INDIANAPOLIS — On Thursday, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced he's working on a bid to bring an MLS team to Indianapolis.
Now, the future for the Indy Eleven and Eleven Park remains in question.
"We brought the club here, so we feel like this is our club," said David Ziemba, president of the Brickyard Battalion, the independent support group of the Indy Eleven.
Ziemba and other Eleven fans feel disappointed by Hogsett's announcement. Subsequently, the Indianapolis-based Keystone Group is saying Hogsett is walking away from the Indy Eleven Park Project.
"We didn't know why the Mayor was doing what he was doing," said Ziemba.
"It's a little disheartening because we don't know what's going on. What does the future hold, not only for Indy Eleven but for soccer in Indianapolis," questioned Tom Dock.
Dock's dogs are the official live mascots for the Eleven.
Those questions that Dock has are what many are asking. Putting in a bid for an MLS team does not a guarantee one will come to Indy.
The city says it's looking at a site, located at 355 E. Pearl St., for a potential soccer-specific stadium, but mayor Hogsett told WRTV the old Diamond Chain Complex, where Eleven Park is planned, is also an option.
"It's a possibility, but I think the City of Indianapolis is giving Major League Soccer the opportunity to pick and choose a couple of sites. We want to be as flexible as we can be," said Hogsett.
Ziemba says Thursday morning he had a conversation with the owner of the Indy Eleven and is under the impression everything is moving forward.
"As far as I think, the club is just going to go forward with what we can control. It's all we can do and continue to build," said Ziemba.
WRTV reached out to the Keystone Group and Indy Eleven for an updated comment, but haven't received one yet.
Ziemba says he reached out to the Mayor and feels like the Brickyard Battalion should be a part of the conversation, but so far has been denied that.
