Marshall County Health and Wellness, Inc. (MCHW) announced today that the new aquatic center on Miller Drive in Plymouth is off to a strong start.
“The Dr. Susan Bardwell Aquatic Center has already hosted hundreds of swimmers and several competitive meets and events,” said Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter. “We’re proud to have worked closely with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Regional Development Authority (RDA), Plymouth Redevelopment Commission and so many other great organizations and leaders who were determined to bring this great facility to Marshall County and the City of Plymouth.”
The facility has hosted 230 people at two separate Plymouth Aquatic Club – Sharks events and 639 people for six high school meets since opening in October of last year. An additional 178 people have participated in Open Swim events during this same period.
Bringing the facility to Miller Drive in Plymouth, involved 27 different community, state and national organizations and a complex financing plan, which leveraged $2 million in funding from the IEDC Regional Cities Initiative and an additional $1 million in New Market Tax Credits. MCHW, is a company created to play an important role in the financing plan, whose board of directors is comprised of representatives of the City of Plymouth, Plymouth Community School Corporation, and Ancilla College. MCHW holds a master lease of the Aquatics Center and various subleases, with the facility operator, and its primary users, the city, the school corporation, and the college.
Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) has been a driving force in the planning, engineering and construction of the almost $9 million project.
MCEDC also assumed temporary operations of the facility in October when Rick and Barb Miller of Plymouth abandoned their company’s contractual obligation to operate the Aquatic Center. Under the contract, the Millers’ company, with Rick Miller’s personal guaranty, had committed to operate the facility for the next ten years. In the wake of these changes, MCEDC will continue to support Aquatic Center operations until a temporary and then a permanent operator is in place.
“This is something we’re committed to,” added Jerry Chavez, President and CEO of MCEDC. “It’s rare when a project partner’s commitments fall through, but it doesn’t change our enthusiasm for this amazing new facility. MCEDC will continue to support the facility under the corporate umbrella of Dr. Susan Bardwell Swimming, LLC (DSBS).”
DSBS plans to continue operating the facility until sometime in February 2020 when an interim entity is in place then a permanent operator takes over. “We work to bring transformational projects like this to Marshall County,” commented Chavez, “But, we’re not aquatic center operators. That’s not what an Economic Development Corporation does. So, we’re actively working with our community partners to bring a new operator to the facility – someone who specializes in these types of facilities and knows what they mean to a community.”
The Dr. Susan Bardwell Aquatics Center is a 27,000 square foot facility featuring a 10-lane pool, 2 diving boards, 3 family changing rooms and seating for over 435 people in a mezzanine overlooking the swim lanes.
