From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

 

 

'Hollywoodland' would bring movie studio, concert venue and theme parks to Middletown

By Randy Tucker

Cincinnati Enquirer

 

City officials are teaming with private investors on a massive $1.3 billion project that would bring a movie studio, concert venue, and theme parks to the banks of the Great Miami River in Middletown.

 

Called "Hollywoodland,'' the entertainment-themed mixed-use project would encompass more than 50 acres near historic downtown Middletown, according to a press release from the city, which is partnering on the project with real estate investment group, Main Street Community Capital LLC.

Plans for the development include: 

 

• A pre- and post-production movie studio and sound stages.
• An indoor amusement park with themed rides and games.
• An indoor entertainment and concert venue that could accommodate touring Broadway productions.
• An entertainment district, comedy club and a variety of bars and restaurants.
• A new convention center and convention center hotel.
• A family-oriented hotel and water park.
• A boutique hotel located within the redeveloped First National Bank building.
• A mix of luxury apartments and condos.
• A combination underground garage and deck-based parking lot with a minimum of 3,000 spaces.

 

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/10/05/hollywoodland-would-bring-movie-studio-concert-venue-middletown/5988080001/

Moved my comment over from the Middletown thread.

 

I honestly have no idea how anyone quoted in this article can advocate for this project with a straight face. This is such a pie-in-the-sky idea that I can't believe any serious investor thinks this can work.

 

What movies have been filmed in Middletown other than Hillbilly Elegy in the last 25 years? How is an indoor amusement park going to be profitable 6 months of the year when you have the well established Kings Island just down the road? Why would a touring Broadway show choose Middletown over Cincinnati?

 

I want Middletown to do better economically, but yikes. This isn't it.

It's good to think big, but this could end up as a disaster. 

Here's a concept sketch:

A quick Google search of David-Elias Rachie, the guy named as a principal of Main Street Community Capital LLC, is all I need to see before I’m pretty sure Middletown should walk away from this “proposal”.

 

Citizens fear city getting taken to cleaners by Gatehouse Capital, starting with $150,000 up front

North Iowa Today

May 10, 2017

 

“Even as these issues continue to befuddle citizens, Gatehouse’s David Rachie – the face of Gatehouse in Mason City – is also coming under scrutiny.  For example, it has been brought to our attention that Mr. Rachie had his $340,000 home in Forest Lake, Minnesota, foreclosed just 2 years ago.  The house was set to be sold at auction by the county Sheriff in April of 2015.”

 

https://northiowatoday.com/2017/05/10/citizens-fear-city-getting-taken-to-cleaners-by-gatehouse-capital-starting-with-150000-up-front/

 

From the Enquirer article: “If approved, the city would use $7.5 million in federal pandemic relief funds  for pre-construction design, engineering, financial structuring and other preclosing, due-diligence efforts, according to the press release.“

 

"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,'' Middletown City Manager Jim Palenick said in a statement.’

 

Shocking and sad. 

 

I think it's interesting that it's "mixed-use" but all of the uses are set in different zones. Having a massive garage behind a bunch of beautiful old homes along Main seems like a bad idea. If you must have a massive garage, why can you not bury it or hide it in a Texas donut?

This could be viable if you had passenger rail service on the 3C+D line. It's within eye shot of the old passenger rail station at West Middletown. A cheap shuttle would work great to feed people into the development, and long-term a pedestrian/cycle bridge could be built. That said, relying on visitors to take 75 to get there and then drive through all of Middletown seems like a bad idea. With perfect execution, it would help being investment into downtown Middletown but knowing Ohio, it will just turn their downtown into an even worse car sewer instead.

Indoor amusement park?  Then it can be abandoned like Forest Fair Mall.  I really do not like to be negative, but a lot of this just screams Forest Fair Mall. 

Can we just go ahead an put this in the abandoned projects? No way this get built. 

A movie studio might be a good idea but it’s something Cincinnati could try in Queensgate or Lower Price Hill a lot closer to established world class hotels and restaurants. 

Edited October 5, 20213 yr by thebillshark

As much as I'm an amusement/theme park guru, this...ain't gonna happen.

I hope the residents of Middletown are vocal and express the need to better focus the pandemic relief funds.  However, I do like the idea of the movie production areas and redevelopments aspects, just not the big tent idea. 

my favorite part is the titleblock for the renderings that add an extra "o" to the already ridiculous name of Hollywoodland to now become HOLLYWOOODLAND.   WOOO!

5 hours ago, Miami-Erie said:

From the Enquirer article: “If approved, the city would use $7.5 million in federal pandemic relief funds  for pre-construction design, engineering, financial structuring and other preclosing, due-diligence efforts, according to the press release.“

1 minute ago, nicker66 said:

 

Exactly.

the only things missing are the Casino and of course the MONORAIL

you guys are being surrounded by batsh*t insane theme parks. 

They are going to be selling RVs out of that tent in 15 years.

After thinking about this project for a day,  there is no way this will ever be built and they are robbing Middletown of $7.5 million.  This makes Ovation seem like a slam dunk. 

This is 100% a scam right?

 

Jogged past the Ovation site last week, seems like lots of work going on there. 

