moonloop

<i>Nice to see Penn National concerned about Cincinnati's less fortunate and reeling in their casino plans. They don't want anymore of our money. :roll:</i> <b>Investors float plans for casinos as Penn buoys Argosy expansion</b> Cincinnati Business Courier - May 26, 2006 by Dan Monk Penn National Gaming Inc. updated analysts recently on its $266 million expansion of the Argosy Casino in Lawrenceburg, calling it a "can't lose proposition" to grow new market share in Cincinnati. "This is the largest riverboat in the United States today," William Clifford, Penn National's chief financial officer, said in a March 16 presentation to a high-yield bond conference in Las Vegas. "This will clearly be a premier destination property for the Cincinnati market. "And we are very comfortable that this will have a rather significant impact on our ability to grow our fair share of the Cincinnati market," he said. Clifford's comments are particularly interesting these days, now that a group of Cincinnati investors is trying to build a casino at Broadway Commons in downtown Cincinnati. The Wyomissing, Pa.-based company worked with race track operators to squeeze the Broadway casino out of a state ballot issue to legalize slots parlors at race tracks. That prompted local businessman Louis Beck to float a casino proposal of his own. Both ballot initiatives are now seeking signatures to be placed on this November's ballot. Full article at http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/05/29/newscolumn4.html

I heard they were out and about. Sign early, Sign often.

Here are a few of the mock-ups they had at the Public Meeting on Wednesday. If and when there's a festival, this is one example of how it would be set up.

Congrats on the house. The deer are starting to pop up everywhere. Stay alert. ;-)

I went to the meeting yesterday and the plans are certainly ambitious. It has a little bit of everything. They mentioned moving the major festivals down there and gave the example of October-Fest lasting 8 days instead of a weekend since streets wouldn't have to be closed. As for the timeframe, and if the stars are aligned, the first segment would start in 9/07 and finish in 2009. The first part built would be East of Roebling to GABP, from Merhing Way down to the river. That's about of 1/3 of the park and that part alone would cost over $30 million. I did take a few pics which I'll try to post later tonight.

Now this could get interesting . . .

What's wrong with moving it to the Queensgate area? Granted, I don't like the idea of the whole State using it as a place to dump all predators, we already know there really aren't any residents in this area.

Thanks to JohnOSU99, this issue is now online(at least the cover story is) and there are some very nice evening pics. The article is very detailed. http://www.pubs.asce.org/ceonline/ceonline06/0506feat.html

I'm going to try to make the open house too. The I-Team report was comparing the new park to one in Paris, France. I think the reporter just wanted a free trip. DT Cincy simply needs more residents to get the max used out of our parks. and maybe a Casino. ;-) Here's a link comparing the two parks. http://www.wcpo.com/wcpo/localshows/iteam/riverfrontpark/images.html

<b>Sheriff Supports Downtown Casino </b> First posted: 5/22/2006 9:14:06 AM Last updated: 5/22/2006 12:11:46 PM Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis has announced he supports plans for a Cincinnati casino. The Broadway Commons site for a proposed casino is right behind the Hamilton County Justice Center. Leis says a casino would not increase crime in the city. He also noted that the tax revenue from such a project would help build more jail space and in return keep criminals in prison that otherwise would be released early due to overcrowding. It was also revealed at the press conference that the building of a casino would create up to 1900 jobs in the city. Full story at http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/05/22/casino.html

^Did anyone do this tour?

^Your a UC student, right. Do you use the rec center? From what I understand, anyone in Cincinnati can join the club. If I lived in the Clifton area that would be the gym to use.

