By Kevin Aldridge
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DOWNTOWN - The Ohio Classic & Jamboree will return to the banks of the Ohio River this September, ending speculation that the football game and festival would remain permanently in Cleveland.

The four-day event, which attracts some of the best football teams from historically black colleges, will take place Sept. 18 at Paul Brown Stadium.

John Pace, president of the River Front Classic Corp., said he plans to have teams signed for the game in two weeks.

"Yes, it is definitely going to happen," Pace said. "It is going to be bigger than ever before, with more celebrities than ever before."

The football game will be held simultaneously with Oktoberfest, according to officials at the Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau. Those events combined with a series of games between the Reds and the Chicago Cubs that weekend could be a huge economic boost for downtown, bureau officials said.

The classic began in 1999 in Cincinnati. It moved to Cleveland last year after a scheduling conflict with the Bengals and Paul Brown Stadium forced organizers to relocate.

The classic enjoyed unprecedented success in Cleveland, drawing more than 45,000 people - 15,000 more than in Cincinnati - and generating $15 million in revenue for the city. There were also more black sponsors and black-owned businesses involved with the event.

The success raised some questions about whether the game would return to the Queen City.

"There was never a second thought about coming back to Cincinnati," Pace said. "We feel that we can achieve similar results here."

Pace said the games will now alternate between Cincinnati and Cleveland.

The classic will operate on a $1.4 million budget. Pace said he expects the public and private sectors to lend expertise, volunteer hours and financial assistance to the event. It is unclear what the financial commitment will be from Procter & Gamble, the classic's chief sponsor.

Email kaldridge@enquirer.com