Even if some of the signatures on petitions collected by Broadway Commons backers are ruled invalid, state law gives the group an extra 40 days to collect more, Broadway leaders believe.
''We get a second bite at the apple,'' said Cincinnati City Councilman Todd Portune, a lawyer and a leader of the effort.
Mr. Portune and fellow Broadway Commons supporters Councilman Jim Tarbell and County Commissioner John Dowlin say an extra 40 days to collect signatures virtually guarantees they will collect enough to put a charter amendment measure on the November ballot. If passed, the measure would require Hamilton County to build any new Major League Baseball stadium at Broadway and Reading Road.
The group must turn in at least 26,800 signatures of registered Hamilton County voters. Group leaders had planned to turn them in Sunday but could present them to county officials today if enough have been counted, Mr. Tarbell said.
Mr. Dowlin said he probably will request a county prosecutor's opinion on whether the 40-day grace period would apply, just to be safe.
''I think things are looking good,'' Mr. Dowlin said. ''If you invalidate half, you'd say, 'Oh my God.' But we're feeling pretty good about these.''
Mr. Tarbell said even if the group submits petitions today, it will continue to collect signatures through the weekend - or longer - to have plenty of extra petitions in case some are declared invalid.
Hamilton County already has a tentative deal with the Reds to build the team a ballpark at Broadway's rival site on the riverfront.
A ballpark at the site west of the Crown, known as Baseball on Main or the ''Wedge,'' will likely cost $297 million, once site and demolition costs are added, according to county estimates.
Hamilton County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus, who prefers the riverfront site, worries the Broadway Commons measure could change the form of county government if passed.
The group wants to create a county charter that requires any new ballpark be built at Broadway. Supporters argue the charter would not change anything else.
But Mr. Bedinghaus says it could give county commissioners broader powers, even if that's not what the group intends.
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