Plans to bring professional basketball to Columbus were unveiled in September 1988 and the Horizon began playing in November 1989 at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, where the franchise had a five-year lease.

Jacobsen told the press conference that the Horizon would become involved in the Central Ohio community and said the economic impact on Columbus would be to the tune $3–$4 million generated back into the city each year.

Jay Ramsdell was on his way from the CBA league office in Denver, Colorado to Columbus for the 1989 College Player Draft when his United Airlines Flight 232 plane crashed in Sioux City, Iowa on July 19, 1989.

Youmans, who previously coached the Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets and was general manager of the Tampa Bay Thrillers, was an Ashland College graduate.

In preparing for their inaugural season, the Horizon looked to secure the services of a local college hoops star by making them their first round draft pick.

Also among the team's first signings was another local college product Eric Newsome, a 5-foot-8 guard from Toledo, who was, at that time, second on Miami University's career scoring list.

[7] Vince Chickerella, winner of more than 400 games in a lengthy career at Linden McKinley, DeSales and Hilliard high schools in Central Ohio, was named as the new head coach in April 1991.

The team moved downtown to Battelle Hall and improved slightly to lift itself off the foot of the division, but still finished 92-93 with a losing record of 21-35.

In 1993 Mitchell Butler from UCLA was selected as Columbus' first round draft pick, but the 6' 5" shooting guard instead chose to sign undrafted with the Washington Bullets of the NBA.

[11] Ricky Calloway, who helped Indiana win the national championship in 1987, was suspended by the Horizon because he failed two CBA drug tests.

[12] Facing weak business support and the lowest average attendance per game in the entire CBA, the Horizon announced in March 1994 that it would leave town.

The WCLS-TV coverage, was led by play-by-play man Mike Raymond and former Horizon and Ohio State standout Ron Stokes.