WEST CHESTER TWP. — Leaders are frowning on a major commercial complex because they think the financial risk is too great, and developers want to build on a site that trustees and business interests in this booming suburb oppose.

        The developers, Columbus-based Steiner & Associates — known locally for Newport on the Levee — envision 1 million square feet of retail, office, restaurants and entertainment — and perhaps housing and a hotel — on 75 acres at the northwest corner of Interstate 75 and Cincinnati-Dayton Road.. They have teamed with Showcase Cinemas and sporting goods retailer, Galyan's, for the proposed West Chester Market Square.

        But trustees Tuesday refused to endorse a tentative proposal the developer made to Butler County earlier this year for $20 million to $40 million in tax incentives over 30 years. Steiner wants the tax incentives to build two parking garages and other improvements.

        “West Chester just doesn't have the kind of money they need,” Trustee Catherine Stoker said. “Each of us trustees would be dead in our grave before we saw a dime of benefit. It's a beautiful development but what do we get out of it? Parking garages.”

        Their denial reflects the wishes of several Union Centre Boulevard business leaders who objected to the project earlier this month. They said they set up shop in Union Centre because they thought the township's major development would occur there, and do not want to compete with the Steiner project. Union Centre Boulevard is one exit south on I-75 from the Steiner proposal.

        The same week the business leaders objected, Steiner pulled back its informal request from Butler County, saying it would return later for one when it had tenants signed.

        In an April 11 letter to Assistant Township Administrator Judith Carter, county commissioners withdrew their request to have the township's direction on the intent to create the tax incentive.

        But that didn't stop the trustees from nixing the incentive anyway, even after they said they did not know about the April 11 letter and the withdrawal.

        Ms. Carter told trustees she instructed her assistant to copy the letter to the trustees, and it apparently wasn't done.

        Trustee President Jose Alvarez called the letter “irrelevant,” and said the developers “want to have their cake and eat it, too.”

        “I do not see it as a benefit to the township to end up with a potential white elephant,” Mr. Alvarez said.

        Nevertheless, Trustee Dave Tacosik abstained from voting, saying he didn't believe the matter should have been voted on after the proposal was pulled.

        The denial could significantly affect the development, which could be scaled back or go away altogether. Steiner President Yaromir Steiner said Wednesday he was surprised and disappointed, and might alter the project, but declined to give specifics. “At this point we have not dropped the project and are thinking how we could adjust it in a way that would make sense,” he said. “We are going to see if we can make some adjustments to our project and our TIF and hope they will give us a fair hearing.”

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