~ South Bend, Indiana - On April 4, 2025, the city of South Bend celebrated the completion of the Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Center project with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The event was attended by Mayor James Mueller, along with other city and state representatives. The ceremony marked the end of a nearly 1-mile march from the Civil Rights Heritage Center to the MLK Jr. Dream Center, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on this day 57 years ago.

In his speech, Mayor Mueller expressed his pride in the community for coming together to make Dr. King's dream a reality. He also emphasized the importance of revitalizing the neighborhood and uplifting the community for future generations.

The "Build the Dream" project was first announced by Mayor Mueller in 2021 during his State of the City Address. The design and programming of the MLK Center were heavily influenced by community feedback gathered through public meetings, mailers, website feedback, and direct input from center users. Additionally, a "Community Action Group" was formed to provide focused feedback from engaged members of the local community.

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Thanks to funding from various sources such as American Rescue Plan dollars appropriated by the South Bend Common Council, grants, sponsors, and donors, over $27 million has been invested in both the MLK Jr. Dream Center and revitalizing the Linden Avenue corridor.

Jordan Gathers, Executive Director of Venues Parks & Arts (VPA), spoke about how this project celebrates a legacy of community empowerment and inspires hope for a better tomorrow. He also highlighted how this new center builds upon a foundation of strength and unity while honoring the past and dreaming bigger for the future.

The new 40,000 sq/ft MLK Dream Center boasts several features including administrative spaces, a training/first-aid room for SBOs (Small Business Owners), a dream studio for broadcasting and podcasting, a computer lab, a financial empowerment center, an indoor recreation space, multipurpose/event rooms, a commercial kitchen, and the Hal Lindsey Gymnasium with two full-size basketball courts that can also be used for volleyball and pickleball. The center also has locker rooms, fitness rooms, and a large outdoor balcony known as the "Balcony of Brotherhood" with an attached indoor pre-function space.

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In addition to the building itself, the MLK Center also offers various site amenities such as a new large parking lot, a splashpad, a playground, exterior restrooms, a park pavilion, event lawns, a paved area for events, two outdoor basketball courts, and a maintenance garage with space for VPA's two new 15-passenger vans for programming.

While the MLK Dream Center's building is now complete, there are still final site improvements underway. As of now, programming at the center is not open to the public. To stay updated on the progress of the center and learn more about its offerings once it opens to the community, visit mlkdreamcenter.com.

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