City pitches $58 million Blue Jackets arena and pavilion, asks school board to consent to 30‑year TIF

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…