Retro Indy: Indianapolis heliport was once considered among most profitable in the U.S.
Recent conversations about a major league soccer team for Indianapolis have included speculation about a site for a brand-new soccer stadium. The location city officials have promoted centers around the Downtown Heliport, just south of the intersection of Washington and East Streets, along Pearl Street. Placing an MLS stadium there would force the closure of the present heliport, which first opened more than 40 years ago.
Discussion about a possible heliport in downtown Indianapolis began in the middle 1950s, after helicopters started to be more common around the country in the post Korean War era.
In 1954, a brief in the Indianapolis Star suggested that '[s]uburban residents will be piloting their own helicopters to work within 10 years.' That same year, the Board of Aviation Commissioners proposed constructing a heliport in University Park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, just north of the Federal Courthouse.
Not everyone was on board with this proposal, with one commentator stating in the Indianapolis News on January 11, 1954, that '[i]t seems too bad that this lone downtown beauty spot — the city's front yard— may have to be eliminated to meet the demands of municipal progress.'
It was not until the late 1960s that a heliport was established at the current Pearl Street site. Initially the heliport consisted of only a bare patch of land, formerly part of a railroad yard, with limited navigation and landing guides, and facilities. It was not open to the public and was restricted to mostly official flights.
In late 1979 the Indianapolis Airport Authority purchased the heliport site to allow a wider range of flight operations. Zoning restrictions to limit development and building height around the heliport were also sought.
The Indianapolis Airport Authority began efforts to obtain federal support and funding for a modern heliport with more established facilities and increased operational capacity.
Such a project was approved in 1983 as part of the National Prototype Demonstration Heliport Program, and construction began on a new heliport in the summer of 1984.
The heliport was dedicated to great fanfare on May 9, 1985, with then Mayor William Hudnut arriving by helicopter (what else?) and presiding over the event. He called the opening 'a vote for progress, a vote for downtown revitalization.'
The interior of the new heliport, described by the Indianapolis Star as 'decorated in shades of mauve, burgundy and gray,' boasted a gift shop carrying a variety of helicopter-related items and a restaurant.
In the middle of the heliport's lobby stood a bronze statue of a Vietnam War era helicopter aviator, dedicated on November 11, 1985. The statue bore no rank nor name for its subject, who was said to look as though he was pondering 'perhaps individual and personal thoughts of a soldier participating in a war he doesn't understand in a place he'd rather not be,' the Star story reported.
The heliport bustled in its early years, and in 1988 a headline in the Star trumpeted that the heliport 'may be the most profitable in the US.' Sightseeing flights were operated out of the heliport in the late 1980s, with locations including the zoo, Crown Hill Cemetery, and the new Major Taylor Velodrome, among others.
In addition to public safety uses, including medical and Indianapolis Police Department flights, the heliport also hosted helicopters for the local news organizations and private businesses, as well as the military on occasion.
However, increased operating costs resulted in local news stations abandoning their helicopters by the late 2010's. The police department also ceased using helicopters, and tenancy at the heliport declined.
In 2020, the Indianapolis Airport Authority submitted a request to the Federal Aviation Administration seeking release from their obligations at the site and asking for permission to sell the heliport for future redevelopment. In 2023, the only tenant was reported to be IU Health, whose Lifeline Helicopters are based at the heliport.
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Indianapolis Star
7 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
Retro Indy: Indianapolis heliport was once considered among most profitable in the U.S.
Recent conversations about a major league soccer team for Indianapolis have included speculation about a site for a brand-new soccer stadium. The location city officials have promoted centers around the Downtown Heliport, just south of the intersection of Washington and East Streets, along Pearl Street. Placing an MLS stadium there would force the closure of the present heliport, which first opened more than 40 years ago. Discussion about a possible heliport in downtown Indianapolis began in the middle 1950s, after helicopters started to be more common around the country in the post Korean War era. In 1954, a brief in the Indianapolis Star suggested that '[s]uburban residents will be piloting their own helicopters to work within 10 years.' That same year, the Board of Aviation Commissioners proposed constructing a heliport in University Park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, just north of the Federal Courthouse. Not everyone was on board with this proposal, with one commentator stating in the Indianapolis News on January 11, 1954, that '[i]t seems too bad that this lone downtown beauty spot — the city's front yard— may have to be eliminated to meet the demands of municipal progress.' It was not until the late 1960s that a heliport was established at the current Pearl Street site. Initially the heliport consisted of only a bare patch of land, formerly part of a railroad yard, with limited navigation and landing guides, and facilities. It was not open to the public and was restricted to mostly official flights. In late 1979 the Indianapolis Airport Authority purchased the heliport site to allow a wider range of flight operations. Zoning restrictions to limit development and building height around the heliport were also sought. The Indianapolis Airport Authority began efforts to obtain federal support and funding for a modern heliport with more established facilities and increased operational capacity. Such a project was approved in 1983 