<i>City Beat has a new blog. I'm not a fan of the politics but it does seem to post info on the various goings on DT. Like this post about Fountain Square.</i> Monday, May 15, 2006 <b>Showtime for the First Amendment</b> I’ve had two memorable personal experiences in the theory and practice of free speech at Fountain Square, so its future as a forum for dissent is of great interest to me. In 1984 President Ronald Reagan spoke on the square during his re-election campaign. Charter buses ringed the square, and Republican activists confiscated protest signs at the one entrance through which all guests had to pass. I managed to sneak onto the square a sign saying, “Dump Reagan.” But when I held it aloft for the Gipper to see, a man punched me in the jaw and tore up my sign. A Cincinnati Police officer was standing nearby; when I told him what had happened, he ignored me, making no response at all. In 2003 I joined with Michael McCleese in planning to block traffic in front of Fountain Square to protest the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Three other people unexpectedly joined us in being arrested. I’m proud to say that, with the help of dozens of fellow protesters, we nicely tied up traffic on Fifth Street during evening rush hour. Now that the city has put the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) in charge of the refurbished Fountain Square, how will protests be handled? During a recent meeting with CityBeat staffers, 3CDC officials tried to assuage concerns that the new entertainment focus will inhibit use of the square for protests. “My board isn’t trying to restrict protests on the square,” said 3CDC President Stephen Leeper. But I’m not convinced. Leeper attempted a joke about the kind of art that will be welcome on the square. “No Mapplethorpe,” he said. “I’m kidding — don’t print that.” But joking aside, Bill Donabedian, the square’s new manager, is determined to transform it into an entertainment venue and “selling point” for downtown. “Fountain Square has to be a place where people just have to go because they’re never sure what’s going to be going on — but it will be a lot of fun, a lot of excitement,” he said. “My job is to give people one reason to come downtown and, once they experience that entertainment and that fun, they’ll realize there are other things to do downtown.” Donabedian even suggested that, with enough entertainment, people might feel less need to organize protests at all. “I have a feeling that, if you fill the space with events and entertainment, there will be less protests,” he said. “Part of it is because people have been unhappy.” Yes, well, I’d be happier if conservative Republican presidents were sent elsewhere to give their speeches. But arguing that more entertainment is the way to mollify dissent isn’t just supercilious; it also shows ignorance of the law. It just four years ago that U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens weighed in on the question of the proper uses of Fountain Square. In tossing out a stay issued by the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, Stevens dispensed with the city’s efforts to ban Ku Klux Klan crosses, Jewish menorahs and other symbols from the square between Thanksgiving and New Year’s day. "Given the square's historic character as a public forum, under the reasoning in this court's decision in Capitol Square Review and Advisory Bd. V. Pinette 515 U.S. 753 (1995), I think the district court correctly enjoined the city from enforcing ‘those portions' of the ordinance `which give the city exclusive use of Fountain Square' for the next seven weeks,” Stevens wrote. That historical character won’t change just because 3CDC wants to turn the square into an entertainment venue. Leeper and Donabedian said that the new, improved square will likely have a section where protests can occur. But Leeper hinted at restrictions that are almost sure to lead to litigation. “If there’s an event there, (protests) can’t interfere with the event,” he said. The larger question, of course, is whether the trade-off is sound public policy: downsizing a public forum to accommodate a bigger show. — Gregory Flannery posted by Greg Flannery at 4:37 PM | 0 comments http://citybeatporkopolis.blogspot.com/

<b>'Deadwood' creator name-checks city</b> BY JOHN KIESEWETTER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Who is "John from Cincinnati," and how did he get into surfing? We won't find out until after TV producer David Milch ("Deadwood," "NYPD Blue") completes "John from Cincinnati," a pilot for HBO about the world of surfing. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter said Milch is writing the one-hour drama with author surfer novelist Kem Nunn ("Tapping the Source," "Tijuana Straits"). http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060515/ENT/605150311/1025

On Saturday, May 13 there was a public open house for the Grand Opening of the Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village. It's eight floors with the AD's office at the top and the various coaches on the lower floors plus Academic Center, Museum Health Services, Sports Medicine, a ton of Locker Rooms and a huge practice gym. I also took a tour of the Campus Rec Center next door. I was truly impress by all of it. I would think potential students and athletes will be blown away by all the amenities. Here are my pics from the tours. First, <b>Varsity Village</b> Atrium/Museum area Nice to see their trophies displayed Offices on the sides, Atrium in the middle If you want to see the AD you must get by this woman. Every chair type under the sun seems to be here Auditorium Sports Medicine area on the 2nd Floor There are literally a dozen locker rooms on the first floor Practice Gym <b>Campus Rec Center</b> The top part is student housing, the lower half is where the rec center is, I think. The buildings seem to be connected. Four lane running track, these bright yellow areas are throughout the building. They are tornado-safe zones. The track is elavated, very cool A little rock climbing Pool area, not the best pics of it. B-ball and waterfall, nice stress relief The Rec Center has a huge floor with at least six full size courts. Bigger than the one in Varsity Village, Huge! Student Housing, these have been done for awhile Charlton Place looks to be done. It needs some landscaping. I noticed one SOLD sign. There is some rough housing on Jefferson, this looks good.

