One of the groups conducting a national boycott against Cincinnati has taken an additional step by writing letters to groups planning conventions here and asking them to pull out.

        The letter by the Cincinnati Black United Front and the Rev. Damon Lynch III is among the first concrete steps taken to make groups outside Cincinnati aware of the boycott. It also comes as hotels, restaurants and attractions are suffering from a recession and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

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        In the letter, the Rev. Mr. Lynch and two associates ask prospective convention groups to honor the boycott as a way to “change the way business is conducted in Cincinnati.” The letter, which goes on to criticize Mayor Charlie Luken for wanting to keep that business going, also says that the Black United Front will protest events that are not canceled.

        The boycott was announced in mid-July, although convention center officials say no events have been canceled as a result of it.

        The 14 groups organizing the boycott didn't contact groups that have booked events here until now.

        “Time and again, we have gone to our elected and corporate leaders, but our voices and proposals have been ignored or improperly implemented,” according to the Black United Front letter.

        The undated letter is signed by the Rev. Mr. Lynch, who is the United Front's president, vice president Dwight Patton and chief of staff Juleana Frierson.

        Ms. Frierson confirmed the letter was sent out but would not say how many or who received it.

        “Let's just say it was a lot,” she said. “Since we called the sanctions, there have been groups who have pulled out. For a number of reasons, but believe me, that is one of the reasons. We want the city to understand that we're serious. They're forcing our hand.”

        Ms. Frierson said the letter was just one part of a broad campaign to force the hand of political and business leaders here.

        She would not talk about the group's other strategies.

        The Rev. Mr. Lynch, the pastor of New Prospect Baptist Church and also one of three chairmen of Mr. Luken's Cincinnati CAN race-relations panel, did not return phone calls for comment.

        Mayor Luken, who blasted the boycott in July, refused to comment.

        Convention organizers here acknowledged that business has suffered this year, but attributed that more to the April riots and the terrorist attacks than the boycott.

        The boycott “has not affected business,” said Julie Harrison, spokeswoman at the Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau.

        “We're going to press on and keep trying to bring people to the city,” she said.

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