Local
Columbus cites Cooper Stadium owner as redevelopment site remains stalled
The city issued code and zoning notices over conditions at the long-vacant Cooper Stadium property. Its owner says it has removed dumpsters and graffiti and plans to seek more time for stacked shipping containers to remain on site.
Columbus issued several code and zoning notices to the owner of the former Cooper Stadium property in the past month, citing overgrown vegetation, graffiti, unsecured buildings, unapproved dumpsters and shipping containers stacked two high near the remaining grandstand.
The city said the owner’s representative, Sparc Holdings, responded with steps to address the violations. The response said dumpsters and graffiti had been removed and that overgrown vegetation would be cut back.
The company also said it would submit a new site plan seeking an extension for the containers, citing construction delays caused by city utility requests. The city approved the containers temporarily under a 2024 site plan, which required their removal within 18 months of placement. Arshot Investment Corporation, Sparc Holdings’ affiliate, did not respond to requests for clarification about the utility work or for a revised project timeline.
Arshot bought the 47-acre site from Franklin County in 2012 and initially proposed a racetrack-centered project called the Sports Pavilion & Automotive Research Center. After that plan fell through, the company presented a mixed-use redevelopment proposal in 2019. The Columbus Development Commission approved it in 2022, and City Council approved it in 2023.
The site remains largely vacant, with part of the stadium grandstand still standing. The latest notices highlight ongoing maintenance and permitting concerns as the long-planned redevelopment has yet to advance. Arshot also proposed a 26-story tower at 530 W. Spring St.; the Downtown Commission reviewed that proposal in 2025, but it has not moved forward.