No shovels are in the ground yet, but behind the scenes wheels are in motion for economic development in Rossford.

Plans are being discussed for a mixed-use entertainment district on the city’s northern edge, near Hollywood Casino Toledo, and two soccer domes at the other end of town.

The city’s planning commission is recommending a change in the zoning of two parcels across Superior Street from the casino from heavy manufacturing to planned commercial. This would pave the way for restaurants and hotels in the district.

The city has talked with Dallas Paul, an area developer.

“I think Rossford is under-served with various uses, and the anchor there is obviously the casino,” he said.

The parcels add up to about 18 acres and border Superior and I-75. There are homes in the area, but plans are not expected to interfere with them.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has plans to rebuild I-75 near the casino, including reconstructing the Miami Street interchange, replacing the DiSalle Bridge, and building a new street to connect Miami with the houses across from the casino. Miami Street in Toledo becomes Superior Street in Rossford; both are part of State Rt. 65.

The casino attracts more than 3 million visitors a year, another factor in Rossford’s desire for the proposed entertainment district.

“Anytime your main street can be in a serious traffic pattern, I think that brings more value to the real estate in that business district,” Mayor Neil MacKinnon III said. “The more cars you have driving by a building or a site, the more interest a developer would have in that site.”

The zoning change also affects sexually oriented businesses. Rossford’s zoning map allows them in the heavy manufacturing classification, but city Law Director Kevin Hedan said that will likely be changing to M-1, light manufacturing.

The city has two areas classified as M-1. It is in the process of annexing another 140 acres between Lime City and Glenwood roads that will also be considered M-1.

One of the proposed soccer domes is in conjunction with Total Sports and would be built next to the existing indoor sports complex on South Compass Road.

Total Sports owner Tony Moscone said he believes a market exists in Rossford for this type of facility, which would also house other sports such as baseball, softball, and lacrosse.

The second proposal comes from Soccer Centre Owners and would be built about a mile and a half away next to the Northwest Ohio Carpenters’ Union on Bass Pro Boulevard. Soccer Centre Owners also runs the Maumee Soccer Centre.

Both domes would serve as a home to several youth and adult athletic leagues, as well as traveling youth leagues.

The two structures could be finished as soon as this fall, presuming approval.

“You have an administration that’s very proactive in economic development,” Mayor MacKinnon said. “It’s a culture of administration that’s very aggressive in reaching out to developers.”

Contact Jay Skebba at: jskebba@theblade.com, 419-724-6110.

First Published February 1, 2016, 5:00 a.m.