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I love when Indianapolis thinks “big,” but I hate when we act “small.” Amateur and professional sports have played an outsized role in building the city and our state’s identity, but it is not the only foundation we have for future success.
On the surface, bringing a Major League Soccer franchise to Indianapolis sounds exciting. Given a closer look, there is significant concern for unintended consequences. Indianapolis must reevaluate its shortsighted approach to eliminating the Downtown Heliport in favor of building a stadium for a currently hypothetical MLS team. If the city is successful, the team will need a home. But at what cost?
The heliport is home to Indiana’s largest air medical operator, Indiana University Health, and hosts hundreds of air medical operations each month. IU Health would much prefer to remain in the current downtown facility since it is centrally located, which can be critical during time-sensitive, emergency situations such as airlifts.
Additionally, people utilize the heliport for every Colts and Pacers game, and hundreds used it for the Indianapolis 500. In fact, just last year, Pacers Sports and Entertainment, Colts owner Jim Irsay and former Hulman & Co. Chairman Tony George all joined a letter to the Indianapolis Airport Authority expressing strong support for the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport to stay in operation.
With more than 19,000 airports and heliports across America, aviation infrastructure is critical to our economy. We will soon see major heliport growth across the country to support urban air mobility as autonomous flight technology rapidly advances. While many may not view this as an everyday issue, this will not always be the case.
Advanced air mobility is not an unattainable pipedream. It is increasingly seen as the future of affordable and sustainable intercity travel as well as how goods and people will be moved between rural and urban locations for years to come. There are currently about 200 companies worldwide involved in the development of electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicles—called eVTOLs—with some companies planning to launch their services as early as this year.
Indianapolis cannot afford to give up its unique advantage over other cities by shutting down a strategically located downtown heliport, especially while our competitors are actively pursuing suitable downtown locations for their future vertiports. The total number of U.S. heliports is 6,082, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, but only 55 of those heliports are available for public use. Of those 55, only 11 heliports have been identified as facilities capable of integrating advanced air mobility operations immediately with little to no retrofitting. Indianapolis’ Downtown Heliport is one of those 11 facilities.
Indianapolis can be both a hub for aviation innovation and an elite sports destination. These are not mutually exclusive options. However, removing critical infrastructure while our rival cities are actively planning expansion to support advanced air mobility would harm our sports economy and preclude us from any aviation innovation opportunities.
As I have demonstrated in my hometown of Fort Wayne, I have a passion for improving Indiana’s downtown districts. I know many members of the Indiana business community willing to step up and invest in the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport, not only to save it from closure but to invest in further modernizing it.
I implore the city to reconsider its plans. We should bring all stakeholders to the table to explore all options. By working together, we can proudly elevate our heliport as a gateway to downtown Indianapolis while also maintaining our position as the best city to host sporting events in the nation. That is the type of big thinking we need right now.•
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Surack is founder of Sweetwater Sound and Surack Enterprises, a holding company for aviation, real estate and other companies. He recently announced an investment in the Indy Eleven soccer organization.
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This is well thought out insight with supporting facts. It deserves discussion.
As a vastly wealthy person fond of flying my helicopter to the heliport, I very much identify with this editorial.
Fewer than 5 helicopters use the heliport every day. It’s simply not worth the opportunity cost to leave it be. You billionaire types can build your own heliport elsewhere if you’re so willing to invest in the heliport, which would only benefit you anyway.