The result of an asset based economic development study, a dedicated group of local community leaders based in Geneva, Ohio is planning the construction of Pairings, Ohio’s Wine & Culinary Experience.

The center will spotlight the area’s abundant wine and agricultural commerce while also providing educational, entrepreneurial and entertaining experiences for guests.

The Vision is Born
In 2008, this passionate group of business and civic community leaders began meeting to discuss opportunities for encouraging economic and community development initiatives for historic downtown Geneva, Ohio in Ashtabula County. With the area’s growing wine and agricultural industries, as well as their strong respective histories, the committee quickly determined the focus of their efforts.

With national, regional and local trends all indicating an increase in the popularity of wine and culinary tourism, the vision of creating a wine and culinary center was born. Northeast Ohio is home to 68% of Ohio’s nearly 2,000 grape-bearing acres, while the Geneva and Ashtabula County area is home to twenty wineries and counting. In fact, in 2007, Orbitz ranked the Grand River Viticultural Area in Ohio as the 6th favorite destination in the United States for culinary tourists.

To be built in the Lake Erie Wine Growing Region on the western edge of Ashtabula County, OH, Pairings will be centrally located within driving distance of Columbus, OH; Cleveland, OH; Toledo, OH; Youngstown, OH; Akron, OH; Pittsburgh, PA.; Erie, PA.; and Buffalo, NY. The City of Geneva welcomes this opportunity for residents and visitors alike to expand their knowledge, appreciation and enjoyment of Ohio’s unique agricultural assets.

Project Status
Completing a feasibility study of the project in fall 2010 with Poggemeyer Design Group, the Pairings Board of Trustees continues to work diligently in making the wine and culinary center a reality, recently hiring a project manager, applying for non-profit status and embarking on a fundraising campaign. Pairings will reinvest its earnings in the center and the community by providing educational and support services to regional wineries by identifying shared needs and providing centralized support services, in addition to assisting with job creation and business development in and around downtown Geneva.

Feasibility Study
Geneva Wine and Culinary Center Feasibility Study-September 2010