Embassy Theatre and YMCA of DeKalb County Projects Recommended for Regional Cities Funding

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 19, 2016

Embassy Theatre and YMCA of DeKalb County Projects Recommended for Regional Cities Funding

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Board of the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) met today to consider requests for Regional Cities Initiative funding for projects submitted by the Embassy Theatre and the YMCA of DeKalb County.

The Board voted to support both projects and approved the following funding requests:

• the Embassy Theatre’s request of $1.7 million to fund the Vision for the Embassy project, which is 17.5 percent of the project’s total cost of $10 million; and
• the YMCA of DeKalb County’s request for $947,000 for the Northeast Indiana Youth Development Complex, which is 13 percent of the project’s total cost of $7.2 million.

The Embassy Theatre’s Vision project includes a two-story-high ballroom, rooftop garden, breakout and rehearsal spaces, classrooms, history center and improved public access and concessions areas. The project supports the Road to One Million plan by:

• meeting the needs of renters who have been turned away by a full schedule and/or a current banquets capacity of less than 200 guests;
• acting as a key downtown venue with a strong history of providing the area with the highest quality of arts and entertainment;
• connecting the local and regional communities with the historical space; and
• continuing to shape downtown Fort Wayne as the vibrant urban core of Northeast Indiana.

The Northeast Indiana Youth Development Complex submitted by the YMCA of DeKalb County includes a state-of-the-art fieldhouse, natatorium, playground, splash pad, indoor professional training facility and outdoor soccer and football fields. The project supports the Road to One Million by:

• developing the quality of life assets in DeKalb County to create a welcoming, multi-faceted community that encourages positivity and diversity;
• creating amenities to attract and retain the talented workforce regional employers need to grow;
• encouraging an influx of tourism through travel, dining and retail as a result of new programming and events; and
• capitalizing on the nearby trail network to create an additional 38 acres of greenway to encourage healthy lifestyles in the region.

The Board’s recommendation now goes to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) for review and final approval to receive funding.

“With the Road to One Million plan, we are collaborating beyond county lines to create a region where people not only want to work, but also live a prosperous life. As we increase our regional population, it’s critical to support projects that are both in our vibrant downtowns and sprawling rural communities,” said RDA board chairman Jeff Turner, senior vice president of Metal Technologies.

“This is an investment in the collective success of Northeast Indiana. By advancing the work of the Embassy Theatre and the YMCA of DeKalb County, we are developing creative and diverse ways to attract and retain the talented workforce our regional employers need,” said Michael Galbraith, director of the Road to One Million.

The RDA is responsible for disbursement of the $42 million in funding granted to the region through the Regional Cities Initiative established last year.

The purpose of the Regional Cities Initiative funding is to attract and retain talent by providing financial support for game-changing quality of place projects that will increase economic growth, lead to population growth, and enhance the region’s national brand identity. Northeast Indiana won the Regional Cities grant last year with its Road to One Million plan that outlines more than 70 projects and $1.5 billion in investment over the next 10 years.

The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, which helped lead the effort to secure the Regional Cities Initiative funding, also provides staffing support to the RDA.

To learn more about the Road to One Million visit the website at www.neindiana.com/regionalcities.

About the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA)

The Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA), currently the largest RDA in the state, consists of Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties. The RDA is overseen by a five-member board, each appointed by consent of the executives of the member counties and municipalities, and receives staffing support from the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. Only the RDA may apply to the new state-funded Indiana Regional City Fund (administered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation) for matching grants and loans; it may also accept loans, grants and other contributions from federal, state, and private sources. For more information, visit www.neindiana.com/regionalcities. 

About the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership

The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership was formed in 2006 to build a globally competitive economy in Northeast Indiana. It is a public-private partnership with the mission to build, market and sell Northeast Indiana to increase business investment. In 2010, the Partnership launched Vision 2020 to bring the region together around five key areas for economic growth: 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure and Quality of Life. The Partnership supports 11 member counties: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties. For more information, visit www.neindiana.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Courtney Tritch
Vice President of Marketing
Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
260.469.3460
courtney@NEIndiana.com