Wow, very nice and fun!

^Yeah, I was there too and duly impressed. I will be post some pics shortly.

I guess for right now we have to see how 3cdc ambitious plans pan out. But if there is a serious plan for Historic Preservation it will run into the endless hot potato of the overwhelming poverty and crime. I can't see the two coexisting. As someone is quoted in the previous stories, what is worth saving the buildings or the people? I don't think you can do one without affecting the other, at least not in a large scale that will be needed to make a difference for all of OTR.

^I would like to know what the Cleveland papers are saying too. What I find interesting is the Cincy ballot is exactly the same the Cleveland one. The Cincy version includes slots in DT Cleveland and all the various horsetracks PLUS Broadway Commons. That's the only difference. The power brokers really need to figure out how to combine these two issues. Good points, UncleRando Oh, the Hamilton Country Commissioners vetod a resolution in support of a casino in DT Cincy. Surprise, Heimlich and his gimp were the no votes.

<i>A little something from the Post</i> <b>OTR on list of historic sites in peril</b> By Joe Wessels, Post contributor Over-the-Rhine is in danger. That's the determination of a group of historic preservationists who say that the Cincinnati neighborhood is one of 11 places in the country in danger from "disinvestment, deterioration, inadequate planning and low levels of home ownership." The endangered designation came through the efforts of a group of activists in the neighborhood, who applied for it to the Washington-based National Trust for Historic Preservation. Over-the-Rhine was selected from hundreds of applicants, said Walter Reinhaus, president of the Over-the-Rhine Community Council. Every year the trust names places around the country that are in need of attention before they are lost completely. Other endangered places singled out this year include a Civil War battlefield in Logan County, W.Va., that is threatened by strip mining and the "Survivor's Staircase" at the former World Trade Center site in New York City that was a pathway to safety for many victims of 9-11 and is the only surviving above-ground piece of the two towers. Also in the group are several neighborhoods in New Orleans; the trust called the entire Louisiana city one of the "most endangered places in America" after Hurricane Katrina. "Living in Over-the-Rhine is like living in a constant hurricane, the violence, the lawlessness and the failure of businesses and personal struggles, all of our lost diversity and opportunity" said Reinhaus. "Even though a lot of the efforts (to improve the area) are admirable, they just add up to things getting worse." Sentiments like that are what appear to have prompted the Trust to shine light on the neighborhood's issues. "The residents of this area have persevered through misdirected urban renewal initiatives, controversy among diverse community groups, the inattention of city officials and the lack of a meaningful strategy for improvement," Richard Moe, president of the Trust, said. "It is our hope that this designation will serve as a unifier, providing the impetus needed to bring various ... groups together." Reinhaus and Cincinnati Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell, also an Over-the-Rhine resident, said they are not sure what the designation will do, but they hope it will focus more attention on the area. "It's a novel of several volumes yet to be written," said Reinhaus. "Although to some extent some local resources are put into (the neighborhood), what we need to do now is to draw beyond what we can find locally." Tarbell said: "It is one of the most important urban districts in the country that is at risk and there are a number of districts as important that have already been substantially restored." He said most have heard of the area having the largest collection of Italianate architecture in the country, but might not realize it also has the largest collection of art and cultural buildings, too. Music Hall, the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Memorial Hall, the Know Theatre Tribe, the School for the Creative and Performing Arts, the now-closed Emery Theatre and the Ensemble Theatre, among others, add to the area's uniqueness, he said. Reinhaus sees the Trust's involvement as the impetus for new ways of looking at the problems that plague the neighborhood. "So much of what the city has done, which is typical of most cities, is project-based," he said. "What we need is urban husbandry ... people in the neighborhood connecting with a hundred different people and helping them make a difference." Publication date: 05-10-2006 http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060510/NEWS01/605100363

^I always wondered what it costs to go to a big-time college football game. What are the average ticket prices? Do a lot a people get in free? Could OSU fill that stadium at NFL ticket prices?

