WESTFIELD, Ind. (AP) - The Indianapolis Colts have announced that the team’s training camp will move to an Indianapolis suburb for the next decade.
The Colts will pay Westfield $653,000 over the next 10 years to use the Grand Park Events Center, The Indianapolis Star reported. The team will pay a $123,000 fee up front to get the park ready and then $53,000 in payments annually.
The team will use the 370,000-square-foot center and four outdoor fields from July 22 to Aug. 18.
Todd Burton, Mayor Andy Cook’s chief of staff, said the city hopes to capitalize on the Colts brand as thousands of football fans are expected to flock to the park every summer.
“It’s good for Westfield,” Burton said. “But it’s also good for Hamilton County and the region. For us to have the opportunity to bring the Colts for that length of time will help to serve the entire region.”
The typical going rate to rent a space like the center for four weeks is about $300,000, Burton said. However, the park will likely still make a profit since the camp falls at a time when the fields are largely unused, he said.
“It’s the perfect time of the year for us,” he said. “The soccer and lacrosse seasons are ending, and we go into lull before the fall season.”
The city expects to make around $190,000 a year from parking, food and beverage sales.
Under the contract, the Colts are guaranteeing at least $100,000 annually from parking and concessions sales. If the city earns less, the team will conduct an audit and then pay the difference.
The Colts plan to launch a 72,000-square-foot Colts City fan experience area, the contract said. It would include NFL merchandise, promote the Play 60 youth health and fitness campaign, and other entertainment attractions.
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Information from: The Indianapolis Star, https://www.indystar.com
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