Hey Locals,

You might have seen the name "Fort Wayne Next" in the news recently, related to plans for North River and several other large projects around town. We dive into who they are and what they're seeking to do.

In Briefs, we cover a new zoo exhibit bringing more creatures to town and fill you in on a few fun ways to get outside at the Zoo's reopening this week. As for more items on our To Do List, you won't want to miss the grand opening of a new bakery Downtown, offering Parisian-style pastries and free samples, while supplies last.

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Now, let's get started!

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

What is Fort Wayne Next?

We fill you in on a group behind a failed proposal to relocate Snider's new football stadium to Downtown and why it matters.

What’s happening?

A mysterious group of leaders calling themselves Fort Wayne Next made headlines this week for an unsuccessful, but flashy bid to relocate Snider High School's long-awaited football stadium to the Downtown riverfront. In a news release yesterday afternoon, leaders said the move would save the district about $5M upfront while creating "significant new fundraising and revenue-generating opportunities." They also promised to add an additional $55M to the stadium's budget "to make it a world-class football/soccer experience similar to Parkview Field." However, FWCS quickly shot down the proposal hours later, citing the parameters of funding they have already secured for the project and the demand for an on-campus facility for multiple campus activities (beyond football). A statement from FWCS posted on WANE 15 says: “In Snider’s entire history, student athletes have never truly had a home field. They deserve better.”

So what is Fort Wayne Next, and what exactly are they proposing for the city beyond a football stadium?

We break down key things to know in our premium newsletter.

• Hundreds of residents attended a rowdy public meeting last week held by developers of a proposed race track in rural Southwest Allen County. Many neighbors spoke in opposition to the plans, expressing concerns about changing scenery, as well as increased noise, light and air pollution from the racetrack. The project is privately funded and led by prominent Fort Wayne developers Bill Bean, Chuck Surack and Tom Kelley. It is planned for about 400 acres of rural land at Branstrator and Hamilton roads. Developers say the track will not have stadium lights or a PA system, and it will only operate as a daytime trial track – not for bumper-to-bumper racing. They compare it to a track in South Haven, Michigan. Bean was at the meeting and told WANE 15 his team will address neighbors' concerns about noise as they plan the next phases of the project, including: “how to design a track with the necessary sound barriers and stuff like that to minimize the impact of anybody immediately or away from the track.”
• The Fort Wayne Zoo's sea lion exhibit is getting an expansion and adding harbor seals when it opens later this spring (or summer). The exhibit includes a full redesign for the area now called Coastal Cove, including features like a lighthouse and a new beach area allowing visitors to "get up-close with the sea lions like never before," WANE 15 reports. The Zoo reopens for members on March 27 and for the public on March 28. Starting March 27, it is also hosting a night-time lantern festival called "Glo Wild at the Fort Wayne Zoo!"

Plus: New details on the North River Fieldhouse, a local trail connection underway and more. We cover it all in our premium newsletter.

• Taste: vegan, gluten-free and Parisian-style pastries at the grand opening of a new Downtown bakery called Good Bread for All in the Canton Laundry building at 1016 Broadway. The ribbon-cutting is March 30 at 10 a.m., and the bakery will be offering free samples (while supplies last) until it closes at 2 p.m. Regular hours will be Friday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., and monthly First Fridays, 5-9 p.m.
• Sign: a petition to support a regionally designed pollinator license plate to raise money for Indiana’s local pollinators and environment. The license plate would cost $40 and give $25 to the Pollinator Partnership for conservation. The petition needs 500 signatures by April 1.
• Get tickets: for Middle Waves Music Festival on June 28, returning to Headwaters Park. Last week, the festival announced its 2025 lineup, featuring electronic-rock headliner Phantogram alongside country duo Julien Baker & TORRES and local band Loveseat. Other performers include: Mannequin Pussy, Ratboys, and Post Sex Nachos. ($45 general admission, $10 for children under 12, $100 VIP)

What else? We share more things to do in our premium newsletter.

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Have a great week, Locals!

-Your Editor, Kara Hackett