INDIANAPOLIS -
Leaders from Indiana University, the Indianapolis community and the sports industry joined together on Wednesday to break ground on the James T. Morris Arena on the IU Indianapolis campus, marking the next step in IU's commitment to making its Indianapolis campus a hub of activity that draws people to the city and region.
"Today's groundbreaking represents another major milestone in Indiana University's ambition to be a national leader in athletics," IU President Pamela Whitten said. "The James T. Morris Arena will be a multipurpose venue for Indianapolis residents and visitors, as well as a magnet for national sport governing bodies and the ecosystem of sports. This facility is a fitting tribute to Jim Morris, who embodied that vision across his many years of service to IU, Indianapolis and Indiana."
Also known as "The Jim," the arena was made possible through collaboration between the Indiana University Board of Trustees, Indiana Commission for Higher Education and Indiana State Budget Committee. The $110 million facility will serve both IU Indianapolis and the Indianapolis sports community more broadly. It will host indoor sporting and athletic events in a seating capacity not currently provided in the downtown area.
Morris was an IU alumnus and a member of the IU Board of Trustees spanning multiple decades. Beyond his service to IU, Morris held many distinguished roles over the course of his career, including vice chairman of Pacers Sports and Entertainment, chief of staff to Mayor Richard G. Lugar, president of Lilly Endowment Inc., chairman and CEO for IWC Resources Corp. and Indianapolis Water Co., and executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme.
"The James T. Morris Arena will bolster existing efforts to make Indianapolis and IU a destination for world-class sporting events, contributing to the economic vitality of Indiana by offering additional seating capacity for downtown events," IU Board of Trustees Chair W. Quinn Buckner said.
The facility will house a basketball/volleyball court with seats for 4,500 patrons, a multipurpose arena with an auxiliary gymnasium and community gathering spaces. A significant portion of the seating will be retractable to provide flexibility for events like collegiate and high school sports and recreational activities. The facility will also provide approximately 16,000 square feet of office space for IU Indianapolis Athletics and select National Sport Governing Bodies, including USA Track & Field.
"We are excited to be an inaugural tenant at the James T. Morris Arena," USA Track & Field CEO Max Siegel said. "We share IU's vision of a world-class standard, and the partnership at this facility will help American athletes achieve top performance at the highest tier of competition. Indianapolis is known for its commitment to the sports strategy, and this downtown location with proximity to fantastic facilities and key stakeholders will benefit our work for decades to come."
The facility will be situated immediately south of Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hall, home to the IU Herron School of Art and Design. Construction is expected to conclude late in 2026.
