Berwyn Eagles Club sold months after ‘fake stabbing,’ unclear if wrestling will return
The Berwyn Eagles Club has been sold, but it’s unclear if pro wrestling will ever return to the venue.
A home to Chicago-area indie promotions like AAW, the Berwyn Eagles Club stopped hosting wrestling earlier this year after an incident between wrestler Krule and a fan that happened at an event that was put on by Ruthless Pro. Initial word was that Krule had been stabbed by the fan, but police confirmed that no stabbing actually took place. Game Changer Wrestling promoter Brett Lauderdale — who had to cancel an event scheduled for the Eagles Club — said the “fake stabbing” wasn’t a stunt but was a “lie made up by the locker room and the promoters” to justify a beatdown of the fan, who was said to be causing problems that night and got into a brawl with Krule after the show.
An article published by the Chicago Sun-Times today notes that the Eagles Club has been sold to a man named Jose Tejada, who owns a car wash right next to the club. The Eagles Club will be converted into an event space named “Destino.”
The Sun-Times says Tejada did not respond to request for comment about the venue or its wrestling future. An indie that still holds training sessions at the venue was told by the new owner that renovations are scheduled for the building, and the promotion will need to find an alternative space for its training sessions.
“The building will be converted into an event space,” the article says. “The new owner and Auto Spa staff did not respond to multiple requests for additional comment about the future of the former Eagles Club, or what types of events they plan to host in the space…
“Wrestling promoters tell the Sun-Times that they don’t know of any wrestling events scheduled there, despite the building’s history.”
Impact on Chicago indie scene —
The Eagles Club is located in Berwyn, Illinois, which is just outside of Chicago. The Sun-Times notes that Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago and 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park exist as alternative venues, but fans have told them that these two buildings can be difficult to get to and have limited parking.
Prior to this sale, the Eagles Club was owned by the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Former Eagles Club operator Chuck Marose Sr. told the Sun-Times that the Berwyn chapter of the organization is no longer active.
WWE star Seth Rollins made a surprise appearance at the last wrestling event the venue hosted this April.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.