Holcomb signs tax bill to support South Bend baseball
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Supporters of SEA 326 surround Gov. Eric Holcomb on May 4, 2023, as he signs the bill to raise a sales tax cap in South Bend. (photo courtesy: South Bend Cubs)
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Gov. Eric wears a Midwest League Championship ring won by the South Bend Cubs in 2022. as he signs a bill in support of the team. (photo courtesy: South Bend Cubs)
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Gov. Eric Holcomb wearing a South Bend Cubs jersey and hat as he signs a bill to support the minor league baseball team. (photo courtesy: South Bend Cubs)
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[July 2022] A nighttime game for the South Bend Cubs at Four Winds Field. (IIB photo/Wes Mills)
Among the 252 legislative bills signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb in recent days, one measure, in particular, is being celebrated by the city of South Bend and the city’s minor league baseball team. The bill, SEA 326, raises the previous $2 million annual cap on sales and state income tax collected in the Professional Sports Convention District Area to $5 million a year.
The city says it will have a significant boost to city income without raising taxes on residents. Supporters of the bill say it could collect $100 million over the next 20 years with the higher cap.
Andrew Berlin, the owner of the South Bend Cubs, was especially pleased as he watched Holcomb sign the measure Thursday.
“This legislation effectively keeps tax money that typically goes downstate for other purposes, here in South Bend,” said Berlin.
The bill allows the city to keep Indiana sales tax and state income tax within the PSCD for the purposes of re-investing in amenities such as Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium. In 2021, Berlin announced plans to invest “millions of dollars” into the ballpark, including the installation of an upper deck.
At the time, Berlin said the upper deck would wrap around the first and third baselines, but not the outfield to preserve views of the downtown skyline. He also does not want to block views into the park from the apartment complex he built that overlooks left field.
“I made a promise to the citizens of South Bend on November 11, 2011, when I purchased the team. I promised no new taxes related to the team. This legislation, which is only available for Indiana cities with professional sports teams, allows us to keep millions of dollars right here at home,” said Berlin.
Unlike a Tax Increment Financing District, the PSCDA is not defined by specific boundaries, but rather entertainment venues in the city that would generate tax revenue, among them are Century Center, The Morris Performing Arts Center, and Four Winds Field.
“The excitement over this amendment and what it means for our plans to enhance Four Wind Field as a bigger and even better draw for the city, has been bi-partisan and impressive,” Berlin said.