Monday, September 25, 2000
Can The Banks ever get done?
Process slow as two entities argue control
By Robert Anglen
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The renovation of Cincinnati's riverfront is caught in a tug of war.
A contingent of business interests — convinced that the $250 million Banks project will mark the city's rebirth — is pulling hard against the weight of some community leaders who are concerned it could mean the death of their neighborhoods.
In the middle is a mud pit thick with questions about who will control the riverfront, its finances and the land between two stadiums.
Neither side appears to be gaining ground, but as the rope stretches tighter there is fear it could snap, leaving blocks of parking lots where parks, restaurants, offices and residences were planned.
“Nobody has criticized the product. Nobody,” said Jack Rouse, chairman of the Riverfront Advisors, a volunteer board appointed by the city and county to determine the best way to do The Banks. “They have criticized the implementation, which says to me they are being a little political and a little petty.”
Arguments over how to proceed have stalled the development four times since July 1. Today, Cincinnati City Council members talk once more about creating a new port authority to control The Banks.
The Riverfront Advisors says the port authority is the only agency capable of attracting world-class developers, largely because a new board would not be torn by political issues that scare off developers. They have asked county and city officials to approve identical legislations outlining the authority's new power, but council members can't agree on it.
“If the county and city change too much of this legislation, I'm afraid we will end up with the same port authority we have now,” Mr. Rouse said. “Which is an impotent one that won't attract developers.”
The racial factor
The debate has become polarized and infused with racial tensions.
“Yes, we want a piece of the riverfront,” the Rev. J.W. Jones told city council last week. “Yes, we want a piece of everything.”
Afraid that the city's black population will be shut out of the port authority, the Rev. Mr. Jones and members of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Cincinnati and Vicinity have threatened a lawsuit to stop its formation.
They are demanding “economic inclusion” not just on the port authority board, but with development rights along the riverfront.
Councilman Paul Booth says a statement of inclusion doesn't go far enough. He wants to add wording that would strengthen the port's commitment to practice what he calls economic parity.
The Rev. James Chisley says African-Americans and other minorities have a right to be concerned given what happened with the Bengals stadium.
A percentage of jobs was to go to minority contracts. But the actual number fell far short.
Mr. Rouse acknowledges the distrust but says The Banks is an economic tool for the whole city.
The city and county have both commited $350,000 annually for the next three years to help the authority get started.
Ministers say the city has no business forming a new riverfront neighborhood when existing ones have been ignored.
They complain that too much money has already been spent downtown to lure a Nordstrom department store and build two new stadiums.
Council members have raised similar concerns. But despite their outspoken criticisms, Mr. Booth and Council members Minette Cooper, Todd Portune and Charlie Winburn refused to vote against the authority last week.
The result was an impasse that left an ordinance to form the authority sitting on the council calendar.
The council did approve a resolution supporting the authority in concept, but Councilwoman Alicia Reece called it meaningless.
She attempted to kill the authority Wednesday, saying she was prepared to vote against it.
Not so fast
Now, it will be taken up again in council's community development committee. Mr. Portune, who heads the committee, has been the loudest critic of the authority, claiming that proponents are trying to rush it through in order to help the county meet financial obligations to the Bengals.
Mr. Portune's position is contrary to the one advanced by Hamilton County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus. The two are opponents for the same commission seat.
Mr. Bedinghaus has accused Mr. Portune of waffling on the creation of the port authority.
Commissioners have approved a resolution supporting the authority in concept and are waiting for the city to craft an ordinance that both can agree on.
Mr. Portune said that by going slowly the council has stripped the authority of its ability to put tax questions on the ballot and beefed up its longtime goal of cleaning up contaminated industrial sites.
Mayor Charlie Luken, who supports the authority, says the fighting is a distraction.
“It has been fractured by so many agendas that we have lost sight of what this is about,” he said. “It's all political gamesmanship and has nothing to do with the importance of The Banks.”
He defends the port authority as the best vehicle to get The Banks done.
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