Indiana Tech enters option-to-purchase agreement for Donald Ross Golf Course

Indiana Tech has entered into an option-to-purchase agreement with Sycamore, Inc. for the Donald Ross Golf Course at 7120 South Calhoun Street in Fort Wayne. The university is currently performing due diligence on the property to assess its full potential for use as the home of new Indiana Tech athletic facilities, including a new softball stadium and track and field complex.

While a plan for the site has not yet been developed, the university is assessing the use of the current back nine of the golf course, north of Tillman Road and east of Calhoun Street, as the site of a softball stadium and track and field complex.  The 55 acres of land comprising this portion of the course would also allow enough space for additional athletic facilities in the future.

Under this approach, the front nine of the golf course, west of Calhoun Street, would remain unchanged. Indiana Tech would operate it as a 9-hole course, which would continue to be open to the public. The university’s men’s and women’s golf teams would also be able to utilize the course as a practice facility, while its management and operation could be overseen by Indiana Tech students as an experiential learning opportunity.

Once its due diligence and site assessment have been satisfactorily completed, Indiana Tech expects it will complete the purchase of the property in the first quarter of 2018. Subject to the schedule of full site planning and any required zoning changes and approvals, the university would then look to begin construction on new facilities during the summer of 2018, likely starting with a softball stadium. This would allow for practices and games to begin at the new stadium during the spring of 2019.

Indiana Tech president Dr. Karl Einolf commented, “We’re excited about the possibilities created by repurposing the Donald Ross Golf Course, and look forward to completing our site assessment. It seems like both a great fit for the needs of our student-athletes, and a positive use of the property for the entire community.”