[4] His term of mayor was characterized by an intense effort to distance Columbus, Ohio from its cowtown reputation (New World Center, 1986; convention center/arena complex, 1987; acquiring St. Louis Cardinals NFL football team, 1988).

"During his administration, the city built a $28 million Downtown safety building, the Franklin County Solid Waste Authority was established, I-670 from Downtown to Port Columbus was completed, City Center mall was planned and built (and is now a downtown park), redevelopment of the Short North and Brewery District got under way, the Martin Luther King Center was developed, and retail and residential growth began at Easton."

Rinehart's leadership lead to the annexation of the Polaris area and the successful development of Southern Delaware County.

One example cited by the Dispatch was Rinehart taking a wrecking ball to what was then the 120-year-old facade of the old Ohio Penitentiary on Spring Street, only to learn later that the city didn’t have permission for demolition.

For example, a July 4, 2011, Cleveland.com article reported that Rinehart lobbied for the Ohio Independent Automobile Dealers Association.