ANDERSON — The fate of the Wigwam, a landmark in Anderson, is back in limbo when a group of private investors backed out of the deal at the last minute.
Wigwam Sports & Entertainment (WSE) was scheduled to receive ownership of the Wigwam complex from the Anderson Redevelopment Commission by July 14, but informed city officials Tuesday it would not accept the facility.
WSE has been working for more than two years to secure ownership of the Wigwam, and was believed to have raised $600,000 to reopen the facility.
The Anderson Community School Corp. board was expected to transfer ownership of the building to the Redevelopment Commission on Tuesday, a transfer that didn’t take place.
Instead, the school board on Tuesday approved a resolution giving the Redevelopment Commission until Sept. 2 to take ownership of the Wigwam, one day before the demolition bids accepted by ACS earlier this year are set to expire.
The ACS board resolution requires the Redevelopment Commission to pay $10,000 a month for maintenance and utility costs for the Wigwam through Sept. 2.
The school system's offer to provide $100,000 to any party willing to accept ownership of the Wigwam by the Sept. 2 date is still valid.
If ownership is not transferred to the Redevelopment Commission by Sept. 2, the school board authorized Kevin Brown, chief financial officer, to execute contracts to demolish the building.
Anderson Mayor Kevin Smith said he remains hopeful the iconic Wigwam can be saved.
“The future rests in the hands of private investors that can make it a viable building that produces revenues,” he said. “There are some difficulties. I don’t count the project out.”
Smith said he believes that WSE may still have a role in the future of the Wigwam and that required environmental assessments were not done to secure the needed financing.
“We’re working to resolve some issues,” he said. “I believe they can be overcome. Right now the focus is on private investors.”
Greg Winkler, director of the Anderson Economic Development Department, said city officials were informed last week that there were issues concerning the transfer of ownership.
“We spent the weekend trying to iron out the differences,” he said. “Their (WSE) attorney informed us today they were declining the donation of the building.”
Winkler said the Redevelopment Commission won’t accept ownership of the Wigwam unless a private group is willing to take immediate ownership.
“We are working on a public and private partnership,” he said. “There would be private ownership of the Wigwam but public participation in programming.”
Winkler said if the new partnership could be put in place the transfer of ownership would take 60 to 90 days.
“We’re looking at an Indianapolis group that has done this type of project in the past,” he said.
Winkler told school board members that he was looking for other opportunities over the next 30 days that would be beneficial to the entire community.
Board member Irma Hampton Stewart asked Winkler if 60 days would provide a better chance of assuring a positive outcome for the famed.
“We will know by August if we have a viable project,” Winkler said. “We do have some prospects.”
Board member Scott Green said the Redevelopment Commission had to agree to pay the maintenance and utility costs through September for the extension of time.
“We want to give the community an opportunity to have the Wigwam survive,” Green said. “Our demolition bids are good through early September."
WSE officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Ann Marie Bauer, attorney for the Redevelopment Commission, said she will still seek passage of a resolution by the Anderson City Council on Thursday that would allow the Redevelopment Commission permission to transfer ownership of the Wigwam to private investors.
She said the resolution will be amended to include the new timeline for the possible transfer of ownership in the future.