as part of the National Prototype Demonstration Heliport Program, and construction began on a new heliport in the summer of 1984. The heliport was dedicated to great fanfare on May 9, 1985, with then Mayor William Hudnut arriving by helicopter (what else?) and presiding over the event. He called the opening 'a vote for progress, a vote for downtown revitalization.' The interior of the new heliport, described by the Indianapolis Star as 'decorated in shades of mauve, burgundy and gray,' boasted a gift shop carrying a variety of helicopter-related items and a restaurant. In the middle of the heliport's lobby stood a bronze statue of a Vietnam War era helicopter aviator, dedicated on November 11, 1985. The statue bore no rank nor name for its subject, who was said to look as though he was pondering 'perhaps individual and personal thoughts of a soldier participating in a war he doesn't understand in a place he'd rather not be,' the Star story reported. The heliport bustled in its early years, and in 1988 a headline in the Star trumpeted that the heliport 'may be the most profitable in the US.' Sightseeing flights were operated out of the heliport in the late 1980s, with locations including the zoo, Crown Hill Cemetery, and the new Major Taylor Velodrome, among others. In addition to public safety uses, including medical and Indianapolis Police Department flights, the heliport also hosted helicopters for the local news organizations and private businesses, as well as the military on occasion. However, increased operating costs resulted in local news stations abandoning their helicopters by the late 2010's. The police department also ceased using helicopters, and tenancy at the heliport declined. In 2020, the Indianapolis Airport Authority submitted a request to the Federal Aviation Administration seeking release from their obligations at the site and asking for permission to sell the heliport for future redevelopment. In 2023, the only tenant was reported to be IU Health, whose Lifeline Helicopters are based at the heliport.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Messi's 'winning spirit' surprising: Inter Miami's Mascherano
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano hailed Lionel Messi's winning mentality after the 2-1 win over Porto at the Club World Cup on Thursday. (ALEX GRIMM) Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano admitted he is surprised at Lionel Messi's desire to win after the MLS side shocked Porto at the Club World Cup on Thursday. Veteran playmaker Messi curled home a fine free-kick in a man-of-the-match performance at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the winning goal in Miami's 2-1 Group A victory over their Portuguese opponents. Advertisement Mascherano said his Argentine compatriot's competitive spirit at 37 was more surprising to him than the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's quality. "Beyond his goal... he's a player who shows us how to compete, his hunger, his desire to continue competing at whatever level it is," Mascherano told reporters. "In a footballing sense, what else is there to say? He's the best player that has played this sport in its history, but what is surprising is his will to win. "Today, even in the last minutes, tired, with a knock, he kept helping the team in any way he could, in attack, in defence, to get the result... Advertisement "We know having him gives us an advantage, but above all, through his contagious spirit, the winning spirit that he has." Many expected Porto to beat Inter Miami but the American side recorded a first ever victory in a competitive match for an MLS team against European opposition and the first shock at the Club World Cup. "I think that we understood that in football there are obviously hierarchies, and we were facing against a team at a high level, with international players," said Mascherano. "But we were convinced that if we did what we had to do, if we had a plan, if we supported each other, if we were together, but above all, if we dared to play, we could compete." Advertisement Samu Aghehowa netted a first-half penalty for Porto but Telasco Segovia and Messi's strikes after the break earned Inter Miami victory which puts them level on four points with Palmeiras at the top of the group. "What I told them (at half-time) was... to raise their spirits, because we had clearly showed we could compete, and that we had reached a moment where I didn't care about the result," added Mascherano. "What I was interested in was showing we were capable of playing with and without the ball, and they understood, they picked themselves up and in the end it was a great afternoon for us." rbs/sev
New York Times
12 hours ago
- New York Times
GOAL! Samu makes no mistake from the spot!
Follow reaction from Atlanta where Lionel Messi led Inter Miami past Porto with a brilliant winning goal Getty Images Lionel Messi has led Inter Miami to their first Club World Cup victory thanks to a brilliant second-half free kick against Porto. The European side took the lead early on with Samu Aghehowa scoring from the penalty spot in the eighth minute. But, like in their first match, Miami were much improved in the second half. Telasco Segovia scored a brilliant half volley before Lionel Messi magic from a free kick gave the MLS side the lead. And it was a lead they were able to protect, moving them onto four points in this tournament and in a great position to make the knockouts. GO FURTHER Inter Miami 2 Porto 1: Messi's magical free kick lights up Club World Cup in comeback win Connections: Sports Edition Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Getty Images 8' Inter Miami 0-1 Porto No penalty-saving heroics from Oscar Ustari this time! The Inter Miami goalkeeper got a hand to the penalty down to his right, but couldn't quite keep it out. A much-needed fast start for Porto, but a nightmare one for the MLS side. 7' Inter Miami 0-0 Porto As expected every time a referee is sent to the VAR monitor, the on-field decision has been overturned. Porto have a penalty and Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano is not happy. Samu Aghehowa will take... 6' Inter Miami 0-0 Porto The Porto staff and players were incensed that they didn't get a penalty when Joao Mario was bundled over in the penalty area by Noah Allen. It certainly looked like a foul and the referee has been sent to the VAR monitor for a second look... Getty Images 3' Inter Miami 0-0 Porto We didn't see much at all from Luis Suarez in the first game of the tournament, but he was straight into the action in this one. He made a good run into the box and was picked out by a delicate chipped pass from Lionel Messi, but struggled to generate any power at full stretch and Claudio Ramos was able to deny him. The replays showed that Suarez was probably offside, so it may not have counted. 