“If you build it, they will come” was the theme Jan. 25 as dealers from all over Texas and more than 15 other states participated in a special sale to mark the grand opening of Manheim’s new Dallas/Fort Worth Auto Auction facility.

Joining auction general manager Frank Post at the commemorative sale were executives from Atlanta-based Manheim Auctions, parent company of the auction.

The new 111-acre facility will more than double the sales capacity at the auction, making it possible to run 2,500 to 3,000 vehicles per sale, up from 1,200 vehicles per sale at the original facility. Among the other highlights of the state-of-the-art facility will be:

 A 63,000-square-foot auction building with 12 lanes

 A separate 7,200-square-foot check-in/registration building

 An eight-lane reconditioning/detail shop

 The addition of about 150 full-time staff

“Dallas/Fort Worth is one of the strongest used car markets in the country,” Post said. “Our new auction will make it possible for us to meet the strong dealer demand for quality used vehicles in this region in a beautiful new facility.”

In addition to the commemorative sale, Manheim Auctions celebrated the opening of its new facility with a dinner reception Jan. 24. On hand at the lavish event, held at the new auction facilities, were guests from Manheim Auctions, dealers and buyers and celebrity guests including NASCAR driver Harry Gant, Dallas Cowboys Darren Woodson and Dat Nguyen, Texas Ranger Rusty Greer, World Champion bull rider Tuff Hedemann and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

For more than 40 years, the original Manheim Fort Worth Auto Auction served Texas and surrounding states with the service for which Manheim Auctions has become known. Operating on only 44 acres and six lanes, the Fort Worth Auction was one of the busiest in the area.

“The original Manheim Fort Worth auction was among the top auctions in the area, but we outgrew the facility,” said Post. “In order to better serve our dealers, we knew we had to build a larger, more advanced facility to keep up with the pace at which we were growing.”

The original Manheim Fort Worth auction on Jacksboro Highway will continue to operate as a secondary auction site, complementary to the new Dallas/Fort Worth facility.

About Manheim Auctions

Manheim Auctions has been in the wholesale automobile auction industry for more than 55 years. With 86 auction locations in North America, as well as operations in Puerto Rico, France, the United Kingdom and Australia, the company assists dealers and auto manufacturers, fleet and lease companies, banks, and other financial institutions, to sell their used car inventories.

The company also offers transaction, reconditioning and certification services, managed remarketing, end-of-lease term management services, vehicle transportation, dealer floor planning, retail inspection, and government auction services.

Manheim Auctions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., with more than 34,000 employees at its 126 auctions and related businesses; in the year 2000, the company auctioned more than seven million vehicles.

It is also a conduit for wholesale and retail used car transactions on the Internet through its Manheim Interactive and AutoTrader.com lines of business.

Manheim Auctions’ corporate headquarters is in Atlanta, and its Web site is at www.manheimauctions.com.

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