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Three companies remain under consideration to operate or manage Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.
The process to select a new operator or manager of the 400-acre sports campus was discussed Monday night at a meeting between the Westfield City Council and Redevelopment Commission.
While no specifics were provided about the companies that are still in the running, Redevelopment Commission President Joe Plankis said he is aware the committee selected to review Grand Park proposals is looking at three companies.
The city announced last September that seven proposals were under consideration. At that time, the city was determining if it would sell Grand Park or operate it through a public-private partnership. In March, Westfield announced the city would not sell the sports campus.
The seven companies previously under consideration included:
- Card & Associates Athletic Facilities LLC
- A confidential client of Cushman & Wakefield
- Indy Sports & Entertainment LLC and related entity
- Ambassador Enterprises
- REV Entertainment
- Sports Facilities Companies LLC
- Anytown USA Inc.
The city council and redevelopment commission discussed adding City Council member Scott Willis to the six-person committee that is reviewing proposals to help him become familiar with the process as it moves forward. Willis, a Republican, is running unopposed in the November election to succeed four-term Mayor Andy Cook.
If added to the committee, Willis would be required to recuse himself if the current City Council votes before the end of this year on a company to operate or manage Grand Park.
Willis said his preference would be to join the committee along with Ryan Vaughn, who led the Indiana Sports Corp. as president from 2014 to 2022. Vaughn currently works as president and general counsel of Indianapolis-based Sondhi Solutions.
“Most people know him. He’s a heavy hitter in the state around sports,” Willis said at Monday’s meeting. “To bring him with me into that process, to advise me on on the decisions that we’ll be faced with making, that would be my preference.”
The committee reviewing proposals consists of Brian Tomamichel, Westfield Washington Schools chief financial officer; Jeremy Lollar, Westfield chief of staff; Troy Patton, Westfield City Council member; Larry Clarino, Westfield Public Works and Safety board member; Dan Moyer, Westfield business owner; and Chuck Lehman, former Westfield City Council member.
The Westfield Redevelopment Commission released a request for proposals in March 2022 seeking a new owner or operator of the sports campus and events center.
Grand Park has 31 soccer fields, 26 baseball diamonds, two administration buildings, seven concession stands and a 378,000-square-foot multi-use event center. The Indianapolis Colts moved their annual summer training camp to the park in 2018.
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