BY LISA DONOVAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
City officials say they hope this summer's Coors Light Jazz Festival is a hit at Cinergy Field -- but doesn't spill over into the downtown area.
City Safety Director Kent Ryan Wednesday recommended keeping downtown free of the traffic and ancillary events that have been common during past jazz festival weekends. It will be held July 25-27.
Proposed restrictions
No special events downtown during the same weekend as Jazz Festival.
No vendors will operate in the business district after 7 p.m. Instead merchandise vendors will set up shop on Cinergy Plaza and possibly in a nearby parking lot. They may be allowed to stay open as late as 2 a.m.
Strict enforcement of the city's curfews.
No traffic allowed in the downtown core bounded by Central Parkway, Fourth Street and Eggleston and Central avenues.
|
"The Safety Department believes that the city should fully support the organized music festival at Cinergy Field but at the same time should recognize that there is no organized or authorized event outside of Cinergy Field," Mr. Ryan states in his report. "The city must take those actions necessary to minimize the crowds and attendant disorder in the downtown area," Mr. Ryan said.
Last year, nearly 100 people were arrested, and one man was shot to death in the downtown area during the jazz festival weekend. Throngs of youths gathered for the post-concert convergence on downtown in the early morning hours.
"The attractiveness for juveniles to come down to the square and cruise around the square during jazz festival weekend adds to and lends to a sort of festival atmosphere down there," said Rodney Prince, assistant city safety director.
For that reason, the safety director is recommending:
Controlling crowds by enforcing local curfews, alcohol and drug laws. Officers operating in teams as well as on bikes and horses would patrol downtown with the help of community relations monitors and other adult volunteers.
Controlling vehicle traffic by closing off the downtown core and limiting parking there.
City officials also are recommending no street vending downtown after 7 p.m. during the weekend. After 7 p.m., vendors can sell their wares only on Cinergy Field's plaza and possibly a nearby parking lot until 2 a.m.
Council members Dwight Tillery and Tyrone Yates expect, at the very least, discussion over that proposal.
Mr. Tillery, who helped organize a task force to address the problems at the 1997 jazz fest, questions how restrictions can be placed on the vendors during the jazz festival when vendors for the Reds and Bengals games are allowed to operate in and around downtown freely.
"We have to make sure we don't punish innocent people for what happened last year," Mr. Tillery said.
The recommendations consider several proposals by the task force. In his report, Mr. Ryan said he regretted that time constraints would not allow for planning a family-oriented, ethnic street festival this year.
The report will be reviewed by council's law and public safety committee Monday; it could be several weeks before the full council votes on the measure.
