GAS CITY, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) – Officials in Gas City have broken ground on a $20.1 million, 1,800-seat music venue. The Gas City Music Center is being funded with a portion of the East Central Indiana Regional Partnership’s $15 million allocation from the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, or READI.
The state-of-the-art auditorium will be used for performing arts shows, seminars, and other community events, the organization said.
The cost of the project includes $2.75 million in READI funds. The partnership said the venue is the first READI project in the region that will require a completely new build.
“The Gas City Music Center is a prime example of what can be accomplished with strong vision, leadership, and support,” ECIRP President and CEO Trevor Friedeberg said in written remarks. “As one of our region’s quality of place READI projects, this venue will provide benefit to residents of Gas City, Grant County, East Central Indiana, and beyond, and I cannot wait for the grand opening!”
Gas City Mayor Bill Rock called the project a “game changer,” saying the venue will accelerate growth in and around the city and region.
Construction is slated to be complete by mid-2024. While the city doesn’t have an estimated economic impact for the venue, the ECIRP said the project has already generated some 200 construction jobs.
The ECIRP was one of 17 regions representing all 92 counties to receive a share of $500 million in funding through the READI program. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. says the investment is expected to yield an additional $9.86 billion in public, private, and nonprofit dollars invested.
