- A bank invested in people.®
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Huntington, the Hometown Bank,
CONTACT:
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- February 7, 2006 -- The Franklin County Parks and Recreation Board and Franklin County Stadium Inc. announced today that Huntington Bancshares, Inc. has signed a letter of intent to purchase naming rights for the new downtown Columbus baseball stadium, Huntington Park, and the future home of the Columbus Clippers Triple-A professional baseball team. "Huntington has been a Clippers supporter for many years," said Dick Smith, Chairman of Franklin County Stadium Inc. "We are delighted that our hometown bank is deepening its relationship with our team with this significant investment in our community. This announcement represents a major step in securing the necessary financial commitments from the private sector to fund the stadium and it adds momentum and excitement to the project." Thomas E. Hoaglin, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Huntington, said, "Triple-A baseball is a tremendous asset to our community. Our investment in Huntington Park is another way we can help ensure that our community remains vibrant. The energy that Huntington Park will generate has the potential to make the entire area a family destination for years to come." The $12 million contract with Huntington Bancshares will be paid over 23 years. Huntington Park is scheduled to open during the 2008 season at the northwest corner of Nationwide Boulevard and Neil Avenue. Cooper Stadium, the current home of the Columbus Clippers, is owned by Franklin County, which leases the stadium to Franklin County Stadium Inc., a non-profit entity managed by the Parks and Recreation Board. Plans to move the Clippers to a new downtown stadium were announced by the Franklin County Commissioners in 2005. "This is a significant step forward," said Paula Brooks, president, Franklin County Board of Commissioners. "This is just the latest example of Huntington's rich tradition of supporting important community projects. Huntington Park will be one of our downtown sports and entertainment anchors attracting fans and visitors. Huntington's financial commitment is instrumental in bringing us closer to playing baseball in the downtown Arena District." Construction of Huntington Park is scheduled to begin later this year. Franklin County is responsible for the design and construction of the facility and an Owner's Representative will be secured by the county by the end of February. The Owner's Representative will oversee the project by working with the Franklin County Commissioners to hire an architect, engineering firm and construction manager. Stadium Inc. will lease the stadium from the county and will assume debt service and operational duties. The county is in the process of acquiring approximately eight acres of land in the Arena District. The stadium will be financed through private funds along with the issuance of revenue bonds. Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN) is a $33 billion regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus. Through its affiliated companies, Huntington has more than 140 years of serving the financial needs of its customers. It operates more than 300 regional banking offices and has a network of more than 900 ATMs. ### |
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| Member FDIC.
Equal Housing Lender.
®, Huntington®, and A bank invested in people®
are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. © Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
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