FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — With news on Monday that part of the city-owned North River property will be used for private investment along the riverfront, is a soccer stadium still the plan for the rest of the land?

City officials held a press conference Monday to announce that the southern-most portion of the North River property will become More Brewing Company.

It will be a two-story restaurant and brewery along the St. Mary’s River and the River Greenway.

That portion of land is divided from the rest of the North River property by E 4th Street.

But what about the rest of of the land north of E 4th?

The idea of a potential soccer stadium became public in May of 2020. Then in early 2021, Mayor Tom Henry signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop the city’s North River property and released a rendering to show what it could look like.

Since then, there hasn’t been much word regarding the stadium.

WANE 15 checked with a spokesman for the mayor in April of this year and was told there was “nothing new” regarding the site, but that they still hoped a successful mixed-use development will come to fruition.

With Monday’s news, WANE 15 asked the Redevelopment Commission’s Executive Director, Jonathan Leist, if a soccer stadium is still in the works.

Leist said they’re still looking at developers who want to bring something “focused on professional or youth sports” to the North River property.

A rendering of a proposed soccer complex in Fort Wayne at its North River property.

He said More Brewing Company put themselves in a prime spot for when something is finally developed.

“It’s a great fit with what we’ve got planned here in the future,” Leist said.

Co-owner of More Brewing Company Perry Patel said the potential for an athletic complex of some sort was part of the draw for choosing their new location in Fort Wayne.

“There is athletics coming. There are moms coming, There are kids coming. We want to be a family-oriented place more than just a bar. So, this was a great location for us,” Patel said.

The city is planning to request for approvals for site preparation and infrastructure improvements around the North River site in the coming months..