The City of Aurora and Industrial Commercial Properties, the company behind a proposed multi-faceted redevelopment of the former Geauga Lake amusement park, have tentatively agreed on a deal that would include the city acquiring Geauga Lake along with 40 acres of land from the former Sea World park. The mayor of Aurora, Ann Womer Benjamin, unveiled the $4.5 million proposal at Monday night's city council meeting.
While the plans for the property are not finalized and remain subject to the deal closing in August and the city council passing legislation, the mayor said the city is expected to redevelop the land into a public park with a pool, beach, and other recreational attractions.
Do you miss Geauga Lake/SeaWorld?
— Clay LePard (@ClayLePard) June 13, 2023
Well -- the wave pool is coming back to life after closing (as part of Wildwater Kingdom) in 2016! @WEWS pic.twitter.com/YsZvrJThOg
According to the City of Aurora, the project has been in the works for a couple of years.
"This is a legacy purchase for the people of Aurora," Womer Benjamin said. "It is 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."
RELATED: Here's a comprehensive look at everything in the works at the old Geauga Lake property
About $1.3 million of the funds for the acquisition will come from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, with the remainder coming from general fund money budgeted for that purpose. Industrial Commercial Properties will build a trail/boardwalk around Geauga Lake, which the City of Aurora will own and maintain.
It also ensures that the cherished history of the culturally important site is protected, said Aurora City Councilman and historian John Kudley.
"I think it’s just going to be a tremendous thing not only for the Aurora community but also Northeast Ohio," Kudley said. "It’s just a way of preserving a part of the history and what people want to see as far as the development of that area. The only way that you can control what happens on a piece of property is to own it. That’s exactly what we did."
The announcement of the tentative deal between the city and Industrial Commercial Properties LLC is the latest sign of future development activity on the site.
As News 5 has previously and extensively reported, Industrial Commercial Properties bought a significant portion of the Geauga Lakes property in 2020 and subsequently announced plans for the 377-acre site to be known as Geauga Lake District. The site, which saddles both Bainbridge Township and Aurora, has become a Joint Economic Development District, with the City of Aurora providing water and sewer services. The economic development district opens the door for a multitude of different housing and business opportunities. Although some of the agreements are still to be finalized, Chris Salata, the CEO of Industrial Commercial Properties, said some of the developments planned for the site include Menards, Meier, upscale housing, multi-family housing, as well as other mixed-use ventures.
The importance of Aurora's planned public amenities can't be understated, Salata said.
"Fantastic way for us to unlock the lake and provide that access to the public. I think it’s going to be such a beacon for the district, and we’re really excited to have the city of Aurora stepping up into that role," Salata said. "It will also attract people from all over Northeast Ohio. There’s going to be this center of the project that is going to be open to the public where they can access the lake. They can get wet. That’s something that is important to us that we could really activate that resource again."
RELATED: Site prep, demolition continues at Geauga Lake redevelopment site
In a sense, the public park, boat launch and other proposed features will bring Geauga Lake back to its roots in the 1800s when the site was frequently used by the region's earliest settlers for recreation and relaxation. What eventually became the Geauga Lake amusement park opened in 1887.
"Think about it; the parks were always operating there. Outside of the water ski team and a couple of dips in the wave pool, people really weren’t able to utilize this resource," Salata said. "Now I think there’s going to be an opportunity for the residents of Bainbridge, Aurora, and all of Northeast Ohio to come and enjoy this incredible resource."
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