COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A new complex with three indoor hockey rinks, a fourth outdoor rink, and an outdoor concert area is moving forward in Delaware. It’s part of a larger 258-acre plan that developers hope to eventually include restaurants, retail, hotels, a motorsports park, and condos.
The development project, dubbed the “Performance Impact Pavilion,” is set to transform the area near Sawmill Parkway and US-42 into a major sports and entertainment hub. Delaware’s Planning Commission has approved plans for the complex, which would cover about 13.45 acres that is currently vacant farmland.
This facility would be designed to host public skating and hockey tournaments during the winter months. The Ohio AAA Blue Jackets youth hockey organization is backing the initiative, citing a significant shortage of ice in Columbus during the winter.
“It’s been a long road to get here, but the forecast of the ice shortage is very real for us, and when we got further into conversations with all municipalities, different ones as well, we realized the impact that could have on a community as well,” Ed Gingher, founder of the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets, told the planning commission.
He went on to say, “We feel the facility can impact every level of youth hockey from kids to adults. In the same front, have an event driver to become a travel hockey headquarters for youth, but also for adults.”
The pavilion is expected to have a year-round impact, with plans to host over 30 concerts during the summer months, accommodating up to 6,000 attendees. Additional events such as farmers markets, graduations, and pickleball tournaments are also envisioned. Developers estimate the project could generate more than $84 million in economic impact annually.
Some residents are concerned about the potential noise from concerts. However, acoustics firm Metropolitan Accoustics LLC predicted that sound levels at the nearest residential areas during a concert would meet the current City of Delaware noise ordinance code, according to a letter of intent filed by the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets at the end of March.
The project is not yet finalized. The city council will hold the first reading on Monday, May 12; the second reading, which will also be a public hearing, will be on June 9th.
This development is part of a larger plan encompassing nearly 260 acres, which will include hotels and shopping areas. More details are expected in the coming weeks.
