FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Fort Wayne City Council preliminarily approved a resolution that would establish an economic development area and set aside future taxes for Chuck Surack’s newest project in downtown Fort Wayne.
The plan: pour tens of millions of dollars into the former Scottish Rite/Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center to turn it into a historical landmark that can still rock as a music venue.
“It is so big that there are very few entities in the community or individuals that have the capacity to not only renovate, reopen it, keep it open, and operate it,” said Nancy Townsend, Surack Enterprises Director of Development.
Tuesday’s move would designate a 41-acre economic development area stretching up to Second Street across the river as a tax allocation area. All of the increased revenue from properties in this area would not be collected as usual, but would instead be funneled into certain areas of Surack’s project…