Photo Update: Bicentennial Unity Plaza, Commission Row outside The Fieldhouse
Photo Update: Bicentennial Unity Plaza, Commission Row outside The Fieldhouse
An updated view on the ongoing construction outside the home of the Pacers.
Construction is ongoing outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse as workers continue to work on two major projects.
The first, the completion of Bicentennial Unity Plaza, represents the final stage of the $360 million renovations that first began three years ago at the start of the pandemic.
There’s a central area with a covering, a place of interest with a basketball court and potentially an ice skating rink during the winter. There’s a concessions shack where items can be sold. It is the Pacers’ hope that this becomes a central hub for Indy sports, place where people can visit, hang out and explore. On the way to a Colts game or an Indians game, before or after a Pacers or Fever game, etc.
It was originally slated to be completed by the end of the Pacers’ season, in the spring. But now it appears it will be some time this summer.
A specific date, however, is not yet known.
The other project was just announced a few months ago and it is to the east of the plaza.
It’s Commission Row, a dining and entertainment space with something for everyone. This 30,000 square-foot building is team owner Herb Simon’s project. And it will only enhance the experience for those visiting the plaza and fieldhouse.
It includes a speakeasy, steakhouse and event space all-in-one, filling a spot that was previously just a street-level parking lot.
Plans call for it to be done by the end of 2023, in time for when Indianapolis hosts the NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 in mid-February.
The upgrades to The Fieldhouse, the creation of this plaza and new construction of this event space all would not have been enjoyed if the All-Star game was hosted in 2021, as originally promised and planned.
When Salt Lake City hosted the All-Star game last February, they hosted media to an event space for food and drinks. I can absolutely envision that being the case in Feb. 2024, either at the third-level event space or at the speakeasy. You know Simon will want to maximize the space and show it off.
I know I have a lot of readers outside of central Indiana. It’s actually very cool — with subscribers in 44 states and 60 other countries. Shout-out to California and New York for coming in second and third, respectively, after Indiana.
Therefore, here are some more photos that I took earlier this month.
And Happy Father’s Day.
