The State of Indiana is auditing Harrison Square Park Project

The State of Indiana is taking a look at the financing of Harrison Square Park. With over a reported $130 million dollars being spent on the Project, it's about time some folks with some financial expertise steps in and took a look at the rush to spend taxpayer dollars in this deal compared to private investment.

Bruce Hartman, examiner for the State Board of Accounts, said his department is conducting its field work on the annual Fort Wayne audit. As part of this year’s examination, he said the state will look at the $130 million Harrison Square development.

Hartman said the state didn’t include the project as part of the audit because of suspected wrongdoing, but because of the size of and attention givenproject. “We’re definitely not doing anything special,” he said. “Its dollar value speaks for itself.”

The Harrison Square project is a public-private partnership that would bring a new hotel, new condominiums, new retail and a city-owned baseball stadium to downtown Fort Wayne. Opponents have criticized the project for requiring more than $60 million in public financing, and two residents – John Kalb and Mark Garvin – formally protested the project in writing. Although their objections were overruled by the Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission, they have the ability to file a lawsuit against the project by next week.