Mayor Joe Hogsett won over the majority of city-county councilors to move forward with his vision for a soccer stadium on the southeast side of downtown.

Why it matters: Hogsett issued an ultimatum — either pass his plan to lure Major League Soccer to town by publicly funding a stadium near the downtown heliport or don't build a soccer stadium at all.

Driving the news: The City-County Council approved a new special taxing district to help fund the stadium project 16-8-1 last night.

Catch up quick: The council approved the first professional sports development area last year — on the southwest side of downtown — in coordination with the Indy Eleven stadium project known as Eleven Park.

• Since then, concerns mounted about the financial viability of the project and what may amount to hundreds of human remains left on the site, which was the city's first public cemetery more than 100 years ago.
• Still, the project's developer and Indy Eleven supporters have called on the city to maintain what they've called a "commitment" to build Eleven Park.

Last week, Hogsett's chief of staff, Dan Parker, told a council committee that the mayor would not take the Eleven Park site to the state budget committee for final approval of the professional sports development area — regardless of the vote on the alternate location.

• This left councilors to decide between pursuing MLS without the Indy Eleven or not pursuing an MLS team at all.

What's next: The district goes before the city's Metropolitan Development Commission on June 26 for a final vote before heading to the state budget committee for sign-off.

Go deeper

Big changes and more miles are coming soon to the Monon Trail.

Why it matters: The trail, which stretches from 10th Street in Indy to the town of Sheridan, directly connects downtown to suburbs that are driving notable growth in the region as the city itself shrinks.

Driving the news: On Friday, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Sheridan broke ground on a $2 million Monon Trail extension in northern Hamilton County.

• The first two phases of the project will extend the trail nearly two miles from the existing trail at State Road 47 and take it to the Hamilton/Boone county line by 2025.

Yes, but: That isn't the only newness coming to the Monon.

• In Carmel, where it's called the Monon Greenway, it's getting wider and more walkable between Walnut Street and City Center Drive.
• The city is pursuing a $13 million project to add playgrounds and public gathering spaces as it widens the Greenway from 14 to 140 feet by the end of 2025.
• An $11 million pedestrian bridge is also being built over the White River to connect the Monon and Nickel Plate trails by August 2025.

The bottom line: Central Indiana is getting more walkable, so be sure to be polite on the trails.

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💰 Carmel will be on the hook for costs to relocate and bury power lines, according to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission in an opinion siding with Duke Energy over two ordinances adopted by the city that shifted the cost burden to the energy company. (IndyStar)

🎤 U.S. Sen. and GOP gubernatorial candidate Mike Braun has agreed to two October debates ahead of the general election, where he'll face Democrat Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian Donald Rainwater. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

🛒 Hamilton County — and Indiana — is getting a second BJ's Wholesale Club. The popular warehouse store will open in Carmel this fall.

• It opened its first store in Noblesville. (FOX59)

✌🏿 Justin here, bringing you the details on Hamilton County's first cidery.

Driving the brews: Friday marked the grand opening celebration of Urban Apples Cidery, the latest offering from the minds behind Urban Vines Winery & Brewery.

Brews of the week: My wife and I ordered a flight for $20 to taste test four different ciders.

Here's what we tried in order of what we liked most to least. All of the ciders are 6.9% ABV and a pint will set you back $7.

• Muffin Top: A blueberry cider that's not too sweet.
• Ciderita: A smooth, easy-to-drink lime margarita cider sure to make a killing sold as a six-pack.
• Georgia Peach: A peach cider that scored huge points with me for its unexpected dryness, but my wife hoped for a bit more punch from the peach.
• Johnny Appleseed: Their original apple cider. Crisp and refreshing, but ultimately safe and forgettable.

They've got food, too

As the summer wedding season approaches, the Hoosier state is likely to host quite a few "dearly beloveds" and "I dos."

Why it matters: Marital status is a stronger predictor of American adult well-being than education, race, age and gender, according to the Institute for Family Studies and Gallup.

• Last year, married adults between 25 and 50 years old were 17 percentage points more likely to be thriving than adults who never married.

Zoom in: The number of people in Indiana who have been married at least once is 32%, higher than the national average of 31% and the fifth highest in the Midwest.

Fun fact: June is the second-most popular time of year to get hitched. According to The Knot, 11% of weddings will happen this month.

• September and October are tied as the most popular wedding months, with each expected to accommodate 17% of the year's ceremonies.