MUSKOGEE, Okla. — For now, the oldest college in Oklahoma is off the market, as the Muskogee County Sheriff's Office recalled the Dec. 14 auction that would have allowed a Utah company to purchase it.
Bacone College is in a financial deficit after not securing funding before initiating HVAC repairs in 2021. FOX 13 News previously reported the HVAC repair company filed a lawsuit for a breach of contract after not receiving payment for the work done.
The three-year battle ended with the college owing Midgley-Huber Energy Concepts $1.5 million. After the lawsuit ended the college tried to secure the funding however MCSO started seizing the property for auction.
MHEC, a Utah-based company, looked ahead to the auction and planned to place a bid. The company's president said if he won the property he would allow students and staff to finish the school year before taking over the buildings.
Local authorities said the auction is recalled until further notice. Officials did not provide details about why the auction was called off.
The school shared its thoughts on the cancellation of the auction in a Facebook post.
Bacone College is the oldest American Indian college in the nation seeing around 50-75% of the students being Native American per year.
FOX 13 News is working to learn why the auction was called off and what this means for students and staff.
