The Roberts Stadium Advisory Board endorsed a plan to build an 11,000-seat arena at the D-Patrick Ford property, forwarding their recommendation to the City Council.The Roberts Stadium Advisory Board endorsed a plan to build an 11,000-seat arena at the D-Patrick Ford property, forwarding their recommendation to the Evansville City Council.
The total cost of the project will be between $117 million and $127 million. The facility is expected to host minor-league hockey as well as other special events too large for Roberts Stadium, which will be torn down.
Assuming financing can be arranged (the current plan calls for revenue from tax increment financing, casino revenue and food and beverage taxes) and there are no legal challenges to the project, the new arena is expected to open in 2010. The big factor for opponents: whether property taxes would be used to bail out the project if any of the expected revenue sources fell short. The answer from arena planners: other focused tax sources would be tapped before property-tax revenues are tapped.
