THE DRAW OF THE DISTRICT The neighborhood’s success has shown that downtown can attract visitors and residents
September 19th, 2025
Article originally published in Columbus Business First by John Bush >
When the Arena District was developed 25 years ago, downtown Columbus was stagnant.
By then, many large employers had moved to the suburbs, the number of residents was shrinking and entertainment options were few and far between.
Then a group of business and civic leaders began implementing a plan to create a mixed-use district that would create a new hub of activity that would draw sports fans, music lovers, diners and residents to the city center.
It started with Nationwide Arena, which serves as the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Restaurants, bars, offices and residences began rising as did PromoWest Pavilion (now Kemba Live), Huntington Park and, more recently, Lower.com Field.
Today, the Arena District has more than 1,200 residential units, thousands more regularly work there and millions of visitors have taken in shows, games and spent money in area hotels, shops, restaurants and bars.
And bringing life to this part of downtown has served as a proof of concept that other neighborhoods in the city core could have a similar impact.
Amy Taylor, president of Downtown Columbus Inc., said the Arena District paved the way for developments such as Columbus Commons and The Peninsula.
“Mixed-use was not as common back in those days because there was a thought that people didn’t want to live where they worked,” Taylor said.
Nationwide Realty estimates some $2.5 billion has gone into development activity in and around the Arena District.
In return, the businesses there produce $68 million in annual taxes.
That income is important for funding city services such as parks and recreation, safety and trash collection.
“Each and every one of our residents benefit from the economic engine that is the Arena District,” said Columbus Development Director Mike Stevens.
Taylor said beyond the revenue it generates, the Arena District helped reshape the perception of downtown as a draw for people and companies from outside the city center and in the suburbs.
“When you walk around the Arena District, you see people from all parts of our community,” Taylor said, reiterating that the success of the district rippled through areas of downtown.
“There’s something for everyone, so it really draws us all together,” she said. “And I think that is something that other successful parts of downtown took from the Arena District.”
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