Hamilton County has moved closer to a riverfront development deal with Cincinnati - a crucial element of stadium negotiations - by pledging more than $54 million in infrastructure improvements for the city's waterfront.
In a proposal made to City Manager John Shirey Thursday, and obtained by the Enquirer Friday through a state Open Records request, the county agreed to a number of the city's requirements.
''There is a very open and very positive give and take,'' Hamilton County Commissioner Tom Neyer Jr. said of his negotiations with Mr. Shirey. ''We're working to find a package that works best for both.''
City officials first raised concerns about the stadium deal between the county and Bengals in July. Last month, the county approved a lease amendment in an effort to address those concerns. But the city said the amendment wasn't good enough.
Mr. Neyer and Mr. Shirey met twice this week - Monday and Thursday - to try to reach a city-county agreement.
On Thursday, the county offered to:
- Immediately request that the Cincinnati Bengals sign the lease amendment prepared by the city. The city complained that the lease amendment approved last month by the county and team was unclear.
- Pay to rebuild Elm Street, which will have to be moved to make room for the Bengals new $400.3 million stadium complex. The stadium will sit between Central Avenue and the new Elm Street, with a curved Pete Rose Way to the north and Mehring Way to the south.
- Pay up to $14 million to build a new flood wall for the Fort Washington Way project. The new flood wall is needed so the old one can make way for parking garages in an area known as the ''trench'' to be freed up by the project.
- Start building parking garages in the trench as quickly as possible. Construction of the garages closer to the Bengals stadium would start first. Construction of garages east of the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge wouldn't start until the county and Reds determine where the Reds' future home will be.
One of the garages would be designed and built specifically to support the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The county estimates the garages eventually will provide about 4,000 parking spaces and will cost at least $40 million.
To pay off the debt issued to build the garages, the county wants to receive rent and taxes set aside to help pay for public improvements by the developments the city wants to locate on top of the garages. The county also wants all public parking revenues generated by the garages.
Mr. Shirey was attending Spc. Ronald Jeter's funeral services in Columbus and couldn't be reached for comment on the county's proposal. He said Tuesday that he was optimistic a deal with the county could be reached soon.
Mr. Neyer said the Bengals are still studying the county's proposal, and he acknowledged the city and county haven't yet reached a final agreement.
The county's offer doesn't include a financial commitment to the city's $120.5 million Fort Washington Way project. But Mr. Neyer said the county hasn't ruled that out.
''There are dozens of scenarios that could work,'' he said.
When county commissioners approved the Bengals lease amendment last month, they gave the city until Monday to transfer city-controlled riverfront land to the county. Without the city's 10 acres of land, the county can't build the stadium.
But county leaders began to bend on the deadline over last weekend after two Cincinnati police officers were fatally shot in the line of duty. Commissioners have called the officers' deaths a far more important priority than the stadium deal.
Still, Mr. Neyer said he thinks the city and county can resolve their differences by the end of the year and keep the stadium project on track.
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