Developer buys Auburn Auction Park to create youth sports complex | WANE 15

I remember Dad taking me to the ACD festival as a kid, before there was an auction associated with it. I've been to one of the earlier auctions that were held at the Dekalb Co. High School just out of college in the mid '80s (saw my first gullwing Mercedes there). I remember when they built the auction park along I-69 and have been to that facility numerous times, even attempting to sell my '70 C/S 'vert in the early '90s at the car corral. I found my '94 Z28 M6 'vert there in the car corral. I took my wife there and have a photo of her standing in front of the last (4th gen) Camaro built spinning on a turntable. Most recently, I took my son there to check out the cars going up for auction before the Labor Day weekend festivities kicked off. One thing that always amazed me was every time I went, I spied a car or a version of one that I had never seen with my own eyes before. While I'm glad that the ACD festival won't be affected by this sale, the auction is where all the cool, more modern cars were found. I'm really going to miss that.

 

I know how it goes when things like this happen but unfortunately you just have to accept that the past is dead.

 

Another classic case of real estate being more valuable than the business. At least there are plans for something besides another substandardly built cookie-cutter subdivision.

With a big name like Sotheby's ditching this auction site, you have to wonder what this bodes for the other car auctions.

 

Agreed, last thing that is needed is another McMansion site along the freeway. And you are right, the ACD Labor-Day weekend auction was once the largest and most prestigious classic car auction in the world. Living just 15 mins south of Auburn, I always looked forward to the flood of classics seen on the streets that weekend. Years later, its was watered-down and copied and has since fizzled from existence. If this could happen to the first and once largest auction, what does the future hold for the Mecham and BJ auctions? Thanks a lot E-Bay and BAT.