During an executive session with Aurora’s City Council Monday night, the details of a proposed 4.5 million dollar acquisition plan for Geauga Lake and the 40 acres of lakefront land neighboring it were made public.
The property, once SeaWorld Ohio from Cleveland real estate development company Industrial Commercial Properties, is intended to be redeveloped into a thriving public park with pool, beach related amenities, non-motorized boating, and other recreational attractions.
Although the project is yet to be finalized, Aurora Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin is confident that the “legacy purchase” and redevelopment would be “...the opportunity of a lifetime to guarantee our residents lake access and a destination that is going to be one of the gems of Northeast Ohio,” she wrote in a press release.
The city will use approximately 1.3 million dollars from American Rescue Plan Act funds in order to pay for the acquisition.
Included within the plan is an agreement for Industrial Commercial Properties to construct a public trail, or boardwalk currently referred to as “Lake Loop,” which would surround Geauga Lake. Ownership of the completed walkway would be transferred to the city once constructed.
“The lake has been a recreational attraction of the community for decades, and to lose access when the parks closed was certainly disappointing,” states the Aurora Mayor. “To reinstitute lake access coupled with a park and recreational amenities will enhance the overall community and enable the public to enjoy a beautiful area of Northeast Ohio. Furthermore, instead of housing units we will have greenspace.”
Industrial Commercial Properties will also be partnering with the city to cover demolition costs for currently existing structures on the 40 acres of land being acquired by the city of Aurora.
Is everything on the property going to be demolished?
Womer Benjamin notes that some structures may remain and instead be rehabilitated for use within the city’s plans such as the familiar SeaWorld Ohio aquarium. A suggested transition for building in a recent press release was for it to become a restaurant or similar facility.
Redevelopment work on the site of the property is expected to begin within a year of demolition being completed.
“While we have some initial conceptual plans for the property, we intend to be thoughtful and deliberate in its development. We expect to tackle this project in stages but are eager to provide public access as soon as reasonably possible,” says Womer Benjamin. “There are still many decisions to be made and more to come on this exciting opportunity.”
How long has this plan been in the works? The background information to know.
In November of 2020, Industrial Commercial Properties reported that it had acquired the remaining 377 acres of land which once housed the Geauga Lake Amusement Park and SeaWorld Ohio.
Bainbridge Township and the City of Aurora in Portage County both bumper that land. As a result of this, Aurora negotiated a Joint Economic Development District Agreement with the township in 2020 in order to provide specific economic benefits to the city for its provision of utilities to the Bainbridge side of the property. This allowed Industrial Commercial Properties to pursue plans for formal redevelopment on Bainbridge side, including proposals for residential and retail spots.
Redevelopment plans to be aware of on the Aurora side include a new Liberty Ford facility, and residential developments on several properties along Squires and Treat roads by home construction company Pulte Homes.
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