Delaware City officials and representatives of the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets on Thursday presented the school board with a proposal to build a three‑rink indoor training facility, an outdoor rink and a 6,000‑seat summer concert pavilion on about 270 acres donated by a private landowner, and asked the board to consider consenting to a 30‑year, 100% tax‑increment financing (TIF) arrangement issued by the Delaware County Finance Authority.

The proposal, led by Ed Ginger, president of the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets, and Josiah Huber of Diperna Advisors, laid out a roughly $58 million capital plan for the training facility and pavilion. Huber said the plan assumes philanthropy and a contribution from an entertainment operator will cover about 60% of the total, construction loans will supply about a quarter of the capital, and local support (county, city, the Delaware County Finance Authority and a proposed TIF bond) would provide roughly 15%.

The school board was asked to consider a school compensation agreement, including a proposed sharing of income‑tax revenue and an annual split of any excess TIF revenue. Huber described the financing approach and projected TIF revenues, saying, “our projected TIF is roughly 450,000 a year” and that estimated annual debt service would be roughly $375,000. He said the proposal would share excess TIF revenue each year with the school district.

Why it matters: The city framed the project as catalytic economic development for the Sawmill corridor and the downtown, and asked the school board to authorize a consent or compensation agreement as part of the funding package. School officials said they are under significant fiscal pressure and will need time to review legal and budget implications before taking formal action.

Project and financing details

Ed Ginger said Bruce Daniels donated about 270 acres at the corner of Sawmill Road and U.S. 42 for the project and described the facility program: “three rinks under roof, one outdoor pavilion,” with the outdoor pavilion serving as “a 6,000‑seat concert venue” in summer and an outdoor hockey rink in winter. Ginger repeatedly emphasized the organization’s aim to “be a good partner in the community” and to help grow youth hockey in Delaware.

Josiah Huber, a financial adviser, described the capital stack and the city’s request that the board consider consent to a 30‑year, 100% TIF. Huber said philanthropy plus an entertainment operator would supply about 60% of the $58 million cost; roughly one‑quarter would come from construction loans; and the remainder (about 15%) would be sought through local support, including a proposed TIF bond. He said the bonds would be issued by the Delaware County Finance Authority and “would be secured and payable solely from TIF revenues generated by the arena as well as the pavilion sites.”

Huber said the market typically wants projected TIFs at least about 20% higher than debt costs to sell the bonds; his team’s projection was roughly $450,000 of TIF annually versus about $375,000 in annual debt service. Under the presented approach, the proposal would split excess TIF revenue with the school district and use the other half to prepay bonds faster, shortening the TIF term and freeing future revenue for the school district sooner.

City perspective and alternatives

Paul Brake, identified as the city manager, and Dana McDaniel, described as interim director for the county and the Delaware County Finance Authority, outlined why the city favors the project. City staff presented three alternative scenarios for the parcel if the project doesn’t proceed: (1) status quo (remain vacant; now produces about $1,200 per year in school district revenue), (2) a large‑scale warehouse park (they modeled 2.1 million square feet, which would generate significant truck traffic — roughly 1,500–1,700 truck trips a day — and still required about $10–$15 million in US‑42 improvements paid by a TIF; the city estimated a 30‑year payment to schools of about $2.9 million under a typical 75%/15‑year CRA incentive), and (3) large‑scale residential (1,500–2,000 homes) which would create students and traffic and likewise require major road improvements that could require public funding).

Brake said the Sawmill corridor has seen limited commercial development for a decade and staff view the arena/pavilion proposal as a higher‑value option for the site that would produce both revenue and off‑site economic activity.

Board process and next steps

Board members repeatedly asked for time to review the legal and fiscal details before taking formal action. The school board’s attorneys have reviewed and returned questions to the city; the district superintendent was not present for the presentation. City staff asked the board to consider the school compensation agreement as an action item at the June 23 board meeting if the board can reach a comfort level after receiving attorney responses. The city said it will deliver the outstanding legal clarifications to the district for review.

What the board voted on Thursday

No final school board vote on the TIF consent or the school compensation agreement occurred on Thursday. The board did approve routine consent items, personnel actions and the sale of 248 North Washington at public auction (vote recorded during the meeting). City staff said the buyer paid $500,000 at auction and thanked the district finance team for completing that sale, which city officials said relieves a financial burden.

Quotes

“We want to be a good partner in the community,” Ed Ginger said, describing the team’s interest in supporting local youth hockey and school activities.

“Our projected TIF is roughly 450,000 a year,” Josiah Huber said, describing the financing assumptions; he added that estimated debt costs would be roughly $375,000 a year.

“I would call it a blessing to seize this and carry it forward,” Paul Brake said, urging the board to weigh the projected net returns to the school district against other possible uses of the site.

Ending

City and project representatives said they will return with more detailed answers to attorney questions and requested the school board consider the matter at its next regular meeting if the district’s legal and financial staff can close open items. Board members stressed the district’s fiscal constraints and asked city staff to provide the outstanding legal responses promptly so the board can decide whether to consent to the proposed school compensation agreement and income‑tax sharing arrangement.

(Reporting note: This article summarizes the June 12, 2025 Delaware City Board of Education special meeting presentation about the AAA Blue Jackets training facility and pavilion and the city’s financing proposal. Quotes and attributions come only from speakers who addressed the project in the meeting.)