<i>This is getting good, it could become a battle royal between Cincy/Columbus vs those punks from Cleveland. :-)</i> <b>Slot machine petition delivered</b> BY JON CRAIG | ENQUIRER COLUMBUS BUREAU COLUMBUS – A petition asking Ohio voters to legalize slot-machines in Broadway Commons, within a new 300-room hotel, was delivered to the state Attorney General’s office here this afternoon. Like three previously filed constitutional amendments, today’s calls for nearly 35,000 slot machines – or up to 3,500 apiece – at seven existing horse tracks, two new gambling sites in Cleveland as well as at a hotel at Broadway Street and Reading Road in Cincinnati. Earlier gambling proposals excluded Cincinnati. Rick Brunner, a Columbus elections law attorney, submitted the latest constitutional amendment, with more than 2,000 signatures attached – mostly from Hamilton County – to the Attorney General’s office for approval. All of the petitions for a Nov. 7 vote face many legal and financial obstacles – as well as organized opposition. Ohio law requires at least 1,000 valid signatures for a statewide ballot initiative. Once ballot language is approved, and signatures verified, the next step is to collect 323,000 signatures of registered voters statewide by an Aug. 9 deadline. More at http://www.enquirer.com

<i>A lot interesting things happeining lately. Hopefully, there will be more than just talk. </i> <b>Lots of ideas for this spot But Broadway Commons remains humble parking site</b> BY MARLA MATZER ROSE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Broadway Commons has become the most high-profile parking lot in Cincinnati in the last few days. But this is not the site's first moment of fame. Several uses have been proposed for the site over the last decade, including most notably as a venue for a Reds ballpark. (Hamilton County voters ultimately decided the Reds stadium would be built on the riverfront.) Since the vote to pick a stadium site, an office complex and site for a multistore big-box retail development have also been floated as ideas for the sprawling 20-acre lot on the northeast edge of downtown. Neither has been built. The lot is owned by Cincinnati-based Parking Company of America. The company, which owns property in more than a dozen cities, including airport parking lots in Albuquerque, Cleveland and Miami, is privately owned by the Chavez family, which did not return calls seeking comment. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060510/NEWS01/605100338/1056

That was me. It's well know that Bush is really only interested in immigration reform so his big business cronies can reap the benefits of continued exploitation of these workers. Big business want cheap labor, who better to hire than those who have no voice.

<i>It's still not clear if Cincy will have seperate ballot or will join the Cleveland version. I would like to see them combined. Otherwise we will have a Cincy vs Cleveland battle on our hands</i> <b>Casino plan rushed into play 'Option to buy' deal helped revive idea that council had ignored</b> BY DAN KLEPAL AND JON CRAIG | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITERS Leslie Ghiz had never heard of Louis Beck as she started her day Thursday. By the end of that night, the Cincinnati council member had spent more than eight hours on the phone with state legislators, her fellow council members and Beck, a local mortgage banker who was interested in building a slot machine parlor at Broadway Commons near Hamilton County's jail. In those eight hours of frantic conversation, Ghiz, Beck and other council members devised a plan to deal the city and county back into a proposition that could allow slot machines in Ohio - and at Broadway Commons - for the first time. It's a deal that, if approved in a statewide referendum this fall, could reap tens of millions of dollars annually for both governments. A proposal to allow slot machine parlors at seven race tracks and three stand-alone locations - two in Cleveland and one in Cincinnati - had been discussed for months. But a perceived lack of interest by Cincinnati's business and political leaders, and some lobbying on behalf of the owners of Argosy Casino in Indiana, led to Cincinnati being written out of the proposed constitutional amendment. Full article at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060510/NEWS01/605100339/1056