Design & Development

Indiana Fever taps Populous to design new performance centre

Images: Populous

Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) has today (Thursday) detailed plans to build a new performance centre for the Indiana Fever WNBA team.

The building will cost $78m (£63.8m/€75.8m) and has been designed by Populous. It will be located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, a short distance from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home arena the Fever shares with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers.

Construction of the three-story, 108,000-square-foot training complex will begin in August and it is slated to open before the 2027 WNBA season. It will be connected by a skybridge to the Virginia Avenue Parking Garage and Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Populous will serve as the architect of record, with construction to be led by Shiel Sexton.

The Fever has seen a huge surge in interest after the team drafted No.1 pick Caitlin Clark ahead of the 2024 season. Clark’s arrival led to a spike in attendances for the Fever, with the team averaging over 17,000 fans per game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse last year.

Plans for the performance centre are still being finalised, but PS&E said it will be designed to address the specific needs of female athletes competing at the highest level.

It will feature two regulation-sized courts, premier strength and conditioning equipment, a yoga and Pilates area, a team store, a hydration station and a full-service kitchen. The Fever will also have a private outdoor courtyard and mental performance spaces, while the facility will also feature a hair and nail salon, childcare space, and a podcast and content production studio.

Currently, the Fever’s dedicated practice court and training area are located within Gainbridge Fieldhouse. They were last renovated in 2020.

An affiliate of PS&E will construct the facility on the west half of the former Marion County Jail site, located at the corner of Alabama and Maryland streets.

PS&E chief executive Mel Raines said: “With the goal of Indianapolis becoming the epicentre of women’s sports, this world-class sports performance centre will be the preeminent place for players to train, recover and push their boundaries.

“It’s a game changer in terms of providing the ultimate player experience and we can’t wait for our team to reap the benefits of having an exclusive and unparalleled facility designed specifically for them.”

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett added: “Last year, we experienced an unprecedented boom in interest and attention on women’s sports around the world, led in large part by our very own Indiana Fever.

“Indianapolis is proud to see this significant investment from Pacers Sports & Entertainment drive further momentum in women’s basketball in our community and continue to elevate our status as a major league sports city.”

In July, Gainbridge Fieldhouse will host the WNBA All-Star, marking the first time Indianapolis has staged the event.