Casey Wells' achievements in downtown Erie impossible to duplicate

Casey Wells is certainly at an age where he deserves to step back from his multiple duties as Erie Events executive director. But the people who know him best wish he could stay on the job forever.

Wells, 66, who announced Sept. 16 that he plans to retire in January, will be hard to replace. In his more than 40 years with the authority, Casey helped lead major downtown projects totaling nearly $300 million.

More: After nearly 40 years at the helm, Erie Events Executive Director Casey Wells is retiring

Think about that for a second. First, most people in that position probably wouldn’t last more than five years. But Casey is not only a gifted manager, he’s also a top idea man and a genuine people person who’s been able to accomplish so much because he never let his ego get in the way.

He worked tirelessly to keep Erie’s professional sports teams ― the SeaWolves, Otters, and the BayHawks (which ceased operations in 2021) ― under contract. At times, he even coaxed some other teams — such as an arena football club, the Erie Explosion — to call Erie Insurance Arena home for a while.

Sports franchise owners can be a difficult group to deal with, but Casey always dealt fairly and above board. His record of accomplishment is truly stunning.

Casey’s latest triumph is the completion of renovations at the Warner Theatre, which took many years, but is now a first-class facility in every respect. When Casey was starting out at the old Erie County Fieldhouse, there were many in Erie who wanted to tear down the Warner, which had become dilapidated.

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Once Casey came on board with the city authority, he saw the promise of a rejuvenated Warner. At the same time, he found himself in the middle of negotiations to build what is now known as UPMC Park.

Casey was a little slow to embrace that dream, but once he did, he helped turn Erie’s ballpark into a gem. And professional baseball was saved.

I’ve known Casey for more than 50 years and he’s the same nice, unassuming person he was back when we were freshmen at Cathedral Prep. No, I can’t fault Casey for wanting to retire, but I don’t know where Erie will find another leader who is his equal.

● Dave Richards must feel awful about his entertainment writing colleague, Michael Heaton, who died Sept. 18 at 66. Heaton was to the Cleveland Plain Dealer what Richards was to the Erie Times-News. The son of legendary Cleveland sportswriter Chuck Heaton, and the brother of actress Patricia Heaton, Michael Heaton was a talented writer and a great reporter. He happened to be in New York City when the World Trade Center towers fell, and he wrote numerous moving stories about the and heroes in that tragedy.

● Sorry that Mary Solberg, longtime editor of the Lake Shore Visitor and, more recently, Faith Life Magazine, has decided to retire. Sept. 30 is her last day. Mary started as a reporter on the old Erie Morning News, and she’s written many great stories over the years. She’s been an excellent editor and a good friend to all.

● University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari has agreed to speak at the Jefferson Education Society’s Global Summit. Calipari will be interviewed by Sports Illustrated Executive Editor and Senior Writer L. Jon Wertheim. It should be a great night on Oct. 11 at the Cathedral Preparatory School auditorium, 225 W. Ninth St.

● This is how the sports world used to work. When the commissioner of the Lincoln League — part of what was then called Erie's Boys Baseball — wanted to demonstrate the finer points of stealing bases to the teenage players, he called the Pittsburgh Pirates. On the Bucs’ next day off, Maury Wills, the great base-stealing champion who was playing third base for the Pirates at the time, drove to Erie and spent a couple of hours working with the kids.

Scott Millhouse once said he learned more baseball in that one afternoon than he had in his entire life. Wills died at 89 on Sept. 19.

More: Maury Wills, base-stealing shortstop for Dodgers, dies at 89

● It always felt as if Matt Johnson was a member of our family, but I know dozens of other families in Erie felt the same way. Nobody could work a room like Matt, who died Sept. 19 at 49. When he entered a restaurant, he greeted half of the people.

I saw Matt lift the spirits of mourners at a funeral home just by greeting them and giving them a hug. My nephews, Mike and Brian Zona, worked closely with Matt over the years, which is how he became so close to our family. We will miss Matt because there was nobody like him.

1972-2022: Matthew E. Johnson

● It’s sad not only because Nala the lioness and Viktor the tiger recently died at the Erie Zoo, but also that large animals of that kind don’t normally come to zoos like Erie’s anymore. They were both beautiful animals.

More: Nala, the African lion dubbed Queen of the Erie Zoo, was euthanized at age 24

More: Erie Zoo's Amur tiger, Viktor, dies. Second animal death in 6 days

● Morgan Jacox and others pointed out the error in my note about the mighty theater organ at the Warner, which I said rose from the stage and went up toward the ceiling. It actually rose up through the floor and remained in the orchestra pit. It’s one more legend shared by my wonderful late grandmother that turned out to be a myth. I guess I’m a rat for blaming my goof on her.

Kevin Cuneo can be reached at kevin.cuneo1844@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Casey Wells' achievements in downtown Erie PA impossible to duplicate