entertainment to Fishers, we are confident this development will enhance the experience of those living in and visiting this dynamic community.”

Once the Indy Fuel moves its headquarters to the new center from the Indiana State Fairgrounds, day-to-day operations and booking management will be handled by Hallett Sports & Entertainment.

“I’m thrilled to bring the fun and excitement of Indy Fuel hockey and its fan base to Fishers,” said Jim Hallett, owner of the Indy Fuel and chairman of Hallett Sports & Entertainment. “We are beyond excited to not only bring the Fuel to Fishers but also have Hallett Sports & Entertainment manage the new facility for the community. We intend for the event center to be the best facility of its size anywhere, create unique experiences for fans, families and groups, and bring a multitude of different types of events and attendees to the city and region.”

The center will include family suites and enhanced hosting areas.

On top of sporting events, the center will host theatrical and other entertainment events as well.

Also included in the expansion project are the following, according to the announcement:

• Slate, a previously announced multi-family and garden home community with direct access to Fishers District
• The Union, an expansion of the lifestyle, multi-family, and entertainment options at the District which, upon completion, is visioned to include approximately 250 luxury apartments, 60,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, 150 hotel rooms, and up to 80,000 square feet of Class A office space in a vertically stacked environment
• The Commons, home to the new Fishers event center and additional new-to-market restaurant, retail, and entertainment destinations, as well as additional residential options.

On top of all that, the Stevanato Group announced Stevanato Group it plans to build a 200,000-square foot facility in the Fishers Life Science and Innovation Park with a $140 million investment to build their facility and hire 250 employees for their high-wage, innovation positions.

Stevanato will present a proposal to the Fishers City Council to update its total investment to $512 million with a plan to hire a total of 515 employees by 2031. The Stevanato facility will open in early 2024, according to the announcement.

And Andretti Autosport plans to build and establish its $200 million global headquarters at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport’s undeveloped business park property. The headquarters will bring Andretti’s operations for all racing entities, research and development, and history museum to one campus location. Pending City Council approval, the facility will break ground in late 2022 and open in early 2025.