SOUTH BEND – “Hard to believe this is the tenth anniversary of purchasing South Bend’s professional baseball team,” commented Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago. “The past decade has been a non-stop exhilarating experience. I’m fond of saying, ‘make no small plans.’ And we haven’t. From winning the League Championship in 2019 to construction of luxury apartments, hosting the All-Star game, building a 1st-class Performance Center, adding the Four Winds name on to the stadium, and becoming a Chicago Cubs affiliate, we’ve not rested a minute. Now, as we look to the next ten years and beyond, we have more big plans.”
Berlin signed the deal to purchase the team from former Indiana Governor, Joe Kernan, and his investors at precisely 11:11 a.m. on November 11, 2011. “We chose 11-11-11 out of superstition,” added Berlin. “Baseball’s full of superstitions, and now 11-11-11 is part of the lore. It turned out to be a good omen.”
Indiana’s current Governor, Eric Holcomb agrees. “Andrew Berlin is synonymous with the South Bend Cubs and success,” added Holcomb. “He has transformed the organization we’re all so proud of into the economic driver it is today. The team and venue are both responsible for pumping millions of dollars into our state’s north-central region, adding so much to the quality of life and place in South Bend and beyond. Community champions, like Andrew, set lofty goals, see the possible and prove public/private partnerships can have such a positive impact on not just the economy, but also the community spirit at large. Oh, what a difference Andrew and a decade have made. I’m excited to see all the runs racked up over the next 10 years for the Cubs and the great city of South Bend,” said Gov. Eric J. Holcomb.
Upon purchasing the team for an unspecified amount, Berlin invested $7 million of his own money to make major upgrades to the stadium – a city-owned facility. A few years later, he invested an additional $2 million to build the 1st Source Bank Performance Center, which was key to attracting the Chicago Cubs. Then, in 2017 he invested an additional $23 million to build the first all-new luxury apartments in downtown South Bend in over a hundred years.
“The financial impact of the team on our area is considerable,” added Jeff Rea, President, and CEO of the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce. “According to an AECOM study conducted in the spring of 2021, the South Bend Cubs add an additional $24 million to the region every year. And it’s the kind of amenity that helps attract people and companies to the region. So, congratulations to Andrew and his terrific management team at the South Bend Cubs.”
“Little did we know ten years ago the transformational impact Andrew Berlin would have on our region by purchasing the South Bend Silverhawks,” added Tim Sexton, Associate Vice President, Public Affairs for the University of Notre Dame. “In addition to providing incredible sports entertainment, Andrew has been an amazing community partner. The University of Notre Dame congratulates Andrew and the South Bend Cubs on this significant milestone.”
“If I have any regret about the significance of this ten-year anniversary, it’s only that Joe Kernan is not here to enjoy it with us,” added Berlin. “I miss him. But I know he’s watching proudly from heaven as the team continues to be a good influence in the city he loved so much.”
