Suites in new downtown Fort Wayne baseball stadium sell out

Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly

Thirty-two northeast Indiana companies have purchased suite-level seats in the new downtown Fort Wayne baseball stadium.

The 15 suites available for purchase are sold out, each for a minimum of five years. Most of the companies did not purchase a full season package, said Jason Freier, CEO of Fort Wayne Wizards owner Hardball Capital LLC.

There are 16 suites in the stadium, which is part of the Harrison Square project. One suite will be held open for single-game rentals.

Among the buyers are some of the region's largest employers, including Parkview Health, Lutheran Health Network and Raytheon. Do it Best, Edy's Grand Ice Cream, Tower Bank and Indiana Tech also purchased suites.

CB Richard Ellis/Sturges, which is marketing Harrison Square's retail space, is a suite holder. Law firm Baker & Daniels also is on the list. One of its attorneys, Tim Haffner, consulted for the city on the stadium portion of Harrison Square.

Detailed discussions about the stadium's naming rights are ongoing, said Mayor Graham Richard at a news conference today.

Site preparation work for Harrison Square continues. The stadium is expected to be ready for the start of the 2009 baseball season.

The City Council capped baseball stadium construction costs at $30 million. Hardball Capital is paying $5 million toward construction.