Auctions America by RM revved up for Labor Day auction

AUBURN, Ind. (WANE) - Auctions America by RM unveiled its renovations at the Auburn Auction Park Tuesday.

The company held an "Engine Belt Cutting Ceremony" Tuesday morning. It was the first look at the park since Auctions America by RM acquired it from Kruse International back in July. More than 1,000 cars will be up for bid at the Auctions America by RM inaugural "Auburn Fall Collector Car Auction" scheduled to kick off September 2nd and run through September 5th.

The highlight of the 2010 auction is a rare 1934 Duesenberg.  It's expected to go for $900,000 to $1.1 million.

Former owner Dean Kruse sold the Kruse Auction Park to Canadian company RM Auctions back in July. Kruse owned the park for more than four decades.

Auctions America by RM has spent more than $1,000,000 in renovations in two months.  The company has painted buildings, installed new bleachers, changed its main podium, laid new asphalt on the main entrance, and upgraded many other parts of the auction park.

"There's not really a square inch of this park that hasn't been touched," said Auctions America by RM President Donnie Gould.

In recent years, lawsuits involving Kruse and vendors claiming they never got paid cast a cloud over the Auburn tradition.  But Auctions America by RM hopes to separate itself from the negativity.

"The main difference is people know they're going to get paid for their cars when they sell them," said Gould.  "Dean Kruse is not involved in this in anyway whatsoever."

More than 100 Auctions America by RM employees and 200 volunteers have been working on renovating the park.  Officials hope the renovations and change of ownership will draw larger crowds than recent years.

"This was the largest collector car auction in the world at one time," said Gould.  "I don't know if we'll be there this year but for sure we'll be there in the future."