Background

The Ford Center is designed to be a worthy successor to Roberts Stadium, the home of the University of Evansville Purple Aces and the site of many memorable events since its opening in 1956.

Named for former Evansville Mayor H.O. Roberts, the stadium hosted the NCAA College Division (now Division II) Men’s Basketball National Championship from 1957 to 1977. It’s been home to a Continental Basketball Association team and professional indoor football teams and the site for concerts, shows and exhibitions.

The City of Evansville renovated Roberts Stadium in 1990, but 20 years later it shows its age and the shortcomings of its design for modern shows and audiences. In 2005, the City began a series of civic forums to discuss the future of the facility. In 2007, a study commissioned by the City determined that it needed to be upgraded or replaced. The study said the stadium’s floor was too small, its roof could not support the weight of equipment used in modern shows and, in general, Roberts Stadium did not have the amenities a regional facility needs.

To help determine whether renovation or new construction at the current site or in another location made sense, the City engaged a consultant to perform an analysis of the market, funding sources and sites. Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel also formed the Roberts Stadium Advisory Board in June 2007 with members representing the business community, City and County government, neighborhood organizations, community activists and higher education. The Advisory Board met over an 18-month period.

In May 2008, the consultant recommended that the City build a new arena at a location in Downtown Evansville. The report said that the Roberts Stadium was obsolete and that its design deficiencies might well be impossible to overcome. The Advisory Board endorsed the major findings of the report and recommended the development of a new arena in Downtown Evansville, as long as it could be built without increasing property taxes.

Architectural, financial and construction advisors proposed an 11,000-seat arena to be located Downtown, with a total estimated cost of approximately $127 million, funded mainly by the city’s food and beverage tax, the Tax Increment Financing available in the construction area and revenues from the City’s riverboat. In December 2008, the Advisory Board supported those findings and recommended that the City proceed with construction of the new venue.

In early 2009, the Evansville City Council and the Vanderburgh County Council endorsed the financing mechanisms for the new arena. Through 2009, designs for the new facility were developed and demolition began at the Downtown site.