$2 Billion sports and recreation complex planned for Central Ohio

In real estate development, “planned” is almost always way more than what is actually “built”.

$2B in actual entertainment development for a mid-size market such as central Ohio (which is already vast in recreational and entertainment options) will never get the past the drawing board before being scaled down to the point it doesn’t even make the paper.

This is all about a well known developer who is swinging for the fences...

I live in Columbus, German Village, and love it here- it’s a great city. The good thing/bad thing about this area though, is how fast it’s growing. Like a meteor, fast. We’ve noticed, especially this summer, how increasingly difficult it is to get to a shopping or entertainment district, a concert, a play, or a festival. It’s not only way too busy but it seems like we don’t have a major street in town that isn’t torn up with fixes to the infrastructure due to development and building. Real estate inventory is at an all time low here and our house has tripled in value since we bought 15 years ago. Crappy homes in off neighborhoods are selling in one day, many times in a bidding war. I often say I liked this town better when it was dead.
This complex is actually in Delaware, Oh, and that’s a small city about another ten miles north of civilization- but not for long. The northern end of town is where a lot of the major growth seems to be taking place and it won’t be long before the two towns meld into one. And I point this out in answer to the thought that Central Ohio can’t support such a complex, and I believe we can. Especially by the time if and when this gets built.

As for the thing itself... well.... The overhead shows placement next to the Tanger Outlets up there which already seems like acres and acres to me. And this is so much bigger. The size and scope may be similar to Kings Island but the concept differs greatly and a comparison like that is mid-leading. I think they’re planning a little bit of everything to appeal to wide interests. I’m not sure who would use a salt water lake with a sand beach, but we are beach-deprived here. More shopping, entertainment, eats, drinks, surfing, skiiing, water-parking, and whatever else they have planned may not seem like what we need, but maybe eventually. I wish them luck.

Oh, did I forget the coaster? At first I was thinking a Dragon Wagon at the mall, and I guess that would count. But the article states it’s a 100/200 ft Uni-coaster? I’m not sure what that is. Could it be one of those Chance UniCoaster 2.0 full-circuit things?

I'll believe it when I see it. These things come and go and only a fraction of them ever see the light of day. The site plan seemed a little amateurish to me considering they were putting it out to the media.

Much like the Geauga Lake GoFundMe that has crapped out (but not returned the money to any donors) I just see this as way too big and not practical. It's something that really doesn't have much of business model that seems realistic.