1' Inter Miami 0-0 Porto The ball is rolling in Atlanta for this really important game in Group A. Porto are the favourites to win, but there is one man on the Inter Miami team that I'm sure would have something to say about that... Messi gets the loudest ovation during the awkward player walk outs. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is domed ground so even with the empty seats that many views will notice, it's still a very loud environment. Getty Images More sheepish player walk-outs at this Club World Cup as they all walk out of the tunnel individually. As you can imagine, there was a massive cheer from the supporters when Lionel Messi made his way out onto the turf. It looks like another sparse crowd inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, unfortunately. Getty Images The first victory in Group A at this Club World Cup belongs to Palmeiras! After the weather delay, the Brazilians came out and defended their 2-0 lead to move to the top of the group. That makes it extremely unlikely for Al Ahly to progress to the knockouts. A win for either Inter Miami or Porto here would be huge... So many people are here to see Messi, but to Jack's point, I admit that I'm excited to see Rodrigo Mora up close. Huge talent. Getty Images Interested to get another look at Rodrigo Mora this afternoon. He didn't have the best game against Palmeiras but expectations are high for what he can do this tournament. He is tricky, wriggly, with a subterranean centre of gravity. Given how much space Inter Miami afforded Al-Ahly's forwards, he may enjoy himself here. Getty Images Jordi Alba is in the squad but misses out on the starting XI for the second consecutive game. Javier Mascherano told reporters yesterday that he had devised a plan for the former Barcelona full-back, teasing that Alba could make an appearance in the second half. Alba's absence is a big blow for Miami's chances today — his chemistry with Messi remains intact in the attacking third. Getty Images The ride over on the train was littered with pink Messi Miami jerseys and quite a few Argentina No. 10 shirts. The few times that Inter Miami has visited Atlanta for MLS matches, the crowd has been relatively favorable for the boys in pink. But will today's attendance break the 22,000+ that saw Chelsea defeat LAFC Monday? Inter Miami opened the tournament on Saturday evening with a Group A clash at Hard Rock Stadium, but it wasn't quite the start they would have wanted. Their first-half performance against Al Ahly was poor and they were fortunate that their Egyptian opponents were wasteful in attack. That said, Miami were much improved in the second half as Lionel Messi grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck. In the end, it was a game dominated by the goalkeepers as Mohamed El Shenawy kept out a string of goalbound efforts while Oscar Ustari was awarded the Player of the Match award after saving a penalty before half-time. It felt like both teams needed victory from that game to have a chance of making it through, so a draw was not an ideal opening result. As the only European team in Group A, Porto were fancied as the favourites to make it into the knockouts from there, but they didn't get off to the best start against Palmeiras on Sunday. In fact, they were actually dominated by their Brazilian opponents and were fortunate to come away from MetLife Stadium with a share of the points. Porto goalkeeper Claudio Ramos was the stand-out performer, which explains just how threatening Palmeiras were in forward areas. Despite that underwhelming draw, they will be confident of making it through from Group A. Getty Images No changes made by Porto for their second Group A match: Starting XI: Ramos; Martim, Ze Pedro, Marcano; Mario, Varela, Veiga, Moura; Vieira, Mora; Samu. Getty Images Here is how Inter Miami will start today's game: Starting XI: Ustari; Fray, Weigandt, Falcon, Allen; Busquets, Allende; Cremaschi, Messi, Segovia; Suarez. Getty Images Lots of discussion over the past few days over the weather in the United States. It was very hot in New Jersey earlier on with fans desperate to shield from the sun at MetLife Stadium. Well, that very quickly changed. It is still warm but thunderstorms have delayed the second half. The Palmeiras players will be enjoying the break more than their opponents as the Brazilians scored twice in the space of 10 second-half minutes to take a commanding lead. Getty Images It is fair to say the inclusion of Lionel Messi's Inter Miami as host representatives at this Club World Cup raised a few eyebrows. Inter Miami qualified after winning the 2024 Supporters' Shield, which is awarded to the MLS team with the best regular-season record — but that is not the national championship, which is decided by the subsequent play-off tournament and eventually sees the MLS Cup awarded to the winners. In past Club World Cup editions, the host nation's top league champions were awarded a bonus qualification spot as hosts. Inter Miami were knocked out in the first round by Atlanta United, with LA Galaxy going on to beat New York Red Bulls in the final. Still, the bonus is Miami's inclusion means Messi and his former Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, all get the chance to be involved in the tournament. It's what the world would want, right? Let's remind ourselves as not every team has booked their place at the new format of the Club World Cup in the same way. Portuguese giants Porto are here as the fifth-best ranked team in the UEFA coefficient (based on rankings that cover a four-year period from 2021 to 2024). Meanwhile Inter Miami, not without controversy, qualified as the 'host club'. Stick around and we'll explain that in more detail...
