Dayton Mall ownership proposes “community entertainment district” for property

MIAMI TWP — Big changes could be on the way for the Dayton Mall, according to records obtained by News Center 7.

According to an application the mall filed with Miami Township, ownership wants to create a “community entertainment district” on the property.

The state of Ohio classifies a community entertainment district as “a bounded area that includes…..a combination of entertainment, retail, educational, sporting, social, cultural, or arts establishments within close proximity.”

In the filing with Miami Township, mall ownership indicated it hopes to re-classify the property as a community entertainment district as it is “actively engaged in negotiations relating to multiple discrete prospective redevelopment projects that would occur within the Dayton Mall CED.”

The proposed re-development could lead to “the addition of ‘entertainment facilities or complexes,’ new restaurants, and new retail sales establishments.”

Chris Kersnher, President & CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, is not familiar with the specifics of this attempt by the Dayton Mall for re-development, but spoke of the corridor’s significance in the Dayton region – and its past history of adapting to changing times.

“The Dayton Mall area has always been an extremely important retail corridor for the Dayton region,” Kersnher said. “The Dayton mall has always been one of those innovative and creative organizations that’s looked at ways to re define themselves to meet the new consumer demand.”

News Center 7 reached out to Dayton Mall leadership with questions about its plans for the site, but have not received answers to this point.

A public hearing on the application is scheduled before the Miami Township trustees on Nov. 2.

Cox Media Group