Transformational Riverfront Destination Entertainment District and Theme Park Coming to Middletown, Ohio

Shelby Quinlivan
City of Middletown

The City of Middletown City Council will vote to approve an ordinance authorizing a purchase, sale and development agreement with Main Street Community Capital, LLC for the development of a 1.3-billion-dollar riverfront destination entertainment district and theme park on October 21 after a presentation at the October 5 council meeting from Main Street Community Capital, LLC and their development partners.

The City of Middletown will partner with Main Street to complete a location-based, entertainment-themed, mixed-use super development to be the first of its kind in the nation, known as “Hollywoodland.” The development is expected to include:

1. A first-class, full, service, destination Hotel and attached, publicly-owned convention center with roof-top bar, themed restaurant(s) and assorted amenities.
2. A second, family-oriented hotel and water park.
3. A third, historic, boutique hotel located within the adaptively-redeveloped First National Bank building.
4. A major, indoor entertainment and concert venue for large, nationally and internationally-acclaimed artists and touring Broadway productions.
5. An indoor amusement park containing multiple, themed entertainment-based rides, virtual reality experiences, immersive entertainment opportunities and integrated retail, food & beverage.
6. Structured and integrated underground deck-based parking (publicly-owned) of no fewer than 3,000 spaces.
7. On-site, mid-rise, luxury, market-rate apartment units and/or condominiums.
8. Permanent, pre-and post-production motion picture studio sound stages and support offices and infrastructure.
9. Multiple, restaurants, bars, brew-pubs, and cafes, and a likely comedy club.
10. Integrated fashion, electronic, lifestyle, convenience, and recreational retail.

Thousands of new jobs, over $1 Billion in private investment and an estimated 3.5 million yearly visitors to Middletown are a few of the monumental impacts of the project, as well as dramatically increased long-term revenues to the community in the form of recurring income taxes, property taxes and other associated fees.

“This will be a transformational redevelopment opportunity for Middletown that came out of a redevelopment study for our riverfront property. It will encompass over 50 acres of our historic Downtown,” said City Manager Jim Palenick. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take full advantage of a myriad of local, city, state and federal incentives we have found a way to access, and in turn, and change the future of our city.”

If approved, the City will utilize $7.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds toward pre-construction design, engineering, financial structuring and other pre-closing, due-diligence efforts.

“We are thrilled to be bringing this monumental development to Middletown,” said David-Elias Rachie, Main Street Community Capital. “There are great bones to this area and we look forward to working with the City and community members to launch a film and entertainment district, permanently bringing the film industry to the State of Ohio.”

More information about the project can be found at www.MSCCap.com