Tt post may 6 2016 b

The Chinese invented fireworks. It's all coming together.

• "Are they finished cleaning up the site of the old Edison plant ..."

It looked finished to me.

• "The last I was thru the area it was weeds and not grassy ..."

I'm fairly certain that someone mows that land in the summer. Too bad because if it was not mowed, then the Savannah Sparrows and Eastern Meadowlarks that use that grassland habitat would have a better chance of successfully nesting.

• "I don't think we own all that property down there , so are we doing this with the Chinese owners blessing?"

At one time, the Marina District land area was considered to be 125 acres in size.

Early this decade, Toledo sold 69 acres of the Marina District land to the Chinese, who in 2015 began trying to sell their land.

I don't know who owns the other 56 acres. Maybe Toledo.

And I don't know which 69-acre section is owned by Dashing Pacific. I think that it's the land closest to the MLK bridge.

Is the Marina District land still considered to be 125 acres?

Actually, it might be 128 acres. Wow. Three more acres that I never knew about.

May 2011 New York Times story

Before it became known as the Marina District, the 128 acres of tall grass and dirt piles on the Maumee River here ...

The open space along the east bank of the Maumee, bounded by Front Street, Main Street and Interstate 280, appeared to be another big development challenge in one of the regions of the country hardest hit by the recession.

On March 18, the two investors, Yuan Xiaohona and Wu Kin Hung, closed on the $2.15 million purchase of the Docks and the adjacent five acres of parking lots.

In an interview, Mayor Bell said he and other city leaders thought the deal would eventually lead to a much larger project: the sale of the adjoining 69 acres to Ms. Yuan and Mr. Wu, who said in a signed memorandum in February that they intended to build a new riverfront residential, office, retail and entertainment district.

• "Dashing Pacific is a sponsor."

Dashing Pacific began co-sponsoring Toledo's fireworks back in 2011.

Apr 29, 2016 - Toledo Blade - Toledo's 4th of July festivities moving to Marina District

The Blade’s Red, White, KABOOM Independence Day event, presented by Taylor Automotive, ProMedica and Dashing Pacific, is moving across the Maumee River, with festivities taking place at the Marina District this year.

... this is the first year that ProMedica and Dashing Pacific have joined as presenting sponsors.

Previous celebrations were held at Promenade Park, but construction for ProMedica’s new downtown headquarters prompted the move.

In addition to fireworks, festivities include performances by the U.S. Army Concert Band and Soldiers’ Chorus.

The event begins at 4 p.m. on July 4. Admission is free, though parking inside the Marina District will have a charge.

The south end of Riverside Drive directly adjacent to the Martin Luther King Bridge will be closed during the event. All traffic entering the Marina District will required to use entrance on Marina Drive off Front Street.