The racing hub of the United States, Indianapolis is aiming to become the cricket capital of the country by spending around 6.6 million dollars to develop a cricket pitch and space for others sports such as rugby and hurling, which are more popular overseas.
According to The Telegraph, cities across the US are jockeying for any advantage to boost economic development, and sport is an easy target, with professional sports teams pumping millions into local economies in the cities that host them.
Mayor Greg Ballard said global sports would give the country more visibility in the global marketplace, hoping that his World Sports Park brings international exposure and helps local companies attract talented overseas workers by offering them a home for their favourite games, the report said.
During a recent visit to India, Ballard said that when people around the world thought about cricket, he wanted them to think of Indianapolis.
However, politicians criticized Ballard's project at a time when the city faces a budget deficit, with a sports marketing expert at an advertising firm saying that selling cricket to a public that didn't understand it was very tough and it might not have the same payoff.
The report added that Indianapolis had already signed a three-year deal to host a US amateur cricket tournament and championship, from August 2014.