The Indianapolis Indians (Class AAA; International League) are moving forward with $8.3 million in upgrades to Victory Field, including a new home plate club.
Recent approval from the Capital Improvement Board allows the Indians to proceed with several changes to Victory Field. Along with a roughly 3,000-square foot expansion of administrative offices, the upcoming round of upgrades will include an indoor/outdoor home plate club.
The 4,500-square foot club will take the place of four existing suites and necessitate the relocation of the press box and radio and control rooms. Once completed, the space will accommodate more than 200 guests and include a full-service bar, three tiers of outdoor seating, televisions, and more. In discussing the space, the Indians have noted that the views of Victory Field and the downtown Indianapolis skyline will be something that enhances the experience for guests. Construction on the improvements is scheduled to begin after this season, wrapping up in time for the 2020 campaign. More from the Indianapolis Business Journal:
The indoor-outdoor club is expected to include amenities like beverage rails, televisions, movable seating, and a full bar, along with outdoor seating on three levels, giving more than 200 fans per game a more social viewing experience than what’s generally offered with traditional seats.
Charlie Henry, a spokesperson for the Indians, said the club will provide “not only the best vantage point to watch baseball, but arguably the best view of downtown Indianapolis.”
The project will also add about 3,000 square feet of office space for the Indians’ front office operations, which has more than doubled since the team moved to Victory Field in 1996.
The Indians are paying for most of the renovation—about $6.3 million—while the CIB is kicking in $2 million to complete its commitments from a 2015 lease extension, which included $6 million in improvements to Victory Field over four years. IBJ first reported the Home Plate Club plans in April, but at the time the cost had not been finalized.
Victory Field originally opened in July 1996, and has been very well run over the years by the Indians. We took a closer look at the Indians’ success when they were crowned our 2018 Team of the Year.
Rendering courtesy Indianapolis Indians.