Industries & Practices
Economic Development

We collaborate with government entities, companies, property owners, and developers to build and implement creative strategies that promote investment, create jobs, and enhance communities.
Economic development has the power to transform communities. Whether embarking on a signature, multi-million-dollar mixed-use project, siting a new production-oriented facility, or rebuilding a treasured historic business district, businesses and government entities can achieve optimal results using many economic development tools. Our Economic Development team helps communities and businesses flourish, working with them to understand and take advantage of these programs.
We provide economic development counsel for projects involving:
- Creative application of public and private financing
- Regulatory compliance
- Site selection support
- State and local permitting
- Tax incentives
- Zoning
We assist clients with the following economic development projects:
- Creating tax increment financing and special assessment district
- Assisting companies located in a new market or expanding locally
- Facilitating cooperative arrangements among political subdivisions and public-private partnerships
- Providing legal counsel for incentive agreements
- Establishing and working with communities to maximize community improvement corporations, community reinvestment areas, enterprise zones, joint economic development districts, new community authorities, and port authorities
- Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs and Energy Project Assessment Districts (EPAD)
- Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB) financing for commercial, industrial, and solar facilities
- Tax Increment Financing districts and programs
Advise public entities on spending ARPA funds
The firm currently advises approximately three dozen public entity clients across Ohio. We often take calls from around the country based on our regularly published articles detailing whether and h...
MoreHonda-LG Energy Solution $3.5 billion battery plan...
Represented Fayette County, the Jefferson Township - Washington Court House Joint Economic Development District, and the West Central Ohio Port Authority in various aspects of the Honda-LG Energy S...
MoreFirst greenfield project in the United States
Represented an international paper products manufacturer in connection with the establishment of the first greenfield project in the United States. This Project involved the creation of a public-pr...
MoreFinancings and refinancings for institutions of hi...
Serve as bond counsel and issuer counsel to community colleges, public and private institutions and universities across Ohio seeking to take advantage of the low-interest rate environment in order ...
MoreBond counsel for Ohio community college for culina...
Served as bond counsel to an Ohio community college in connection with the tax-exempt financing of their new, cutting-edge culinary arts center.
MoreCommunity college $300 million voted bond issue
Served as bond counsel to an Ohio community college for its first issue of general obligation bonds approved by the Ohio county voters in a $300 million voted bond issue dedicated to financing a ph...
MoreConversion of a former munitions factory
Served as counsel to a port authority for a capital lease transaction, providing a sales tax exemption to the developer and property owner. The transaction enables the conversion of a former m...
MoreOhio’s largest PACE transaction
Served as counsel on a $16.3 million refinancing of a construction loan that involved significant PACE financing. The project funds eligible upgrades to a hotel near The Ohio State University campu...
MoreCleveland-area solar farm development
Represented Cuyahoga County in closing a $10 million financing transaction for the development of a solar farm on former landfill property near Cleveland. The solar farm covers 17 acres and co...
More$1.6 billion development in Warren County
Served as special counsel to a township in connection with a 1,230-acre, $1.6 billion mixed-use development in southwest Ohio. The transaction involved negotiating and structuring a tax increment f...
MoreAreas of Focus
Construction
We represent public and private higher education institutions on all aspects of construction projects — from the preparation of contract documents through litigation, when necessary. Our experience includes multiple prime contractor, general contractor, construction manager at risk and design-build delivery models that are now available to public as well as private institutions.
MoreGovernment Relations
Bricker’s team of lawyer-lobbyists uses firsthand knowledge of election, ethics, lobbying and contracting law to influence issues that directly impact manufacturers. Our longstanding service to companies, associations and coalitions, especially the Ohio Manufacturer’s Association, has earned us an effective voice with legislators and regulators.
Public Finance
Bricker & Eckler is recognized by the state and its various political subdivisions, as well as by the underwriting community, as a law firm with a national caliber bond counsel opinion. We excel in both routine and complex financial transactions, including bonds, notes, and certificates of indebtedness issued by government or on behalf of all types of nonprofits.
MorePublic Sector
We assist state and local governments with infrastructure finance and negotiations with developers and business owners. The ultimate goal is creating and retaining jobs, supporting innovation, and stabilizing and improving property values.
MoreReal Estate
Bricker & Eckler provides a full range of real estate law services to nonprofit clients. From acquisition, financing and development to investment, leasing and sales, our team assists in all aspects of real estate dealings – and with all the details these transactions entail. Because our real estate attorneys are supported by the firm’s other practice groups, clients also benefit from our tax, construction and financing experience, to name just a few areas with which we typically collaborate. Visit our Real Estate practice.
Taxation
Our attorneys help our public sector clients navigate the complexities of ever-changing tax laws. We represent clients in property tax valuation litigation, counsel them on property tax exemption laws and advise them on the tax implications of complex economic development projects. The breadth of our attorneys’ interdisciplinary experience allows us to uniquely address our public sector clients’ needs.
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