BY BEN L. KAUFMAN and TANYA ALBERT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Promotional design for Broadway Commons.
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Activists are circulating more than 500 petitions throughout Hamilton County this weekend, gathering support for Baseball on Broadway.
They know the county and Reds have cut a deal to put a new field on the riverfront, but organizers Jim Tarbell and Todd Portune, both Cincinnati councilmen, see a way around a seemingly done deal.
Their petition calls for a November referendum barring use of the 1 percent sales tax adopted in 1996 for any major league baseball stadium not on Broadway Commons.
Jim Tarbell
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"From everything I've seen and heard about it, that area of town can be developed a lot more," said Dennis Cecil, 40, of Forest Park as he signed the petition before heading into Friday night's Reds game against the St. Louis Cardinals. "Retroparks have worked in other cities."
"It's too crowded down here on the river," added Ken Kraus, 35, of Cheviot who has been going to Reds games for 20 years.
Friday, Mr. Portune said a successful campaign would be a "Declaration of Independence from mediocrity and bad decision-making."
Mr. Tarbell said the petition and referendum would tell County Commissioners Robert Bedinghaus and Thomas Neyer, whose support for the riverfront site was decisive, and their allies in the business community that taxpayers won't put up with "their shenanigans."
Mr. Tarbell and Mr. Portune said they need at least 26,800 valid signatures by July 24 to get on the November general election ballot, where a simple majority would adopt the county charter.
Site for Broadway Commons.
(Michael E. Keating photo)
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"Meanwhile, it doesn't stop anything," Mr. Tarbell said. "They can go ahead and plan anything they want on the river."
"County government will continue as is with one exception," Mr. Portune added.
But some taxpayers are pleased with the county's decision to put the stadium on the riverfront.
"I like the stadium on the river," said Mike Marcucci, 41, of Colerain Township. "What's there to see out there?"
County Auditor Dusty Rhodes -- who says he has no stand on the stadium site -- called the referendum "goofy."
He opposes changing the form of county government to resolve a single issue.
Further, Mr. Rhodes said, the whole effort is unnecessary because November's county commission election already offers a stadium referendum: incumbent Tom Neyer voted for the riverfront and challenger Marilyn Hyland supports Broadway Commons.
Sunday at 6 p.m., the petition organizers will open a 24-hour mobile home office by the Baseball on Broadway arch, where people can sign or pick up and deliver petitions.
Mr. Portune said two Ohio counties have adopted charters to cope with specific issues: Summit to revamp county government and Mahoning to deal with its water system.
Friday, Mr. Portune and Mr. Tarbell reiterated a central criticism of the riverfront choice, that in 30 years, the existing stadium never sparked significant commercial development.
By comparison, Over-the-Rhine -- and especially Main Street -- already has significant private investment, Mr. Portune continued, and Baseball on Broadway would "spark the investment of private dollars in the community unlike anything else."
Erosion of public confidence is another problem with the new stadium site, Mr. Portune said.
"We're not going to have another project like this in the foreseeable future," said Mr. Portune, and disillusioned voters will be less likely to support further public spending downtown.
Mr. Tarbell said Fourth Street has never been in worse shape, even with the Reds and Bengals playing on the riverfront, and further investment on the Ohio won't bring people downtown.
Mr. Tarbell said 80 percent of the people who come to Reds or Bengals games park near Cinergy Field and drive home without coming downtown. Baseball on Broadway would require people to park throughout the downtown and walk or use shuttles, he said, and that increases the likelihood they'd spend before going home.
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