DAYTON — City officials want to know what kind of retail will be successful long-term along the waterfront downtown.

The Dayton City Commission, on Wednesday, March 5, agreed to pay Montgomery County $20,000 to be part of a retail analysis for two locations — the proposed Baseball Village site across from Fifth Third Field and the Parkside Homes site off Keowee Street.

The city is working out details for Ballpark Village, a mixed-use development with retail, housing and offices that the City Commission has not yet committed to, said Shelley Dickstein, assistant city manager for strategic development.

The $230 million project was proposed in November 2006 by Bear Creek Capital of Cincinnati and Ballpark Consultants Inc., a subsidiary of Mandalay Baseball Properties of Los Angeles, which owns the Dayton Dragons. The hope is that an agreement will be finalized soon, Dickstein said.

The city has ruled out fashion retail for the development because that type of merchandise is at regional malls.

"Fashion apparel is not the target. We're looking at places for people to go and be entertained," Dickstein said. That could include an upper tier fitness facility; a venue like Dave and Busters with arcade games and food; restaurants, housing and green space.

The retail analysis by the Fort Worth, Texas-based Buxton Company is part of a larger look at sustainable retail around the county at a cost of $130,000.

"One challenge we face in Montgomery County, because sales tax supports our general fund, is trying to understand the retail environment and what are the possibilities," county Administrator Deborah Feldman said. "What makes sense in our marketplace?"

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2362 or

josmith@DaytonDailyNews.com.