New plaza at Gainbridge Fieldhouse opens with public events

Bicentennial Unity Plaza, adjacent to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, opened to the public on Aug. 24, 2023. (IBJ photo/Mickey Shuey)

Downtown’s newest public-gathering space has opened on the site of a former parking garage north of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, marking the culmination of a three-year, $400 million renovation to the facility.

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting took place Thursday morning for Bicentennial Unity Plaza, welcoming more than 400 people to the 1.5-acre property for the first time.

Pacers Sports & Entertainment plans to host a spate of public events throughout the weekend, inviting residents and visitors to experience the new plaza. The first event was a pre-game party for the Indiana Fever game Thursday night that featured live music, balloon artists, games and giveaways. Several others are on the calendar:

— Friday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Happy Hour on the Plaza: Food, drink and basketball with live music from a pair of DJs, along with games, cocktails and free small plates from some of Indianapolis’ top chefs and food trucks.

— Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Indy Night Market on the Plaza: A collaboration with Be Nimble Foundation, the event will highlight farmers, restaurants, chefs and entrepreneurs from across the city. In conjunction with Black Business Month, the market will celebrate black-owned businesses, restaurants and food entrepreneurs, as well as chefs from PSE’s guest chef program.

— Sunday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Jr. Hoops Mini Clinic: A free basketball clinic for children ages 6 to 14 aimed at teaching the game’s fundamentals and enjoying an afternoon on the new community court.

— Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Love of the game: A basketball-themed block party offering crafts, coloring stations and face painting, along with inflatables, a bounce house, photo booths and giveaways.

Named in reference to the city’s 200th birthday in 2021, the plaza features two large art sculptures—an arched piece titled “Together” and a reflective, dome-like installation with video screens called “Sphere.” It also has a covered basketball court (convertible to an ice rink in the winter), outdoor seating, a snack stand and public restrooms.

Downtown resident Nicki Kollar, who spent time at the plaza Thursday with her husband, told IBJ the space turned out far better than she had anticipated in nearly three years of watching construction crews work on the site. The plaza sits on land that was formerly the 900-space Maryland Street parking garage, which was demolished in 2020.

“It’s incredible what they were able to do with such a small space,” Kollar said. “I never could have imagined this. I’m sure they have great designers, but it’s just a really cool use of the space.”

Kollar thinks the space has “something to offer for everyone,” whether a person is interested in playing basketball, getting a snack or simply spending some time hanging out downtown.

“While I don’t necessarily like playing basketball, it’s really cool just to see something like this court here—and for it to be outdoors and open to everyone,” she said. “And with it being within walking distance from a lot of other downtown attractions, I definitely think it’s worth the investment that was put into it.”

A portion of the plaza was funded through a $28.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., while the city spent about $25 million on infrastructure for the project.

Pacers Sports & Entertainment is spending at least $20 million next door to develop Commission Row, a three-level retail project featuring an upscale restaurant, a basement-level speakeasy-style tavern and a private event space—all of which will be managed by Indianapolis-based Cunningham Restaurant Group. That project is expected to open ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 in February.