4 hours ago, nicker66 said:

After thinking about this project for a day,  there is no way this will ever be built and they are robbing Middletown of $7.5 million.  This makes Ovation seem like a slam dunk. 

 

A day?

There's...more?

Exclusive: Here's how streaming services could play a major role in bringing Hollywood to the Dayton area

 

Streaming services are immensely popular due to their convenience and massive catalogue of movies and television shows. But what they lack is described as "location-based entertainment," which limits their ability to generate new revenue.

 

The lead developers behind the $1.3 billion destination entertainment district planned for Middletown believe they have a solution to this problem. And it could be of great benefit to the Miami Valley.

 

Earlier this week, I reported on Hollywoodland, a mixed-use development that will be constructed on more than 50 acres along the Great Miami River in downtown Middletown. The project, described as the first of its kind in the nation, is expected to create thousands of new jobs and attract millions of yearly visitors to the region.

 

While the district is to be loaded with amenities, including three hotels, a convention center, bars, restaurants, a live entertainment venue and retail outlets, what makes it even more unique is an indoor amusement park and a motion picture studio equipped with sound stages and support offices. Assuming the park and studio are developed as planned, it could quite literally bring Hollywood to the Buckeye State.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2021/10/07/hollywoodland-followup.html

 

Middletown brewery in footprint of $1.3B Hollywoodland proposal refuses to sell

‘They wish to demolish this property to make way for a modern facility that doesn’t fit.’

By Brian Planalp

 

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (WXIX) - The owners of Rolling Mill Brewing Company in Middletown say they do not support the massive “Hollywoodland” development unveiled earlier this week.

 

Co-Owners Megan and Josh Laubach took to Facebook Thursday night to announce they had declined a purchase offer from the project’s developer and to voice their general opposition to the project.

 

“We believe at this point, as business owners and Middletonians, this project is not the best thing for Middletown or Main Street residents,” they wrote. “There are too many unanswered questions and a lack of any concrete plans on how this will come into existence.”

 

https://www.fox19.com/2021/10/08/middletown-brewery-footprint-13b-hollywoodland-proposal-refuses-sell/

What will it take to get to Hollywoodland Ohio? Start with $200M

 

If the developers proposing a $1.3 billion "super development" project in Middletown are able to get approval from the city council, they still will need a massive amount of funding to build it.

 

Main Street Community Capital LLC, which this week revealed plans for Hollywoodland Ohio, is required as part of the proposed agreement with the city of Middletown to commit $200 million in equity in the private portion of the development. Main Street partners David Rachie and Rob Furst said they have not yet started raising funds for Hollywoodland; they say they're waiting for a guaranteed maximum price from their contractor, Gilbane.

 

Middletown owns 12 acres along the Great Miami River, which would be transferred to the developer for $1. The city also has the remaining property needed for 50 acres under options, which also would be transferred to the developer.

 

After construction drawings are readied over the next year, Gilbane would then be able to verify a guaranteed maximum price, at which point Furst said they'd attempt to start raising money from investors.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/10/08/what-will-it-take-to-build-hollywoodland.html

 

I'm so confused as to why the city even is giving this developer attention. I'm getting so much dejavu from the monorail episode it's scary.

 

On that note, they should've gone to Covington and suggested it be on the IRS site. I bet they would start site work the next week. 

This is just the 2020s version of the "City Centre Mart" plan that Middletown fell for in the 1970s.

There is a sucker born every minute.

From WCPO:

 

Is Middletown's Hollywoodland 'dead in the water'?

Rodney Muterspaw says residents 80% opposed

Middletown voters ousted the vice mayor and added two new members to city council Tuesday, which could spell the end for Hollywoodland.

 

By: Dan Monk

Posted at 6:36 PM, Nov 03, 2021 and last updated 10:17 PM, Nov 03, 2021

 

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Middletown’s $1.3 billion Hollywoodland project wasn’t on the ballot yesterday, but that didn’t keep voters from sending a clear message to city officials.

“I think it’s dead in the water,” said Rodney Muterspaw, one of two political newcomers who outperformed Vice Mayor Joe Mulligan to claim seats on Middletown’s city council. “It kind of divided the city a little bit. Maybe 80% against it, 20% for it.”

 

The former Middletown police chief was expected to do well in Tuesday’s election, but Zack Ferrell doesn’t enjoy the chief’s name recognition. One thing they shared is their opposition to Hollywoodland.

 

“I’ve knocked on 1,300 doors, and I’ve had maybe three people in support of it,” Ferrell said. “If that many people are saying no, then at what point does it make sense for us to say yes?

 

https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/i-team/is-middletowns-hollywoodland-dead-in-the-water

No happily ever after for $1.3 billion Hollywoodland project

 

A proposed $1.3 billion redevelopment in Middletown will not be moving forward.

 

Main Street Community Capital LLC, which was planning a massive “super development” called Hollywoodland along the banks of the Great Miami River in Middletown, is no longer working with the city on that project. In a statement provided to the Business Courier by the city of Middletown, the city said, “There is no further effort on behalf of the city to pursue that project in that location.”

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/01/06/hollywoodland-project-not-moving-forward.html