Bryan Heck Sucks at Business
The 5C Data Center, the Executive Inn, the Never-Ending Tax Abatements. He gets very angry when he's asked about his stewardship of other people's money.
10/22/20256 min read
Covid Funds, In General
Heck speaks often of the $44 million the town received in Covid funds. I haven't delved yet, because it's so daunting, but if he's quoting a number, you can bet it's not the complete picture. This isn't unique. It feels like the majority of Covid funds were misspent across the globe.
https://www.daytondailynews.com/investigations/billions-in-covid-aid/
https://www.pandemicoversight.gov/data-interactive-tools/dashboards-datasets
Here’s how local governments spent millions in CARES Act funds; Search by community (see screenshot at bottom of this page - for the $5 million spent on fire and police payrolls. We were locked down. Were the police and fire $5 million dollars more active?)
Covid Funds for the Homeless
The City got $44 million in just ONE of their many federal handouts (American Rescue, CARES, etc.). According to Heck, all the money went into what they call the "general fund", which means they spent however they wanted and to this day, have no idea how it was spent. Or can't/won't articulate it to anyone who financed it.
They claimed there was an uptick in homelessness due to Covid. So, they purchased two hotels for temporary housing. Then spent money demolishing properties around the land. Lucky for Heck, only Homefull responded to their RFPs (did they actually put out a valid request? no answer about that), so they could vote it down, forcing them to use the properties for economic development purposes - the original plan.
Heck admitted, "The plan for these two properties was always economic development." He just used the homeless and money (meant for emergencies around Covid) from taxpayers all over the country to do it.
And then there was a fire in one, that is still - 3 years later - being "investigated". They sold both properties at a substantial loss.
The Executive (and the Villager) Inn
In December of 2022, the city bought (using Covid money they had stored in the infamous "general fund") the Villager Inn on 1715 W. North St. for $1.7 million and the Executive Inn at 325 W Columbia St. for $2 million intending to redevelop the properties into short and long term housing facilities to address increasing homelessness.
In August 2023, the Villager caught on fire. A Springfield Fire division report found the fire began inside one of the rooms, though the cause is still unknown. “The immediate need is to abate the public nuisance and then we'll evaluate what those next steps are,” Heck said. “And that always includes public comment and public input as we look to move forward and do what's best and what's right for our community.”
The City still has not disclosed the amount of insurance recovered.
So Heck spent more money to tear down the Villager and is still, in October, 2025 trying to sell the land at 600K.
In 2023, Heck entered into a $1.3 million agreement with Homefull to provide homeless services at the Executive Inn. In 2024, they voted the contract down. In the October 21 Commission meeting (video below), Heck admitted that, " The long-term plan was always economic development. The property is across from the Regional Medical Center". When the year-long contract ended, the city put out a new RFP for a qualified operator and Homefull was the only respondent. "We decided not to move forward with them. Because we voted no, we are required by law to not use the property for the same purpose. If we did, that agency could litigate if we turned around and gave it to someone else. That space could not be used for homeless services once the contract was denied."
When asked about it being sold to CGP Acquisition & Development LLC (the Wawa developers) at $1.7 million (a half a million dollar loss), Heck replied, "Yes, that happens. Three houses behind there were demolished. Part of that is looking for revitalization. At the time it was purchased, it was able to be used - minor repairs were needed - but it could be used by Homefull and they did for a year." I guess his reasoning for selling it at a loss is the 3 "dilapidated" houses being removed and that the Executive Inn isn't usable - it would have to be torn down.
Fast forward to 2025 and Wawa has backed out (City won't tell us why) and Heck is committed to selling it to someone who will contribute to the "vibrancy of downtown".
I guarantee the property will be leveled soon and sold for land - pennies on the dollar, just like the Villager Inn property. Will they set fire to this one, too?
Look into this too. This was when he, Franzen, and "a delegation" went to Paris. Heck's expenses alone included $164 a day in meals.
National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence to open in Springfield
The Data Center
I found articles from Nov and Dec 2024 about 5C Data Center LLC buying the property (Auditor site says CMH01 HOLDINGS LP in June 2023 for 3.4 million), with a 100% 15-year tax abatement approved by the School District.
Tom Franzen (believe it or not!! Mr. Invisible Vertical Flight...invisible is always worrisome) talked about it in the December 3, 2024 Commission meeting. But his dates and numbers were all off.
Then, crickets.
Apparently, in April 2025, the LLC was bought by Hypertec Cloud and they are now calling the combo 5C Group. Part of the initial deal was hiring 50 employees in 2025 for the Benjamin Dr location, and 100 by 2028.
So, two - almost three - years later, nothing? And the City isn't getting a dime and there are still no jobs to be had from this.
The Ohio Register published an article that Commissioners clarify that the Data Center is a foregone conclusion, but there are so many questions to which Heck won't answer.
Have they started construction? On the addition they planned? Have they occupied the building or hired anyone?
Of course, Heck couldn't speak to any of this in the meeting WHEN ASKED (timestamp: 41:39). The citizen speaker asked multiple questions and he addressed none.
Then Another Data Center
https://www.whio.com/news/local/new-data-center-open-springfield-bringing-20-full-time-jobs/PEZDL7ID6RBE7L5IJJ6DKVGA5A/
So 20 employees estimated this time. No dates for when construction begins. In the same complex with the above 5C Group's data center. No information on the 5C one yet, either.
I did a quick search on the Secretary of State website and the Constant Company LLC has changed names and addresses so many times that they had to add a special letter to the (Delaware - those are always legit) incorporation records on the Secretary of State site. They recently changed the name to The Constant Company from Corporation Service Company. (I hope the person in charge of naming things isn't in charge of the utilities.) So, yes, I stand by my statement that Bryan Heck is really really really good at business. And want to add that DeWine is demented. This place is like a bad movie.
Housing Development deals, such as Arbor Homes, DR Horton, etc.
City of Springfield OKs tax abatement funding deals for housing developments. So, a 100%, 30-year abatement in exchange for $1.3 million. I can't be reading this right. Right?
Premier Properties Clay Chester
Always talk about the RFPs. Always, the RFPs. And that there was only respondent. Always, just one. Make sure the contracts go to Clay Chester with Premier Properties (he has 32 rental parcels, some multi-family, in Springfield and 22 business entities with the Ohio Secretary of State). Heck is continuously handing our money over to Chester and he builds and builds shit houses (like one every week) and pays no taxes on them. What could go wrong? (When reporters talked about George Ten referring to his business as "Springfieldopoly", he wasn't just kidding. That's what it is for Heck, Rue, McDorman, Franzen. It's just a fun game for them. Anyway, Heck and Chester are the same age and Springfield lifers, so of course there's a history. I believe this is the way Heck made money off the Haitians - the rentals. Keeping your name off of paperwork tactic of Rob Rue. Note: None of this is unique to Springfield, though. The good ol' boy system is universal.
