City to Vote Tonight on $22M Fieldhouse/Hotel Project

HUBER HEIGHTS - The Huber Heights planning commission is scheduled to vote tonight on GoodSports Enterprises' plan to build a $22 million fieldhouse/hotel in the city.

The fieldhouse and hotel will be built next to the city's $18 million music center, and staff is recommending the approval of GoodSports' detailed development plan.

Construction is expected to begin in March, with a 10-month build-out for the fieldhouse and 12 months for the hotel, according to Anthony Homer, GoodSports vice president of development.

"We're excited to be closer to sticking a shovel in the ground and getting it up and running," Homer said. "We're excited about getting into this market."

The fieldhouse/hotel and music center are being built on 33.6 acres of land along the south side of Executive Boulevard, west of Meijer near the Interstate 70 and Ohio 201 interchange. The city and GoodSports officials said 412 total jobs - 112 permanent and 300 temporary construction - will be created by the GoodSports facility.

If the plan is approved, GoodSports' next step will be to submit building permits to the city's zoning department, said Scott Falkowski, Huber Heights assistant city manager. The music center and fieldhouse/hotel lot split will occur after the first of the year, he said.

"We're right where we want to be for this, and to finally see the final details is very rewarding," Falkowski said. "The location is right. It's a good mix for our Heights development next to the music center. It really fits what we want to do."

The fieldhouse and hotel will be stand alone buildings. Initially, a connector for the two facilities was proposed but was removed due to logistical concerns, Homer said. A courtyard area will be created between the field-house and hotel.

The fieldhouse will feature 50,000 square feet of open space for six basketball courts, 12 volleyball courts, or cheer and dance competitions. The five-story hotel will have 120 rooms, a restaurant, bar, pool, fitness center and meeting room.

"Whether there's a space in between them or not, it's still on the same site," Falkowski said. "You don't have to get into your car to go to a different hotel. It still serves its purpose."

Homer said the company is scheduled to close on its financing next week. GoodSports plans to start construction on a facility in Wichita about the same time as Huber Heights, and other potential sites include Chesterfield, Mo.; Greenwood, Ind.; Charlotte; Sarasota; and Foley, Ala.

The development agreement that was signed in September remains intact, Homer and Falkowski said.

According to the development agreement, Huber Heights will contribute about $2 million in incentives to GoodSports, including giving the company approximately eight acres of land; building a shared parking lot with the music center of 400 spaces; constructing and extending water and sewer lines to the site; and providing public sidewalks and landscaping.

The city projects the fieldhouse/hotel will annually generate $100,000 in hotel tax (3 percent tax, 60 percent occupancy rate), $454,741 in property tax and $1.9 million in county sales tax. Over a 30-year period, approximately $7.2 million will be generated in tax increment financing money.

Construction on the music center is dependent on the weather, and the majority of the work currently at the site is pouring concrete, project manager Ken Con-away said. Construction is expected to be completed by late summer 2014, he said.

Falkowski said the city still hopes to decide by the end of the year on a company to manage the music center. The city expects to receive bid packages from interested companies by Dec. 20.