NEWPORT — The Newport on the Levee entertainment complex is the latest — but not the last — high-profile project to take its place on Northern Kentucky's booming $1 billion riverfront.

        The $200 million Levee project — featuring an eclectic mix of entertainment, shopping and restaurants — is part of a development boom of $947 million of projects that have been built since 1996 or are planned within a few years.

        From Bellevue to west Covington a collection of hotels, high-rise office buildings, condominiums, apartments, a convention center and entertainment venues have sprouted in areas once shunned by developers.

        By contrast, riverfront redevelopment across the Ohio River is foundering.

        Hamilton County said last week that it won't have the money next year to start building a riverfront neighborhood known as The Banks.

        “Success breeds success and we've kind of come from a backwater to a powerhouse in Northern Kentucky,” said Covington City Commissioner J.T. Spence.

        “A lot of elements converged for Covington and the other riverfront communities at the right time,” Mr. Spence said. “There was a lot of virgin, undeveloped land on the river. The political leadership has pushed for growth. We have good accessibility, we have great views of Cincinnati and people wanted to make it happen.”

        Projects already built in Northern Kentucky include the Levee, the adjoining Newport Aquarium, the Madison Place condominium development in Covington, Port Bellevue, the second RiverCenter office tower and the Roebling Row apartments in Covington. There has been $440.7 million in new construction over the last in five years.

RIVERFRONT INVESTMENT

• In last five years: $440.7 million.    • Planned: $507 million.    • Total: $947.7 million.    Square footage developed/planned    • In last five years: 2,201,500.    • Planned: 1,020,500.    • Total: 3,222,000.    Hotel rooms developed/planned    • In last five years: 900.    • Planned: 197.    • Total: 1,097.    Source: Enquirer research

OPENINGS

Newport on the Levee will come to fruition in time. Staggered opening dates are as follows:     • Sept. 14: Firstar Imax.     • Wednesday: Shadowbox Cabaret, Mitchell's Fish Market, American Eagle, Dewey's Pizza.     • Oct. 12: AMC's 20-screen movie theater.     • October (no date specified): Adopt-a-Bear, Cold Stone Creamery, Claire's Boutique, Hot Topic, d.e.m.o., Mrs. Fields/Pretzeltime, PacificSunwear.     • Nov. 7: Barnes & Noble.     • Before Christmas: Empire Night Club, Improv Comedy Club, Johnny Rockets, Journey's, Limited Too.     • March 2002: GameWorks, Brio Tuscan Grille.     • Spring 2002: Bamboo Club restaurant, Claddah Pub.

        And plans for the Hofbrauhaus in Newport, the Millennium Tower, Covington West, Newport Hilton, Newport's South Shore Apartments and RiverCenter south in Covington will add another $507 million.

        Cincinnati developer Arn Bortz, whose Towne Properties is building the $9.5 million Roebling Row luxury apartment complex, said Kentucky officials make it easy for private sector projects to happen.

        “There is a sense of common purpose among all Northern Kentuckians which is reassuring to people contemplating an investment,” Mr. Bortz said. “They seem to overcome their political boundaries and work together collectively.

        “That inspires confidence in people willing to take a risk,” he said.
       

Letter from Patton
        When Fort Thomas developer Nick Ellison was trying to close a deal to bring the Hofbrauhaus restaurant and beer garden to Newport — an establishment that originally considered Cincinnati's riverfront — the company's owners received a letter from Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton welcoming them to the state.

        “That had a big impact,” said Mr. Ellison.

        “In Northern Kentucky you have everybody from the governor to the state lawmakers to the counties to the cities all working together,” he said. “They knock themselves out to help.”

        Not hampered by the bureaucracy of a large city government, Newport — population 17,048 — prides itself on providing personal service to developers and business people.

        “We're the little engine that could,” said Newport City Manager Phil Ciafardini. “Somebody wants to come here and build something we do what we have to do to make it happen.”

        Cincinnati City Councilman Phil Heimlich envies Northern Kentucky's success.

        Mr. Heimlich said he is frustrated that projects such as Hofbrauhaus, the Newport Aquarium and the IMAX landed in Newport instead of Cincinnati.

        “It all comes down to competition, and we're losing it,” Mr. Heimlich said. “The reason is we play turf wars and we play politics over here. Over there, development is run like a business. It's personal service and it's doing what they have to do to get the job done.”

        And unlike Cincinnati, Kentucky does not give public subsidies directly to developers.

        Instead, the state has used relatively new legislation that allows developers to recoup money only after a project is up and running.

        The 1996 Kentucky Tourism Development Act allows developers to receive a tax rebate of 25 cents of every dollar spent at a tourist attraction for up to 10 years.

        The Levee and the Newport Aquarium were among the first projects to qualify for the act's financial incentives.

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