Airport to hold public auction on Aug. 4
Thousands of items from High School Road terminal to be sold
INDIANAPOLIS—What will the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) do with all the surplus items resulting from closing the former Indianapolis International Airport (IND)? Sell them to the highest bidders!
IAA will hold a public auction at the old airport, located just off Sam Jones Expressway & I-465 at 2500 S. High School Road, on Tuesday, August 4 at 10 a.m.
But before an auctioneer can declare any item as “Going, going, GONE!,” a great deal of behind-the-scenes preparation is taking place, said Gary Gibson, senior director of administration for the airport authority.
Gibson has been overseeing IAA’s 13-member property disposition team—charged with identifying what items could be reused, what items needed to be discarded, and what items could be auctioned—since late January.
“In addition to compiling a detailed inventory, we’ve been working closely with our business partners, including the airlines, TSA, and concessionaires, to ensure all of their property has either been transported to the new airport or returned to them.”
The disposition team was also responsible for interviewing and selecting an auctioneer. After reviewing proposals, Indianapolis-based Commercial Liquidators of America (CLA), was selected to manage a sealed bid, negotiated sale, and public auction on IAA’s behalf.
“Commercial Liquidators has 20 years of experience in selling high-valued assets at auction, so we felt they best understood the inherent value of the items and they have the ability to secure the best prices,” added Gibson.
Proceeds will be used to offset projected airport revenue shortfalls, capital projects already on the books, and/or for purposes stipulated by original funding sources. The old passenger terminal, parking garage and lots, and other airport property on High School Road will NOT be included in the August 4 public auction.
Sale of industry-specific items has already begun
Some airport-specific items, including the old jet bridges used on the tarmac at High School Road, are expected to sell through a sealed bid process.
Stair sets, aircraft maintenance tools and supplies, seating, service counters, luggage conveyors, and other items, however, will be marketed by CLA to specific airports and airport service providers through a sealed bid process.
Salvageable building infrastructure from the old terminal’s concourses and food court, such as light fixtures, phone booth enclosures, bathroom fixtures, restaurant equipment, and other items that are wall-mounted and can be easily removed may be sold through a negotiated sale process. In this case, CLA will contact industrial surplus equipment vendors, salvage companies, recycling companies, and other enterprises to determine their interest. Otherwise, the items will be sold during the August 4 public auction.
Variety, quantity, and type of auction items is large
In addition to items from inside and outside the High School Road terminal, the auction will include IAA property from the Indianapolis Maintenance Center and IAA facilities.
Items include the expected—plumbing and bath fixtures, electrical units, computers, tools, and vehicles—and the unexpected, including a massive iron Statue of Liberty and a 35-piece series of framed posters illustrating the life and times of Princess Diana.
It will also include items with nostalgic value for local history and aviation buffs, including signage, banners, and benches. “Undoubtedly, many members of the public have fond memories of the airport and some of the items that will be sold. This will be the last chance to own a piece of airport history,” Gibson reported.
CLA will begin organization and set-up for the auction after the July 4 holiday, with four forklifts, two trucks, two electric utility trucks, and about one dozen personnel at the old terminal until early August. Gibson estimates thousands of individual items will be sold along with items grouped into a hundred or more lots. For a general listing of auction items, see Exhibit A (attached).
August 4 event logistics
On auction day, the auctioneers will offer lots of items in four “rings” staged in various locations inside and outside the old terminal.
“CLA will organize all materials with a special emphasis on gathering like items that individually may not have a great value but, when placed together with similar items forming a collective, are likely to bring a premium,” explained Gibson. He added the bidding could spill over to a second day.
A cashier’s station will be located in the old terminal to process payments for purchases. CLA staffers will oversee the claims process and help bidders load and remove their items from the airport. Refreshments including burgers, hot dogs, chips, and sodas will be available for purchase. More details about public parking locations, auction entrances, and other logistics will be released prior to August 4.