Huber Heights mayor touts entertainment district, housing and jobs in 2025 State of the City

Huber Heights Mayor Jeff Gore used the city's June state of the city address to spotlight a slate of economic-development projects and to deliver updated local statistics on population, businesses and household income.

Gore said the city will host a 56,000-square-foot indoor music venue on an 18-acre site at 7125 Executive Boulevard, designed for up to 3,500 guests and scheduled to open in 2028. He also announced a full-service hotel planned next to the venue, and a planned Irish-inspired restaurant and entertainment venue called Dublin 7 for the Heights Entertainment District. "This transformative 56,000 square foot facility will be state of the art," Gore said. "We're building real momentum as a community."

The announcements are part of a broader presentation by city staff that outlined ongoing infrastructure projects, staffing changes and community programming. The city manager, John Russell, and department leaders presented progress on public safety staffing, water and sewer upgrades, road projects and parks improvements.

Why it matters: The announced venue, hotel and restaurant are framed by city officials as anchor projects for the growing entertainment district; if they proceed as described they would be the city's most visible new hospitality investments in years and are expected to shape traffic, jobs and visitor activity.

City economic indicators presented during the address showed population growth to "more than 43,000," a reported 14.2 percent increase since the last census period, and an increase in median household income to more than $76,000 (a figure described in the presentation as a 28 percent rise). City staff also noted 30 new businesses in the previous year and 22 business openings so far in 2025, a commercial vacancy rate of 3.49 percent and roughly 1,000 housing units under construction with 2,700 additional units approved.

Planning and public-works updates: City engineer Russ Bergman and public works manager Michael Gray listed completed and upcoming capital projects, including road widenings on Old Troy Pike and Fishburg Road, a multi-street water main replacement, sewer lining, and a new public works facility targeted to open in late 2025. Parks manager Sarah Forsyth said the parks department manages more than 200 acres across 15 parks and is planning playground and field upgrades, some funded by grants.

Public safety and finance: Fire Chief Keith Niseley said the division added 11 hires in the past year and retained an Insurance Services Office rating of 2; Police Chief Mark Lightner reported additions to the department and said officers responded to more than 37,000 calls in 2024. Finance Director Jim Bell said city finance received a clean 2023 audit and the city has earned a certificate of achievement for financial reporting for 30 consecutive years.

Local business voices: Steve Teber, co-owner of the existing Dublin Pub and a principal behind plans for Dublin 7, spoke briefly after the mayor's remarks and described design work and a large beer-garden area. Matt Books, who later appeared during a separate agenda item on behalf of a commercial applicant, said the business community is continuing to invest in Huber Heights.

Looking ahead: Mayor Gore and staff urged continued public engagement and said several district infrastructure and private-development projects are expected to move forward over the next 18 months to several years. The city invited residents to future community events and listed active grants and capital projects the administration said will support continued growth.

Ending: City leaders framed the address as a progress report and road map for the next phase of development in Huber Heights, reiterating that most projects remain subject to permitting, financing and private-entity timelines.