Mason welcomes new Latter-day Saints temple with open arms
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Over 60 government, faith and business leaders joined roughly 500 people to celebrate the temple's groundbreaking in Mason. Photos: Courtesy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Mason is getting excited about a new landmark, and it's not another apartment complex, shopping center or corporate headquarters — it's a temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Why it matters: The sprawling 35-acre temple complex is expected to draw new families to the region and has already received community support across various religious groups.
- It won't generate commercial tax revenue, but local leaders see value beyond that.
Driving the news: Over 500 people gathered for a Nov. 7 groundbreaking, including government, business and faith leaders from Ohio and Kentucky.
State of play: The Utah-based faith, widely known as the Mormon church, plans a 29,630-square-foot temple near Mason-Montgomery Road and Cedar Village Drive.
- It'll be Ohio's third, following Columbus and Cleveland.
- The temple will serve an estimated 20,000 church members across Greater Cincinnati and Dayton who currently travel elsewhere for religious ceremonies.
What they're saying: State Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland), who grew up in neighboring Clermont County, attended the groundbreaking and described having watched communities like Mason and Loveland change as newcomers move in.
- Schmidt told Axios she is impressed by the area's mix of longtime residents, newcomers and diverse faith communities.
Zoom out: Jared Mattingley, a Mason resident and president of the church's Cincinnati North Stake, felt encouraged by the enthusiasm of the broader community.
- That included residents as well as other faith traditions. Justin Kirschner, director of the American Jewish Committee's Cincinnati office, called the ceremony "heartwarming."
Mattingley previously told Axios that the diversity of Mason was an attractive quality to his church.
- "I think they're excited because of how excited we are, and they recognize how much of a blessing this is to us and will be to the community itself."
The bottom line: Schmidt sees room for something beyond commercial development in a growing city.
- "I'm glad that they were able to find ground that was willing to sell to them because that's not going to be a revenue producer for the city," she said.
- "It's not apartments. It's not a retail establishment. This is a place for people."