State of Play: Pacers Foundation awards $100K for
Terre Haute’s Herz-Rose Park basketball court renovation

April 4, 2025

TERRE HAUTE (April 4, 2025) – The Indiana Pacers Foundation, through its State of Play initiative, recently awarded Terre Haute’s Herz-Rose Park a $100,000 grant to renovate its community basketball court.  

The park is the second State of Play grant recipient since the foundation launched the program late last year. The initiative is part of the Pacers Foundation’s decade-long, multimillion dollar investment to transform community courts, and help improve the mental and physical health of children across Indiana.

“This investment in Terre Haute is part of our commitment to community building throughout the state,” Pacers Foundation Chair Rachel Simon said. “Through our State of Play initiative, we’re not just building courts, we’re creating opportunities for more Hoosier families to stay active, have fun and grow their love for basketball.”

Located in the Ryves neighborhood at 1515 Locust Street, the Herz-Rose Park is currently undergoing a significant revitalization and redesign including a new playground area, splash pad and community center. However, Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun said without the investment from the Pacers Foundation, the city could not complete the planned basketball court renovation project.

“We’re grateful to the Pacers Foundation for this generous investment,” Sakbun said. “This project will enhance our community’s recreational facilities and provide a better space for residents to stay active and engage in sports. The administration will continue to prioritize investments in programs and facilities that benefit our youth. We are thankful that the Pacers Foundation is joining us on this endeavor.”

The city and the parks department will work alongside the Pacers Foundation and Pacers Sports & Entertainment to design a court that matches the character of the neighborhood and community. Assistant Superintendent of the Terre Haute Parks & Recreation Department Kilie Smith said they plan to break ground on the project in the coming months with work expected to be completed by fall 2025. The park will also work alongside the Terre Haute Boys & Girls Club on community programming activations for the new court.

“The Terre Haute Parks & Recreation Department is honored to receive this award in partnership with the Terre Haute Boys and Girls Club,” Smith said. “Herz-Rose Park, located near Benjamin Franklin Elementary School and Ryves Youth Center, is set to become a vibrant destination park for the community. Just a short drive from downtown Terre Haute and the Terre Haute Boys and Girls Club, the court will offer a great balance of structured programs and ample open play for everyone to enjoy.”

“We’re excited to see this court come to life, inspiring the next generation of basketball players and lifting up the neighborhood,” said Pacers Foundation Executive Director and Pacers Sports & Entertainment SVP of Community Engagement Corey Wilson. “With our State of Play program, we want to provide fun and welcoming spaces that inspire young people to stay active, dream big and connect with their community.”

With each court renovation, the Pacers Foundation seeks to leverage the power of basketball to help change the state of play in Indiana over the next decade by rehabilitating 20 courts. Community organizations can learn more and apply today for a State of Play grant by visiting PacersFoundation.org/StateOfPlay.

This is the second major initiative the Pacers Foundation has rolled out in Terre Haute in less than a year. The foundation previously launched Drive & Dish, a program to help address local food insecurity by providing nutritious food and fresh produce to families in need, in collaboration with Catholic Charities and Gleaners Food Bank. The foundation’s initiatives are made possible by generous investments from Indiana Pacers owners Herb Simon, Stephen Rales, Steve Simon and local partners.