Friday, October 22, 1999
Panel hopes The Banks can get funds
Doubts called surmountable
BY LUCY MAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The panel advocating a new neighborhood on Cincinnati's central riverfront isn't worried about the $56 million hole in its financing plan.
Rather, Cincinnati Riverfront Advisory Commission Chairman Jack Rouse said his group is poised to work with the city and Hamilton County to find new ways to fund the project dubbed The Banks.
“The Riverfront Advisors look forward to rolling up our sleeves side-by-side with city and county leaders to find out how to make The Banks a reality,” Mr. Rouse said in a statement. “We all know that the time is now. We just need to get at the question of how.”
The Enquirer reported Thursday that commissioners Bob Bedinghaus and John Dowlin — a majority of the commission — have rejected using stadium sales tax dollars to help build the proposed waterfront neighborhood.
The Banks plan calls for building shops, restaurants and hundreds of apartments and condominiums atop parking garages to be built between the new Reds ballpark and new Bengals stadium.
But without support from two of the three county commissioners to use stadium sales tax revenues to help pay for The Banks, the plan is left with a $56 million gap.
Mayor Roxanne Qualls said that just means it's time for the city, county and advisory panel to get to work.
“Folks need to get in a room together and talk this through and see what options really are viable to move this forward,” Ms. Qualls said. “There are so many people who are really committed to seeing this happen that no one wants to be an obstacle.”
Hamilton County Commission President Tom Neyer Jr. said he isn't ready to rule out anything. But he understands why the other commissioners have taken the positions they have.
“I think they are reflecting the current information that we have. And based on that information, I agree with them,” he said. “I just think further proposals may surface, and we should keep an open mind for creativity to prevail.”
In a memo sent Thursday to city and county leaders, Mr. Rouse wrote that the commission is “very pleased” that they have begun “their careful and serious review of how to implement the plan.”
He stressed, as the group has from the start, that the group's funding recommendation was “one concept” of how the panel's vision can be achieved.
“The Banks is a once-in-many-lifetimes opportunity for this community. It may not come along again if we don't figure out how to accomplish it now,” he wrote.
Above all, Mr. Rouse stressed in written comments to the Enquirer, this week's news doesn't mean The Banks is dead.
“Good people with common purpose will always find a way,” he said. “I am convinced that will happen for The Banks.”
City and county leaders are scheduled to meet Nov. 19 to talk about The Banks.
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