FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) The City of Fort Wayne wants to make it perfectly clear. It has nothing to do with the organization known as Fort Wayne Next. Eric Doden, a Republican who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2024, and previously served as CEO of Greater Fort Wayne is the most prominent person involved with Fort Wayne Next. Earlier this week, Fort Wayne Next floated the idea that Fort Wayne Community Schools would be better served building a football stadium for Snider High School at its proposed Riverfront Planned Urban District which would be located on land northwest of the Martin Luther King Bridge just north of downtown. Coincidentally, that land is where Fort Wayne plans to put the North River Fieldhouse. Fort Wayne Community Schools quickly dismissed the idea. On Wednesday, the office of Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker emailed out a press release clarifying that it is not affiliated with Fort Wayne Next and that there may be some confusion regarding its relationship with the organization. The release basically shot down Fort Wayne Next's plans for the North River Fieldhouse area. The City of Fort Wayne is not affiliated with Fort Wayne Next, an entity that recently announced plans to invest in the downtown and riverfront areas with multiple projects. Fort Wayne Next does not own the property that would be needed to develop what they indicated they would like to do. The land in question is owned by the City of Fort Wayne which does not plan to sell the property. The Office of Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker The City added that other entities are already moving forward with projects listed by Fort Wayne Next including the Snider Football Stadium, a natatorium for Northwest Allen County Schools, and the Fort Wayne FC's soccer stadium to be located off Bass Road near I-69. Back in 2023, DOMO, another organization affiliated with Eric Doden, released plans for a massive mixed use development now referred to on Fort Wayne Next's website as High Street. That announcement came as a surprise to business owners and residents in the area. ...read more read less