NFL Signs On For Indy Rehab Project 9.23.10

League Tags $4 Million In Federal Funds

WRTV – 6

INDIANAPOLIS -- With Indianapolis set to mark the 500-day countdown to its hosting of the Super Bowl in 2012, the National Football League has signed on to a multimillion-dollar neighborhood rehabilitation project funded by federal dollars.

Eighteen months ago, Indianapolis received $29 million from the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program, or NSP, 6News' Chris Pisano reported.

The plan targets four neighborhoods devastated by foreclosures and includes demolishing, rehabilitating and building homes, about 530 in all, along with 47 green spaces and urban farms.

All the cash came with a big string attached -- every penny had to be allocated by Friday.

"In a few short months, we decided how and where that money would be spent," said Mayor Greg Ballard. "You made that happen, and that's extremely important we met that timeline."

Any unused funds were set to go back to the federal government, something city officials didn't want to happen, so they scrambled to come up with a game plan, including one called the Super Bowl Legacy Project.

The project brings together local neighborhood revitalization and the NFL. When the city bid on the big game, it sold the NFL on the idea that it would commit to rebuilding parts of downtown.

"It has everything to do with the NFL being a good partner and wanting to help cities who win the Super Bowl bid. I think that's what this is about," Ballard said. "I think we've probably taken this to another level. We're probably going to be a model for other cities as they do Super Bowl bids in the future."

Almost $4 million of the NSP funds are being used in the NFL project.

With the money allocated, the city faces yet another deadline. All $29 million must be spent by March 2013. Ballard said that won't be an issue.
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/25117327/detail.html

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