Finch Creek Fieldhouse Multi-sport Youth Facility Opens In Noblesville
Photographer: Michael Durr
The brand new, 160,000-square-foot Finch Creek Fieldhouse on Boden Road is a much-needed addition to the City of Noblesville, according to co-founder Andy Card.
After observing cities throughout the U.S. while traveling for his son’s basketball team back in 2012, Card realized that many areas across the country – Central Indiana included – were lacking fully-equipped, indoor multi-sport complexes where local, organized youth leagues, tournaments and camps could take place. Before long, Card and Mike Klipsch, co-presidents of Klipsch-Card Athletic Facilities LLC, were working toward opening a multi-sport facility in Westfield, which opened in early 2016. Now known as the Pacers Athletic Center (formerly Jonathan Byrd’s Fieldhouse), the Westfield facility was an instant success, prompting Card and Klipsch to open a second, even more diverse complex in the Noblesville and Fishers region.
“Really how the Finch Creek project came about is that I saw a need for large, indoor facilities in the area where tournaments and leagues could be held under one roof,” Card says. “We started talking to folks in Noblesville not long after the Westfield facility opened in January of 2016 and spent about a year and a half working out the details and design.”
The 14-month construction process for Finch Creek Fieldhouse began in the early fall of 2017, and Card says local representatives and residents jumped on board in support of the concept immediately.
“I’ve not had one negative comment or remonstration on the facility,” says Card, who officially opened the Fieldhouse to the public on October 1 and plans to host a grand opening celebration in the spring. “We’ve been welcomed by the city with open arms, not just by city officials but by the citizens themselves,” he adds.
There’s no shortage of amenities at the complex, including approximately 75,000 square feet of turf for baseball, softball, football, lacrosse, soccer and rugby, as well as an 8,000-square-foot mezzanine for viewing of practices and games. Visitors can also take advantage of five courts for basketball and volleyball and 11 batting cages for baseball and softball.
Sound like a lot for a single facility? That’s far from all — the Fieldhouse, which spans 10 acres, also houses 15,000 square feet devoted to training for all skill levels and space for state-of-the-art sports therapy, including cryotherapy recovery.
Card says the joy he sees in youth of all ages engaging in sporting activities at his complexes makes the hard work of opening such expansive facilities worthwhile.
“It’s a very big challenge to build a big structure with high-quality materials and make it look cool and then still stay under budget, but for us it’s not just about opening a business,” says Card, adding that the next and third Klipsch-Card Athletic Facilities LLC project is a multi-sport complex in Pendleton, where construction will commence in November.
Plans for the Pendleton facility include tennis courts, a gymnasium, rooms for weight training and yoga and space for wellness programs and classes. Card also has plans, currently in various stages of design, for 14 additional sports facilities both in Indiana and outside the state.
“With Finch Creek, we really want to do some good things for kids of all ages and skill levels,” Card adds. “It’s going to be great for the community of Noblesville, and it’s an amenity that was sorely needed in the city. We’re excited to offer a state-of-the-art facility, especially with the space where we have the wellness, training and recovery things that will be going on there. I call it the gold standard for youth sports facilities, and I haven’t seen anything like it in the U.S. before.”
Finch Creek Fieldhouse is located at 16289 Boden Road in Noblesville. Call 317-214-7399 or visit finchcreekfh.com for additional details including info on leagues, camps, memberships and special events.
