Now the Fine Arts Fund has seen a roaring success from its $10 million pledge campaign, expect a return soon to serious talk about an umbrella arts development campaign for the region.

Consultant Louise Stevens will be back in Cincinnati this month to talk with arts groups. Her first recommendations, unveiled to local leaders in January, called for a "Cincinnati Cultural Trust" that would develop and market Tristate arts and cultural groups, not just the 17 that benefit from the Fine Arts Fund.

There still are multiple political challenges to overcome. The trust could be funded by a tax increase. And the Fine Arts Fund still has to be convinced that it wouldn't be hurt by the more ambitious regional plan.

Stevens said the fund's campaign would help.

"I think there's a real feeling of success building on success," she said. "I believe it's going to go forward. I just don't exactly know how."

Keep eating

Expect a blizzard of television ads from LaRosa's Inc. next week when the company officially unveils its newest menu items, ciabatta sandwiches. The specialty breads will be in all 53 stores.

It's the latest move from the local pizzeria chain, which also continues to expand its online ordering. Last week, there were more than 4,000 transactions over the Internet, well on the way to the weekly goal of 7,000.

Football CEO

Marvin Lewis was surrounded by CEOs, and he fit right in.

The Cincinnati Bengals coach got the red-carpet treatment from an impressive collection of corporate types last week at Paul Brown Stadium. One by one, they left impressed, and perhaps ready to repair strained relations between the football team and the city's business community.

"He clearly is a guy who thinks strategically, has a very clear plan and is going to execute that plan," Convergys Corp. CEO Jim Orr said.

Jack Cassidy, president of Cincinnati Bell, said Lewis "is a guy who's creating his own space." Cassidy said. "And to the credit of the Bengals' organization, they're apparently letting him do that."

It's critical to the Bengals. These are the same businesses that buy luxury boxes and premium seats. More and more have distanced themselves from the Bengals as the team's record and reputation hit rock bottom.

About two dozen Bengals players and coaches attended the gathering, along with NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Lewis made his top priority clear, and CEOs agree.

"Marvin asked me when I first met him, 'What can I do?'" Cassidy said. "I said, 'The best thing you can do is win football games.'"

E-mail cpeale@enquirer.com