9 min read

Feb. 4, 2025 | Electric Works leadership legal cases, TRF's crowdfunding crunch + more

Feb. 4, 2025 | Electric Works leadership legal cases, TRF's crowdfunding crunch + more

Hey Locals,

We recently received a few reader emails about legal cases involving the anchor dining tenant (and new campus operations manager) at Electric Works. This week, we explain what's going on and how it might affect the project in Above the Fold.

We also fill you in on a longshot effort by Three Rivers Festival to crowdfund itself out of about $300,000 of debt (by next week), and we share lots of local Valentine's Day ideas for February, including a fun a way to cook your own romantic steak dinner from the comfort of your kitchen.

Take yourself on a coffee date while you're at it! This month, we're partnering with Utopian Coffee to bring all paid subscribers to The Local a FREE 16 oz. drip coffee OR a 12 oz. plain whole milk latte (any modifiers an additional charge). Did you know we give our paid members a freebie every month at a local business to cover the cost of membership? See what a paid membership is all about with this 30-day trial, and you can get that deal!

Plus: don't forget to fill out our subscriber survey. It takes just five minutes, and you could win a $25 gift card to Fortezza Coffee and a branded The Local mug!

Now, let's get started!

NOTE: Links to Journal Gazette articles are marked(*) and may be behind a paywall.


Will new leadership’s legal cases affect Electric Works?

The leader of a new group managing campus operations at Electric Works is facing a series of legal cases. Campus owners and developers say it's not related to the project.

What’s happening?

Since Electric Works opened in November 2022, it has reported a rosy picture to the public. But residents have voiced concerns about a revolving door of vendors at Union Street Market food hall. And behind the scenes, there’s turnover in campus leadership, too.

Late last year: we broke news that Carr Workplaces is no longer involved in the project, and Electric Works developers and co-owners (Jeff Kingsbury and Josh Parker) consolidated operations for coworking, Union Street Market, and events/conferencing as well as all beverage services on campus under the leadership of a new group called 3 Pillar Operations (3PO). 3PO is a team of eight people led by Scott Fergusson, who also owns Chapman’s Brewing Co., the anchor dining tenant.

Since we published that newsletter: we've received multiple reader emails informing us that Fergusson and Chapman’s are involved in legal cases. We confirmed this (using public records on mycase.in.gov), and found three cases that mention Fergusson and Chapman’s Cider Co. LLC, tied to financial challenges dating back to April 2020 — before Chapman’s signed its letter of intent to locate at Electric Works in November 2021.

Here’s what we know so far:

  • The Fergussons (Scott and his wife Cheryl) and Chapman’s Cider Co. LLC owe First Federal Savings Bank approximately $1.4 million. First Federal sued the Fergussons in September 2023 for defaulting on what started as a home equity line of credit, along with a promissory note and business loan agreement – and won. (According to the suit, the defaults began in April 2020.) The Fergussons’ balance remains unpaid as of Feb. 3, 2025.
  • Fergusson and Chapman’s are also in a dispute with Steve Garman of Angola Development, LLC, the landlord of Chapman’s former location in Angola. Fergusson and Chapman’s filed a suit against Garman, seeking more than $2 million in damages for denying access to the property for liquidation. (Garman counter-sued Fergusson, making multiple claims, including that he signed a six-year lease agreement and defaulted on payments multiple times, including rent, utilities and other expenses, some of which remain unpaid, according to the lawsuit.)
  • Perhaps most notably: key Electric Works investor Tim Ash’s investment management company, Ash Crest Corp., is also suing Fergusson for $745,000 (plus interest and damages) for “a loan related to Fergusson’s interest in Chapman’s Cider Company, LLC,” which it says Fergusson did not comply with “in any way.” The deal began in April 2021, and the suit was filed in August 2024. Both parties are in talks about a settlement, and a hearing for dismissal is scheduled for Feb. 12 at 11 a.m. 

So how does all of this relate to Electric Works and the public interest?

To be clear: There’s a lot we still don’t know about Electric Works and what factors might make or break the project going forward. Electric Works co-owner Jeff Kingsbury says he knew about Fergusson’s legal cases when he contracted him under 3PO to manage campus operations. 

In our Q&A this week, Kingsbury and Fergusson point out that the cases are not (directly) related to Electric Works or Union Street Market, and they do not believe they will affect the project’s success. Fergusson describes 3PO’s role as “a management agreement with key performance metrics,” saying: “If we don’t do a good job, they can fire us.”

Even so, here are a few quick points to consider:

  • Union Street Market plays a large role in the city’s 2020 contract with Electric Works, which we obtained via FOIA. The contract states the market would be a “mission-driven, actively managed and curated facility” offering “a range of fresh, specialty, and prepared food and beverages.” But many tenants have left the market since it opened, citing hidden costs and lack of foot traffic to WANE 15, and the food hall now refers to itself as a food “incubator.” Fergusson will be managing this significant portion of the project, as well as other core, public-facing elements, like coworking, events/conferencing and beverage operations on campus. What’s more…
  • Despite Fergusson’s success in the tech industry, there's limited evidence to suggest Chapman’s has demonstrated sustainability. Since 2012, it has opened and closed several locations in Northeast Indiana, and its brewery at Electric Works is its last remaining location. It also happens to be Fort Wayne’s largest brewery and the anchor dining tenant at the region’s largest public-private project.
  • There’s a lack of reliable public information about Electric Works. In November, the campus released an unsolicited Community Impact Report, touting its progress two years into its 10-year vision. But data shared in the report was largely collected by Electric Works itself or pulled from a forecast from before the campus opened. Also, based on the numbers Electric Works did share, it doesn’t appear to be on track to meet its projected economic goals. An overall lack of transparency and information makes it difficult to decipher how issues, like lawsuits involving Fergusson and Chapman’s, might impact Electric Works. Which brings us to another point…
  • Electric Works is an extremely complex project, and the public stake in it is unclear. It’s well known that the city and the Capital Improvement Board (CIB) contributed $65 million in direct public funding to the project, along with state and federal tax credits. But CIB consultant John Stafford tells us that this all went toward completed construction on campus. So what exactly does the public stand to get for its investment? (Don’t worry–we’re digging into all of this and will break it down for you in coming weeks.)

