By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
NOBLESVILLE – The future of professional basketball and the future of Noblesville officially teamed up on Monday.
A groundbreaking took place that afternoon for the Noblesville Event Center, which will be home to the G League franchise of the Indiana Pacers. The Event Center will be a 3,400-seat, 120,000-square foot arena that will also host community events, conferences, entertainment and other sporting events.
The groundbreaking took place at 13975 BorgWarner Drive in Noblesville, which is just southeast of 141st Street and Olio Road, along Interstate 69. The area is dubbed “Innovation Mile,” Noblesville’s business and technology hub.
Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen said Innovation Mile “will be home to the jobs of the future, the amenities of the future, the quality-of-life initiatives of the future. It will also be a gateway for innovation and the anchor of thinking and development of our community as we continue to grow.”
Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen spoke during the ceremony. He calls the new arena a “game-changer for Noblesville.” (Photo provided by City of Noblesville)
“The Pacers will join incredible teammates like our friends at BorgWarner who have been nothing but incredibly gracious partners in this process as well,” said Jensen. “They’ll also join Michael Meneghini and his team at the Indiana Joint Replacement Institute which went under construction earlier this year.”
It was personal for Jensen, since Noblesville is his hometown. He called it “incredible. I think it’s a game-changer for Noblesville” when speaking after the ceremony.
“When I ran for mayor four years ago, I did not have attracting an NBA affiliate franchise for Noblesville on my bingo card,” said Jensen.
The mayor was joined by Pacers Sports and Entertainment CEO Rick Fuson, who was among the speakers at the groundbreaking.
“I’ve been in the business for a long time and to see communities like Noblesville put their heart and soul in it and say ‘Hey, yes, that’s going to be good for us, the Innovation Mile,’” said Fuson. “Sports, as you well know, can be a great economic development tool. I think that’s what Mayor Jensen and the group is looking at. We really look forward to getting started here.”
“Rick Fuson is a solid negotiator, a straight shooter, which I can appreciate,” said Jensen. “They started with some tough negotiations and in the end, I think brought a very fair deal to us to make sure that the taxpayers benefit from this and the Pacers benefit from it.”
Also in attendance were NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum and NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim. They both spoke at the ceremony, along with Noblesville Common Council President Aaron Smith.
“I thought it was terrific to see this new start of Innovation Mile,” Tatum told the Reporter. “And the plans that we have for a new state of the art G League arena here is amazing. The tradition of basketball in the state, in the city is incredible, so to see the support that we’re going to have for this G League team, can’t wait to come back for Opening Night.”
Abdur-Rahim told the Reporter that there are many factors – the Pacers organization, “a city that’s growing like Noblesville,” and leadership that’s invested in the community “just makes it make sense for the G League.”
NBA G League President Shareef Abdur- Rahim speaks, while Pacers Sports and
Entertainment CEO Rick Fuson (center) and NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum (right) look on. (Photo provided by City of Noblesville)
“Basketball, that’s one thing that you know you don’t have to sell here,” said Abdur-Rahim. The president said that “early participation is a big part of our league, so we look forward to that, to being a part of that.”
“The more that we can make strong investments like these today mean that we’ll see the jobs and the residents of tomorrow,” said Smith.
In addition to the arena, Jensen said there would be a parking structure, as well as hotel and convention space.
“There’s been other folks in and around central Indiana that have invested in arenas of different sizes. That’s been done intentionally. These aren’t meant to necessarily compete with one another, but to be part of a central Indiana sports strategy,” said Jensen.
The new arena is anticipated to open during the 2025-26 G League season. The team will play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during construction.
This is a rendering of the Events Center from the inside. (Rendering provided by City of Noblesville)
Photos provided by City of Noblesville