Sweetwater Renovates Historic Theatre With Help From Local Economic Development Entities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sweetwater Renovates Historic Theatre With Help From Local Economic Development Entities

– New Music Venue Will Host National Touring Acts –

Fort Wayne, IN, May 8, 2018—Sweetwater founder and president Chuck Surack and representatives from city, regional, and state economic development organizations today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Clyde Theatre at Quimby Village, 1808 Bluffton Road, southwest of downtown Fort Wayne.

Speakers were Mr. Surack; Mayor Tom Henry; Fort Wayne Legacy Fund President Ron Turpin; Regional Development Authority Board Member Gene Donaghy; 5th District City Councilman Geoff Paddock; and Clyde Theatre General Manager Rick Kinney.

Mr. Surack also thanked and recognized Three Rivers Federal Credit Union, Hagerman Construction, Carson LLP law firm, and MSKTD.

Ground was broken on the venue's more than $7.5 million renovation in July, 2017. Funding included a $1 million loan from the Fort Wayne Legacy Fund, to be repaid with property tax increment (TIF) funds from the Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission, generated by the project itself. Additional funds included a $1 million grant from the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority through the state's Regional Cities Initiative, and a $40,000 facade grant from the City of Fort Wayne. The balance was funded by Sweetwater founder Chuck Surack and his wife, Lisa.

In 1949, Clyde Quimby commissioned architect A.M. Strauss to draw up plans for the Clyde Theatre at Quimby Village. Opening on April 19th, 1951, as a 1782 seat movie theatre, the Clyde was the region's premier movie house serving citizens from all over northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio. The theatre was closed in the early 1990's. The majority of interior finishes had been stripped away by previous owners, leaving nothing but a shell of memories.

Rick Kinney, now the Clyde's General Manager, purchased the vacant theater for $500 during a 2012 tax sale and worked to find partners to help with a complete renovation. The investment by the Suracks created the impetus for the involvement of the economic development organizations whose contributions were crucial to the success of the project.

Surack remarked, "For Lisa and me, this was all about giving back to the community, and the music community in particular, which has supported us over the years. We wanted to create a world-class performance venue unlike anything else in Fort Wayne, or the region, which we hope will become a popular touring venue for performers from around the world.

Today this art deco masterpiece consists of a wide variety of features and amenities. The 21,00 square-foot main performance hall has had all of its fixed seats removed, and will be utilized as a 2,150 capacity, general admission, multi-functional concert hall and special events center. Chairs can be brought in to seat 830 in theater-style.

The 10,400 square-foot lobby houses the main entryway, an art gallery, and a new box office. The second story of the lobby will function as a VIP Gallery with box seating for live performances and a second art gallery.

A 7,000 square-foot dressing room and artists hospitality wing, state of the art sound and light systems, a stage extension, and backstage loading docks, have been added to accommodate national touring acts. New HVAC, electrical, plumbing, acoustical plaster, roof, and executive offices were also part of the renovation.

The front exterior of the theater retains its art deco character, including a striking vertical pylon with "Clyde" on it, just like the original, above the marquee, which is now an electronic sign. The parking lots both in front of and behind the Clyde have been resurfaced, and the Bluffton Road curb sign has been completely redone.

In addition to a robust schedule of live concerts, events will include comedy acts and art gallery exhibitions. The Clyde will also provide rental and lease options to local customers and organizations interested in hosting private or public events at the venue, including weddings, receptions, corporate events and non-profit fundraisers.

"We are excited to have helped create a venue that prioritizes the experience, in every category, from safety to comfort, for both attendees and the artists," Surack said, adding, "The Clyde will play host to a wide variety of artists and events – something for everyone – making it a true cultural asset to the region."

The people in the ribbon-cutting photo are (left to right):
5th District City Councilman Geoff Paddock
Regional Development Authority Board Member Gene Donaghy
Former Fort Wayne Legacy Fund President Ron Turpin
Chuck Surack, President and Founder, Sweetwater
Lisa Surack
Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry
Clyde Theatre General Manager Rick Kinney

For more information about events and to purchase tickets, go to: http://clydetheatre.com/ or call: (260) 747-0989.

The list of scheduled events is growing weekly, but as of May 8 events include:

Saturday, May 12, The Used with Red Sun Rising, The Fever 333
Wednesday, May 16, Stone Sour with The Bronx, '68
Saturday, May 19, Granger Smith with Jacob Powell, Smithfield
Saturday, May 26, Anthrax and Testament
Tuesday, May 29, An Evening With Ghost
Saturday, June 2, Saved By The 90's with DJ MSG1
Tuesday, June 5, The Front Bottoms with An Horse
Friday, June 8, WAR
Tuesday, June 12, Fitz And The Tantrums with Mikky Ekko
Thursday, June 14, Asleep At The Wheel
Friday, June 15, Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime with Unlikely Alibi, Flamingo Nosebleed
Saturday, June 16, Chase Rice with Ross Ellis
Wednesday, June 20, Al Di Meola
Saturday, June 23, ZoSo - The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience
Wednesday, June 27, The Wailers
Thursday, July 12, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic
Wednesday, July 25, Black Label Society with Corrosion of Conformity, EHG
Saturday, July 28, B.B. King's Blues Band feat. Tito Jackson
Saturday, August 4, Who's Bad - The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience
Saturday, August 11, Jonny Lang
Thursday, August 16, The Flaming Lips
Thursday, August 30, Super Diamond - The Neil Diamond Tribute
Friday, September 14, Mastodon with Dinosaur Jr.
Saturday, September 15, Anderson East

For more information about events and to purchase tickets, go to: http://clydetheatre.com/ or call: (260) 747-0989.

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About Sweetwater Sound
Founded in 1979, Sweetwater is the No. 1 online retailer of music instruments and audio gear in the U. S. The company is respected as the nation's leading retailer serving musicians, recording studios, broadcast, education, and houses of worship. Sweetwater's customers can be found everywhere music is heard and audio is played, broadcast, or recorded, including recording, film, and broadcast studios in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami; in hundreds of thousands of home recording studios; and in schools and churches nationwide. Sweetwater's founding and meteoric growth are built on a knowledgeable and experienced staff, outstanding selection and pricing, and, above all, an unwavering commitment to customer service excellence in every situation. For further information, visit Sweetwater.com.

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