Fort Wayne Taps Firm to Design New Arena

Sink Combs Dethlefs' portfolio includes the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.

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The Allen County-Fort Wayne Capital Improvement Board has approved a committee’s recommendation to contract with an architectural and engineering firm for a proposed downtown arena and event center. The bid from Denver-based Sink Combs Dethlefs, worth $283,000, remains subject to final negotiation.

The CIB says the firm will develop programming, design and cost estimates for the arena. The work is expected to be complete by December, at which point, the CIB will determine whether to continue with development of the project.

Sink Combs Dethlefs was chosen out of four proposals given to the committee. The firm has many similar developments in its portfolio, including the Chesapeake Energy Arena, home of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder.

In March, a committee unanimously recommended the arena project, citing studies that showed a new arena would have no significant impact on current venues within the city. Previous estimates for a 5,000-seat arena came in as high as $63 million.