FORT WAYNE, Ind. — A high-stakes offer for one of Fort Wayne’s most contested parcels is the latest flashpoint in a growing standoff between the city’s redevelopment agenda and private developers with deep local roots.
Just two weeks after former gubernatorial candidate Eric Doden’s group Fort Wayne Next proposed a downtown football stadium partnership with local schools, his father—Daryle Doden—and billionaire entrepreneur Chuck Surack have submitted a joint $12 million offer to buy the city-owned North River site.
The problem? The city says the land isn’t for sale.
The $12 million question
Surack, founder of Sweetwater Sound, and Daryle Doden, who founded Ambassador Steel and is the father of Eric Doden, claim the city has been sitting on the roughly 30-acre site for too long. Their plan: purchase the land, work with stakeholders, and launch what they describe as a “bold, transformational, and unifying” redevelopment plan.
“Our hearts and hopes are firmly connected to Fort Wayne and its future,” Surack said in a statement. “We envision a thriving community, not just for today, but for generations to come.”
He emphasized that neither he nor Daryle Doden would profit from the development. The goal, they say, is to bring together a broad coalition—including government, developers, and citizens—to chart the land’s future collaboratively.
“We urge everyone to come together for the long-term benefit of Fort Wayne,” the pair wrote. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
But the city isn’t budging.
“Not for sale,” city says flatly
In a statement sent to 21Alive News, a city spokesperson reiterated what’s now becoming a mantra: The North River property is not for sale.
Instead, city officials are doubling down on their own vision: a $1.5 billion public-private redevelopment anchored by the North River Fieldhouse—a youth and adaptive sports complex billed as a regional tourism magnet.
Eighteen development teams from across the country have submitted Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) to lead future private investment on the land, the city says. That next-phase development could include:
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Mixed-income housing
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Retail and restaurants
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A hotel
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Structured parking
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Public green space
City leaders maintain that any development will follow the buildout of the Fieldhouse, which they consider the “catalyst” project for the entire area.
Doden family ambitions in the spotlight
This isn’t the first attempt by people tied to Eric Doden to acquire the land. On March 28, Cumberland Development LLC—a firm affiliated with Doden—submitted an offer estimated between $8 million and $10 million for the same property.
That came just four days after Fort Wayne Next, Doden’s nonprofit development group, floated a proposal to partner with Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) to build a downtown football stadium on the site. FWCS rejected that proposal almost immediately, opting instead to move forward with a new stadium at Snider High School.
The city was quick to distance itself from Doden’s initiative, stressing that Fort Wayne Next is not affiliated with the city and that the property in question was not on the market.
Now, the Surack–Daryle Doden offer adds another layer of pressure—and controversy—to the city’s redevelopment narrative.
Who owns what, and where?
According to Allen County property records, Cumberland Development already owns 20 parcels in the area surrounding the North River site, including 14 along High Street. That makes Doden’s firm a major landholder in the immediate vicinity, giving him and his affiliates clear financial and strategic interests in how the city’s parcel is ultimately used.
| Entity | Type | Parcel Count | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland Development LLC | Private Firm | 20 | High Street Corridor |
| City of Fort Wayne | Municipal | 1 (North River) | Bordered by Clinton, Harrison, Fourth St. |
While Surack says Eric Doden could be involved in a future development plan, he insists the current bid is a separate effort spearheaded by himself and Daryle Doden. “We want to bring in all kinds of developers,” Surack told reporters. “But we don’t have anyone specific in mind just yet.”
Political undercurrents
Though never explicitly stated, the clash over North River appears to reflect deeper divisions in Fort Wayne’s civic and political fabric.
Eric Doden has long been seen as a leading figure in Indiana’s economic development circles, with previous stints at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and a failed 2024 run for governor. His emphasis on bold, investor-led urban transformation hasn’t always aligned with the city’s more methodical, fieldhouse-first strategy.
Surack, one of Fort Wayne’s most high-profile philanthropists and business leaders, adds additional weight to the offer—both financially and symbolically.
That hasn’t swayed city hall.
What’s next?
City officials say they’re moving forward with plans for the Fieldhouse and that developers chosen from the RFQ process will eventually shape the private portion of the project. A timeline for selecting the lead developer hasn’t been announced.
Meanwhile, it’s unclear whether Surack and Daryle Doden will revise their offer, rally public support, or let the matter drop. For now, their $12 million check remains unsolicited—and unanswered.
But the broader question lingers: who gets to shape the future of Fort Wayne’s riverfront—those elected to lead it, or those with the means to buy it?
