Business View Magazine - June 2016 37
has a number of plaques with names of those people
who lost their lives in wars and conflicts. That relation-
ship with the veterans is something we hold dear and
we want to make it stronger with every opportunity
that we can.”
Brown notes that the Coliseum also serves as the
community’s major evacuation site. “When things go
wrong, whether it’s bad weather or some catastrophe
in town, like a fire, and people have to be evacuated,
we’re frequently called into action,” he says. Indeed,
during the catastrophic flood of 1982, which put Fort
Wayne on the national map, the Memorial Coliseum
served as a shelter and command post for relief ef-
forts. Brown says that when disaster strikes, the Coli-
seum employees provide food and beverages, as well
as a phone bank, so that people coming in for shelter
can call their loved ones and let them know they’re
safe. “So, there’s a real connection within the commu-
nity for the Coliseum,” he adds.
