BY LUCY MAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
With little discussion or fanfare, Cincinnati City Council ratified a $20 million incentives package Wednesday to try to lure the Reds to Broadway Commons, the city's preferred stadium site.
Council's 5-4 vote came despite the fact that Hamilton County, which has the power to make a deal with the team, is not even talking to the Reds about the site at Broadway and Reading Road.
Instead, discussions between the Reds and county have focused on the riverfront site next to the Crown known as Baseball on Main or the "Wedge."
County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus said Wednesday that while no stadium deal is imminent, negotiations between the county and Reds continue to focus on the riverfront site and the issues that divide the sides "are not great."
Mayor Roxanne Qualls and council members Todd Portune, Tyrone Yates, Bobbie Sterne and Jeanette Cissell ratified the incentive package they proposed last month. Council members Minette Cooper, Phil Heimlich, Dwight Tillery and Charlie Winburn opposed it. Mr. Winburn questioned where the $20 million would come from. City Manager John Shirey said most of the package consists of forgiving taxes and fees the city hasn't received.
Mr. Shirey said the package could help the county offer the team a better deal and "with professional sports teams, it's not about stadiums. It's about money."
Mr. Tillery blasted the package, saying, "We cannot always buy our way to get our way."
Broadway booster Jim Tarbell said if the county disregards support for Broadway and signs a preliminary deal with the Reds for a riverfront stadium, Broadway backers will collect signatures to force commissioners to put the stadium issue on the ballot.
But John Bender, chief elections counsel for the secretary of state's office, said such decisions by county commissions are not subject to referendum.
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