Sweetwater Founder Takes Control of ‘The Clyde’
The founder and president of Fort Wayne-based Sweetwater has taken over full ownership of a historic building in the Allen County city. Our partners at WPTA-TV report Chuck Surack, who previously held a majority ownership of the Clyde Theatre, received total control of the property at the end of 2018.
Surack was instrumental in the renovation of the Clyde Theatre, which was completed last year. He and his wife, Lisa, contributed to the project, along with Sweetwater and the Indiana Economic Development Corp., which provided $1 million in Regional Cities Initiative funding.
"There are so many things to be excited about," Surack told WPTA. "It’s not making Sweetwater bigger. It’s not more employees. What I’m excited about is helping people fulfill their dreams and aspirations. Whether that’s a little one playing guitar and keyboards or adult playing in a band or a songwriter in their home studio or professional musicians playing on the stage… I just love that we’re helping people fulfill their dreams and aspirations."
The building opened in 1951 as a movie theater and was purchased for $500 at a tax sale by Rick Kinney, who planned to transform it into a live performance and special events venue, according to the state. The renovation effort totaled about $9 million.