COVINGTON — Ron Ferrier has been working nearly six years toward his dream of building a veterans memorial park.

        His latest attempt was Monday at a meeting of state and local leaders. Their response: Find a site before asking for money to build it.

        “Once you know where it's going to go, then you can look at funding resources,” Kenton County Judge-executive Dick Murga troyd said.

        Mr. Ferrier's first choice has always been along the Ohio River, but when Cincinnati and Hamilton County officials told him there wasn't money available for his idea, he came to the Kentucky side.

        Monday, Bluegrass leaders told him of two other possible sites: the Park Place area of Covington near the Kenton County Courthouse at the foot of the Roebling Suspension Bridge; and next to the World Peace Bell in Newport.

        “I need to take a look at (the two sites) right now,” said Mr. Ferrier, who served in the Air Force in 1960-61. “I thought all that property was owned, taken.”

        Mr. Ferrier also said he would meet with Covington City Manager Greg Jarvis and Southbank Partners director Wally Pagan.

        Monday's meeting at the county courthouse included business leaders and politicians. Among them: Lt. Gov. Steve Henry and his wife, Heather Renee French Henry, a former Miss America and longtime advocate of veter ans' causes; Drawbridge Estates owner Jerry Deters; State Reps. Charlie Walton, Tom Kerr and Jon Draud; and State Sen. Jack Westwood.

        Using architectural drawings and newspaper front pages from the day after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Mr. Ferrier shared his $2 million, three-part plan:

        • A memorial plaza. The American flag would be in the middle of a five-pointed star design and surrounded by the Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, POW/MIA and Disabled Veterans flags.

        • A great lawn area that would serve as a meeting place.

        • And a tree-lined area where private organizations could place markers commemorating fallen war heroes.

        “The Tristate is the only area in the Midwest that does not have a ... dignified veterans memorial park,” Mr. Ferrier said.

        There are many smaller Tristate memorials, including Erlanger, Florence, Crescent Springs and Blue Ash.

        Mr. Deters said a riverfront memorial park could be a tourist attraction.

        Ms. Henry favored a riverfront locale for Mr. Ferrier's plan because a memorial plaza in Owensboro “created such a great ambience.”

        But others said a tight state budget next year could prevent the infrastructure for years to come.

        “To get the infrastructure off the table, we need $20 million,” Mr. Pagan said. “It's a tough time in the state right now.”

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