By Ken Alltucker
The Cincinnati Enquirer

It could take three months or longer before Northern Kentucky tourism interests are ready to seek approval of a bed-taxincrease to help fund a proposed super-regional tourism agency.

The Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau's board on Tuesday wanted more details about the yet-to-be-formed group before endorsing such an idea.

The plan of creating a super-regional group comes from a Chicago consultant who found Greater Cincinnati's disjointed approach of promoting tourist attractions an ineffective use of limited funds.

The Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau in December authorized nearly $1.1 million for the regional tourism group. Northern Kentucky hotels could pitch in another $850,000 a year if the Kentucky bureau and fiscal courts in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties approve a 1 percent bed-tax increase.

But leaders in Northern Kentucky want to know the group's potential staffing, economic impact and affect on hotel bookings. Bureau leaders also must research whether combining funds for a new group is legal. "Everybody agrees this is the right thing to do," said Mike Conway, chairman of the Northern Kentucky Bureau. "

Over the next few months, representatives of both bureaus will hash out a detailed plan. It's unlikely a plan would be completed by the Northern Kentucky bureau's next meeting on June 14.

Conway and Dan Fay, president of Covington-based Commonwealth Hotels, will represent the Northern Kentucky bureau. Greater Cincinnati bureau chairman John Taylor and another Cincinnati bureau representative will join the talks.

E-mail kalltucker@enquirer.com