Thursday, March 11, 1999
Sabin Center expansion foes get hearing
BY LUCY MAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Conservative opponents of the plan to expand downtown Cincinnati's convention center hoped to be preaching to the choir Wednesday in addressing the all-Republican Hamilton County commissioners.
“It's unusual for us not to do this behind closed doors because you all are friends of the conservative movement,” said Chris Finney, former chairman of Hamilton County's Tax Levy Review Committee.
“We want you to see the light and feel the heat from the conservative side because I know you've been getting both from the big-spending side.”
After hearing the opponents' concerns about the massive project, the commissioners offered their first public response as a group.
Commissioner John Dowlin reiterated his opposition to using any of the county's general tax funds for the project, saying the county should spend its money on other core needs.
Commission President Tom Neyer Jr. said he supports the
expansion but isn't sure how — or whether — the county will help pay.
And Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus, who hasn't yet declared himself for or against the project, gave a speech about how conservative Republicans found their inspiration in Ronald Reagan and his ideas about making government smaller.
Mr. Bedinghaus made it clear he wasn't going to declare himself one way or the other, although he said he's “not particularly comfortable” with most of the financing options now being considered.
The opponents argued that local government has grown too much over the past decade and that the building boom of public projects in Cincinnati is leaving taxpayers with an enormous burden. They also argued the last expansion of the convention center, completed in 1987, hasn't helped downtown's restaurants and shops.
Advocates of another expansion, to more than double the size of the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center, argue the project must move forward to stem the city's loss of lucrative convention business.
Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau President Michael Wilson points to the Electrical Manufacturing and Coil Winding Association as an example.
The national, nonprofit association will be holding its annual trade show and technical conference here in October for a third year.
The board that runs the association has committed to Cincinnati through 2002 and might even commit through 2010 if the city can guarantee more space by 2003, said Chuck Thurman, the association's executive director.
Mr. Thurman said the meeting brings 6,500 to 7,500 people to town, and they're business people with expense accounts who stay at downtown hotels and eat at restaurants like the Maisonette, Montgomery Inn and Morton's.
“This is a group that spends pretty lavishly,” he said.
The association likes Cincinnati because of its convenient access, nice hotels and good restaurants, Mr. Thurman said.
But the group will outgrow the convention center by 2003, and, without an expansion, will look to moving to Columbus, St. Louis or Indianapolis, he said.
Mr. Wilson argues the association is a perfect example of what Cincinnati has to lose if the community fails to expand the center.
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