The auction of Amish Acres Wednesday night drew a standing-room-only crowd and resulted in the sale of the attraction for $4.425 million, according to a news release from Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company, which marketed and conducted the auction.
The property went to six different buyers, with much of the attention focused on the Round Barn Theatre, restaurant and related properties, the release states. Those properties went to John Kruse, former 3rd District Congressman Marlin Stutzman and Jason Bontrager, who said they intend to continue operating those facilities as an attraction.
“Legacy Theatre Company, owned by my wife Christy and her sister Wendy Rivera and Wendy’s husband Gabe, will operate the Round Barn Theatre,” Stutzman said. “We hope to reopen in the spring with new theater productions and family fun for all.”
“We are excited to build off the legacy of Amish Acres, and we believe we can make this a spectacular venue for decades into the future,” Kruse said.
The previous owners had closed Amish Acres after the New Year’s Eve celebration to prepare for the auction.
Roger Diehm, who managed the auction, said sellers and buyers alike were pleased with the outcome.
“It’s great news for Nappanee and the entire area, and I’m excited to see what the future will bring under the new ownership,” he said.
