Stow City presents AMP entertainment district and public arts master plan

Mayor John Perbanic introduced Stow City’s AMP entertainment district and a concurrent public arts master plan as part of a presentation on local projects built through community partnerships.

“Our greatest strength isn't our size, it's our people,” Perbanic said, framing the AMP as a community-led effort to create a central gathering place tied to economic development and public amenities. The presentation described the AMP as a public amphitheater developed through a public–private partnership with new restaurants, shops and connections to the Summit County Metro Parks hike-and-bike trail.

Presenters said the AMP plan included accessibility improvements — such as universal changing stations and added accessible pathways — and that the city used an Arts Now grant to develop the public arts master plan. The plan also produced a prevailing‑wage calculator for artists, which presenters said other jurisdictions can use.

Officials said Stow secured state capital‑budget funding to create new trailheads serving the AMP district. The city intends to operate the amphitheater year-round and has planned a program of more than 150 events designed to reach all age groups and to help attract small restaurants and other businesses to the area.

The presentation closed with an invitation to discuss the AMP project in more detail at a follow‑up festival session. No permitting timeline or specific construction schedule was provided during the presentation.