BY
The Greater Cincinnati Hotel-Motel Association has voted "overwhelmingly" to endorse the riverfront site for the new Reds ballpark, association Executive Director Howard Nusbaum said Tuesday.
The group, which consists of all the major downtown hotels and about 40 hotels and motels in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, first considered the stadium siting issue last year but decided not to take a stand, Mr. Nusbaum said.
But over the past few weeks, hotel operators decided the location of the Reds ballpark was important for Cincinnati tourism and that they should take a stand, he said.
"The bottom line is, we want baseball in Greater Cincinnati. We want the Reds happy. It's not because we're opposed to Broadway Commons," Mr. Nusbaum said. "The riverfront and its assets are a jewel to us in tourism."
Hamilton County and the Reds have a tentative deal to build a riverfront ballpark west of the Crown, at the site known as "Baseball on Main" or the "Wedge." Issue 11 seeks to undo the deal by creating a county charter that would require the county to build any new Reds ballpark at the Broadway Commons site at Broadway Street and Reading Road downtown.
Donna who?
Summit County Treasurer John Donofrio, the Democratic candidate for state treasurer, pokes fun at his own name in a new campaign commercial. The 30-second spot opens with a woman asking, "Donna Frio? Who's she?"
Also featured are a child and a senior citizen who mispronounce Mr. Donofrio's last name. "Don-o-rito?" the child asks.
An announcer says, "No matter how you say it, vote for John Donofrio to protect your tax dollars."
Jerry Austin, Mr. Donofrio's media adviser, produced similar ads in 1982 that mangled the pronunciation of Democrat Sherrod Brown's first name. Mr. Brown served two terms as secretary of state. By the way, it's pronounced duh NOFF ree o.
Campaign Notebook is compiled by staff of The Cincinnati Enquirer and runs Tuesday-Saturday.
