INDIANAPOLIS — On Wednesday, the Indy Eleven soccer team announced a new co-owner as they continue their battle with city officials in securing a Major League Soccer team for the Circle City.
Chuck Surack, a billionaire Fort Wayne businessman, sold a controlling stake in Fort Wayne-based Sweetwater Sound in 2021. Now Surack joins Indy Eleven majority owner Ersal Ozdemir and other investors as they continue striving to bring an MLS team to Indianapolis and develop Eleven Park.
“Chuck Surack has changed our state for the better by consistently identifying opportunities for growth and investing his tireless energy into seizing those moments,” Ozdemir, founder and owner of Keystone Group and Indy Eleven, said in release from Keystone Group. “That is why we are thrilled by his personal commitment to the growth of professional soccer through the Indy Eleven and to the vision of Eleven Park as a neighborhood investment. Chuck shares in our vision for the world’s game in Indiana, and our belief that by building more than just a stadium, Eleven Park will have lasting impact on Indianapolis as a whole. The addition of a Hoosier billionaire to an already strong Indy Eleven ownership group further solidifies our Indiana ownership group to bring MLS and the transformational riverfront development, Eleven Park, to Indianapolis.”
In April, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the city of Indianapolis was seeking a bid for MLS, but would not be doing it with the Indy Eleven's ownership group.
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The city acknowledged they had an ownership group interested, but did not release details about who is part of that group.
Surack joins Ozdemir and the following with stake in the team and development of Eleven Park: Ricker Family, Salin Family, Traylor Family, Hageman Family, Jeff Laborsky (The Heritage Group), Fred Merritt (LFM Investments.), Brian Bauer (IU Health), Don Gottwald (Speedring Capital).
“It is clear to me that Indy Eleven and Eleven Park represent an unprecedented opportunity for downtown Indianapolis to finally embrace the kind of riverfront development that is transforming Fort Wayne and other cities across the country,” said Surack in a release. “The strong foundation of community and fan support, coupled with the incredible chance to transcend sports through neighborhood redevelopment, is why I am joining this prominent group of business leaders from across the state. As a proud Hoosier, I am committed to investing my resources to support Indiana’s growth with like-minded people who have our state’s best interests at heart.”
