Marion City Council OKs I-69 plans

They must have a public hearing and at least one more vote before adopting the ordinance. They also scheduled a Development Committee meeting for 6 p.m. Jan. 27 to further discuss the matter.

Jim F. "Jim" O'Connor, president of a brain trauma facility in Philadelphia, Penn., called Delaware Valley Residential Care LLC, presented his development plans to council members Tuesday along with Jacob Polsley, a principal in the Indianapolis-based consulting, design and construction company called EquiTeam LLC.

The first phase of the development will include an adjoining sports and entertainment arena and tournament center as well as a medical office building and, from Polsley's company, market-rate rental housing for adults over age 55.

Plans for a second and third phase include retail space, parks, a hotel and more housing.

O'Connor said he aims to purchase most of the land for the project before March 31, as the bank that currently owns the property will otherwise sell it to a farmer who O'Connor described as their back-up plan.

If the council signs off on the bond ordinance in time for O'Connor to close on land purchases, he said he expects to break ground by July of this year and complete the first phase by July 2016. A professional hockey team would start playing in the arena for the 2016-2017 season.

The bond proceeds would go to O'Connor's company called 69-18 Land Development Company LLC, which state corporation records show was created Dec. 17. O'Connor said the company would lease land to different entities for different parts of the development.

The 18.6-acre arena would be owned by a company called Marion Sports and Entertainment Group LLC, which was created March 20, 2014, and shares its address with that of Delaware Valley Residential Care, according to state corporation records. Project literature disseminated to council members last week states that the group was formed by O'Connor and James A. Cook, the chair and co-founder of Delaware Valley Residential Care.