The much-anticipated Fishers Event Center will open in November. The project, which has been in development for over four years, is a significant accomplishment for Deputy Mayor Elliott Hultgren. Hultgren has overseen every aspect of it, from finance to design to construction. When asked about his goals for the project, he shared his vision for the event center that started it all.
“How do we bring a bunch of really great, awesome entertainment options to our folks that work hard and love calling Fishers home?” Hultgren said.
As the opening date approaches, the eagerness surrounding it continues to grow, especially for Hultgren. He expressed enthusiasm for what it will have to offer the residents of Fishers.
“I’m excited for all of it, honestly,” Hultgren said. “I’m excited to bring a ton of really exciting quality of life initiatives and entertainment options to [Fishers residents].”
The new facility will be home to the Indy Fuel ECHL hockey team, the Fishers Freight indoor football team and the Indy Ignite women’s professional volleyball team. Music will also be a significant part of the event center, with the American country band, Turnpike Troubadours, headlining the opening night.
“We [have] got comedy shows and a bunch of other things that should be announced in the next two to three weeks, which will be really exciting,” Hultgren said. “I’m most excited, of all those things, honestly, for the Mudsock girls’ and boys’ basketball games.”
The Mudsock rivalry, a deeply rooted tradition in Fishers, will have a new stage at the Fishers Event Center. On December 20, the annual Mudsock rivalry basketball will be hosted there for the first time. The move to the event center marks a significant upgrade in capacity, allowing even more fans to experience the intense local rivalry.
“And so, I think Fishers and HSE High Schools both have around 2,500 to 2,800 capacity gyms, which is great,” Hultgren said. “We’ve got about 7,500 seats in the Fishers Event Center.”
Beyond sports, the event center will play a key role to another HSE celebration: graduation, which will no longer be held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum. Instead, the Fishers Event Center will now host the ceremony. This June, current seniors will be the first to walk the stage at the new venue. Hultgren, a 2001 graduate, talked about how the valuable moment will matter even more to current and future seniors when they graduate.
“Class of 2025 and beyond [will] be able to graduate in their own hometown,” Hultgren said. “I think it’s a pretty cool and special thing to have that core memory right here in Fishers.”
The Fishers Event Center is expected to serve as a new versatile space for sports, entertainment, and community events, providing a new space for local gatherings and celebrations.