Build it and they will come. That is what the Lima Rotary Foundation and local investors are hoping for with a new downtown Lima entertainment venue.
It was a big day as ground was broken for the new Greater Lima Region Park and Amphitheater. The project has been in the works for 5 years with funding coming in from state, local, and private dollars. While the preparations for the project have been spearheaded by the Lima Rotary Club the park will be owned and maintained by the City of Lima. A first of its kind within the city.
Richard Rudolph, president of Rudolph Foods Co. and co-chair of Rotary Task Force says, "It's just been great. People are really generous when they know they're making progress and really making their hometown, their city a better place to live."
Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith - "We're also creating an opportunity to individuals that want to come to downtown. So that's going to help our businesses, that's going to help attract residents that hopefully want to come live here one day and so it's really an economic development tool.”
The location is part of a section of downtown Lima that is seeing some major transformations as local business leaders are working together to make a new Central District. It will include entertainment venues, businesses, creator spaces, and even housing. Governor Mike DeWine was recently in town in support of the project and local state legislators say it is a win-win for everyone.
Ohio Speaker of the House Bob Cupp added, "Any community that wants to grow is going to have to have amenities, to whether it's entertainment, whether it's family fun, all of those kinds of things improve the quality of life. And so that is what's important for our community. Things are really coming together that are going to improve the quality of life."
Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman says, “I think this is really a continuation of really a century and a half of citizens stepping forward along with city government and trying to improve the city."
Completion of the Greater Lima Region Park and Amphitheater is expected next spring but the planning of what it will bring is starting now.
Abe Ambroza is executive director of the Veterans Memorial Civic Center and says, “We're already starting to talk with customers about it. Whether they're contacting us or the information we're sending out to customers just letting them know there's going to be a venue like this available for their special event is kind of how we're starting right now."
Bill Kelley, director of programming at Honeywell Arts & Entertainment adds, "Gives us an opportunity to bring in a bigger artist, a bigger name artist, a bigger touring artist during the summertime during those warm summer months. So, we can expand our programming options."