In the meantime: Union Street Market and its Public Market Trust have scheduled a news conference for Feb. 11, 11-11:30 a.m., promising “new announcements” and “exciting initiatives ahead.” You can be sure we’ll be there to report back.

For full disclosure: The Local has previously partnered with Chapman's Brewing on an event and subscriber deals.


  • Three Rivers Festival is attempting to raise $450,000 by Feb. 10 via crowdfunding. The festival needs to raise $300,000 in about a week to avoid bankruptcy, and an additional $150,000 would go toward hosting the 2025 festival, WANE 15 reports. Even so, documents obtained by WANE 15 show TRF may be in debt upward of $350,000. So far, posts on social media show skepticism that the festival will achieve its goal and happen this year. By Monday at noon, it had only raised $965 toward its goal. TRF has been a Fort Wayne tradition for more than 50 years. But in recent years, it has made headlines for a few messy power changes. Organizers blame this year's shortfall on funding challenges and Downtown revitalization in 2024, which affected parking and events. But tax documents WANE obtained show 2024 wasn't the first year TRF faced budget shortfalls. On its crowdfunding page, festival organizers outlined plans for "achieving financial sustainability" in their bid to earn public support.
  • The Allen County jail project is expected to cost about $305M – about $45 million less than expected despite adding a fifth pod of cells to the design. Last week, county commissioners set a maximum construction cost for the new jail at about $268 million. The final figure ($305M) includes design, furniture and equipment. Project leaders at Weigand Construction expect the jail to be complete by early-November 2027. While Weigand originally planned for the jail to have four pods of cells, the new, lower price approved last week actually includes five pods, meaning more cells than needed to satisfy what's legally required for Allen County's jail, The JG* reports. County Councilman Paul Lagemann disagreed with adding cells, even if it doesn't raise project costs, warning: “If you build it, (more people) will get sentenced,” and it will "increase the operations cost.” Instead, he suggests using the fifth pod to relocate Community Corrections (currently Downtown near Superior and Harrison streets)–-a move he says would "make government more efficient."

Plus: insights on a new county commissioner, how Indiana's property taxes could affect local schools and insights on a local food industry shakeup. We cover it all in our premium newsletter.


Enjoy a coffee date at Utopian with our February deal!

All paid subscribers get a free 16 oz. drip coffee OR a 12 oz. plain whole milk latte (any modifiers an additional charge).

A latte at Utopian Coffee. (Chloe Mackay)

What's happening?

This month, we're partnering with Utopian Coffee to bring all paid subscribers to The Local a FREE 16 oz. drip coffee OR a 12 oz. plain whole milk latte (any modifiers an additional charge).

Utopian is one of our favorites. I (Kara) have spent many mornings working in their cozy cafe on The Landing, drinking a chai tea latte or Obsidian blend (black).

  • Speaking of Obsidian: Did you know Utopian's Obsidian and Union blends recently earned a rare Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) in the coffee world. This makes Utopian one of the first specialty roasters in the Midwest to achieve the distinction that focuses on crop diversity to improve soil health and conditions.
  • You might not realize: that, more than a cafe, Utopian has a powerful global mission. Since it was founded in Fort Wayne in 2006, it has worked directly with coffee producers around the world to create more sustainable supply chains, traveling throughout Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and East Africa to build relationships and source excellent coffee. As Co-Founder Brendon Maxwell puts it: "Utopian sources, roasts and uses coffee as a way to tell meaningful stories about producers, build relationships, and help support regenerative farming practices throughout the coffee-growing world."
  • Perhaps as a result: Utopian was a finalist for the prestigious 2025 Roaster of the Year award by Roast Magazine. It puts out about 425,585 pounds of roasted coffee annually and integrates sustainability into its operations with eco-friendly roasting techniques, composting and recycling – just to name a few.

We sat down with Maxwell and Utopian Cafe Manager Paige Rabineau for a few quick tips for your next visit.


  • Celebrate: Black History Month at the Allen County Public Library, offering a full calendar of FREE programs for all ages, including a Black History Art Walk, offering a virtual journey to "meet" lesser-known Black artists and experience their works.
  • Watch: a Cinema Center screening of From Ground Zero, in partnership with the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace. It's a collection of 22 Palestinian films that begin screening in Fort Wayne on Feb. 7 and represent Palestine's official entry to the Academy Awards.
  • Try: a delicious-looking Straw-Mocha at Draft Taproom and Coffee. It's a Hampton cold brew with chocolate and strawberry cold foam topped with oreo and strawberry. (It can also be made hot for the cold weather!)

What else? We share Valentine's Day ideas and more things to do in our premium newsletter.


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Got a story tip or idea?

Let us know at thelocalfortwayne@gmail.com.

Have a great week, Locals!

-Your Editor, Kara Hackett