Sharon Tucker says she’s ready to build—but not before doing right by taxpayers.

Fort Wayne’s new mayor has big plans for the nearly 30-acre North River property—and if she had her way, construction crews would already be onsite.

But as offers pour in and public interest swells, one thing remains clear: the city isn’t rushing into anything.

From vacant land to a family magnet

The property in question sits north of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge, nestled between Clinton, Harrison, and Fourth Streets—a long-vacant swath of land once home to the former OmniSource scrapyard.

Now, Mayor Tucker envisions something entirely different.

A place where families gather. Athletes compete. Kids run drills under bright lights. A destination—not just for Fort Wayne, but for the wider region.

“I want to see a sports facility there,” Tucker told 21Alive’s Heather Herron in a sit-down interview Tuesday. “It’s something that brings people together, that generates pride and opportunity for our community.”

Competing visions—and offers on the table

Tucker’s announcement in February of a potential sports facility drew attention. And offers.

In the weeks since, local businessmen have submitted unsolicited proposals to buy the land—even though the city maintains it’s not currently for sale. Meanwhile, developers have responded to a formal request for quotes (RFQ) issued by the city, offering up alternative ideas for the site.

Some of those proposals include:

• A downtown stadium concept (which Fort Wayne Community Schools already rejected)

• Commercial mixed-use developments

• Private sports ventures

Still, Tucker insists the public interest doesn’t change the city’s bottom line: Fort Wayne will move forward carefully—and transparently.

Balancing vision with responsibility

The mayor isn’t shy about her enthusiasm for the project. But she’s just as vocal about the importance of public trust.

“It’s not that the city is saying, ‘No, we don’t want partners,’” she said. “It’s that the city is saying, ‘We need to be responsible for taxpayers’ resources and dollars and properties.’”

Translation: any development must make long-term financial sense and align with the city’s broader goals.

For now, that means evaluating every proposal thoroughly, keeping open lines of communication, and avoiding rushed decisions—even if it slows momentum.

What’s next for North River?

No timeline has been set for breaking ground, and Tucker acknowledges there’s more groundwork to lay before any construction begins. Still, the mayor is hopeful.

She sees the North River site as a chance to reimagine a key part of Fort Wayne’s urban core—not just for this generation, but for the next.

In her own words: “This should be something that reflects who we are and what we value as a city.”

Whether that vision will take the shape of a fieldhouse, stadium, or something else entirely remains to be seen.

But one thing is certain: Fort Wayne’s North River property is no longer an afterthought.

It’s a blank canvas with the whole city watching.