The Lorain County Board of Commissioners voted to pledge non‑tax county revenues to support economic development revenue bonds issued by the Lorain Port Authority to finance the Black River Landing Amphitheater project.

The pledge authorizes a cooperative agreement with the Port Authority and related documents necessary for bond issuance, enabling the authority to move forward with a Phase 1 build that the Port says will include a permanent stage top, a bowl‑style site regrade and a green‑room facility. Commissioner Moore, Commissioner Gallagher and Commissioner Riddell voted in favor.

Tiffany McClond, executive director of the Lorain Port Authority, told commissioners the overall Black River Landing master plan covers 18 phases but that the current request focuses on items labeled 1, 2 and 3: a permanent stage, a bowl structure to improve sight lines, and a green‑room facility. “This is the same type of agreement and the same type of arrangement” as prior Port bond requests, McClond said, and the permanent infrastructure is intended to expand the types of acts the site can host and reduce setup and teardown labor costs.

McClond said the total project cost is “just shy of $11,000,000” and that the bond being requested would provide “over $9,000,000” toward construction. She said the Port’s philanthropy committee has set a private fundraising goal of $3,000,000 and described “a commitment of over $6.5 million” from other sources as part of the financing plan presented to the board. McClond said the Port plans to re‑bid the project in June and, if financing is approved, break ground in September 2025 with an anticipated opening for the 2026 season.

Commissioners and Port representatives described specific local funding sources discussed during the presentation: a proposed $750,000 participation from the Lorain County Visitors Bureau (described in the presentation as a five‑year bed‑tax sponsorship), and a county contribution described in the presentation as $995,000 drawn from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Commissioner Riddell noted that the ARPA amount is not general‑fund money and that the proposed use is consistent with infrastructure categories for ARPA spending as discussed by the county.

Jim Miller, who introduced the Port presentation, confirmed the bond documents place bondholders and the trustee in a first lien position on the specified collateral, including the marina, and Port staff said the pledge by the county improves the bond rating and lowers borrowing costs. McClond said the Port purchased the festival event Rockin' on the River in fall 2024 and will run the operation themselves going forward; Tom Brown was introduced as the Port’s operations director.

The commissioners’ motion to authorize the pledge and related documents passed with three aye votes. The county administrator noted that any county guarantee or backing remains subject to the board’s annual appropriation process.

If the financing and schedule proceed as presented, Port staff said the project team intends to protect the 2025 summer event season by beginning construction after the season ends and completing work for a May 2026 reopening for events.