‘The opportunity Cincinnati is missing’: New group launches push for Downtown arena

CINCINNATI (ENQUIRER) - Those wanting a new arena in Cincinnati now have a new organization to help with the push, according to our partners at the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The Hamilton County Growth Alliance on Thursday announced its launch and singled out the construction “of a modern, state-of-the-art arena” in downtown Cincinnati as its first priority.

The nonprofit said it will launch a media campaign “highlighting the economic impact that modern arenas have on their cities and the opportunity Cincinnati is missing.” The launch of the Growth Alliance’s ad campaign coincides with the NCAA March Madness tournament, which Cincinnati has missed out on hosting largely because of its outdated arena.

Business leaders who have pushed for a new arena have also said top acts pass over Cincinnati in favor of cities with better and bigger arenas. The 49-year-old Heritage Bank Center along the Ohio River in Downtown doesn’t meet the needs of many touring acts, proponents of a new arena have said.

Cincinnati-based political consultant Jay Kincaid, who previously served as former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley’s chief of staff, will head the Hamilton County Growth Alliance as its executive director.

“Cincinnati cannot afford to continue to fall further behind while peer cities invest in modern arenas that attract top-tier entertainment and major sporting events,” Kincaid said in a statement. “A new arena will strengthen our economy, increase tourism, and create opportunities for local businesses.”

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Using the county sales tax to build a new arena

The Hamilton County Growth Alliance advocates using a portion of the county’s 7.8% sales tax to build the future arena. A half percent of that sales tax has gone toward the maintenance of Paycor Stadium and Great American Ballpark for the last several decades.

“The sales tax is the biggest potential source of funding for an arena,” Kincaid told The Enquirer. “To the extent we are advocating for the construction of a new arena, I think we do have to advocate for the arena to receive some funding from the sales tax.”

Plans for a new arena come as the county and the Bengals continue to spar over the lease for Paycor Stadium and its possible future renovation. According to a study led by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, a new Downtown 18,000-seat arena would cost upwards of $800 million and the public could shoulder 70% of the cost.

Last fall, Kincaid worked with market research firm Public Opinion Strategies to conduct two focus groups and a poll that surveyed 400 Hamilton County residents on the future use of the sales tax and whether they want a new arena:

• When asked which potential projects are most important to the future of the county, 63% of residents said they’d prefer to replace the aging Heritage Bank Center over renovating Paycor Stadium or Great American Ball Park.
• 88% of residents said it was important that the Greater Cincinnati region remain a major league city with the Bengals and Reds.
• Should a deal be struck to upgrade Paycor Stadium, 92% of residents said the public should shoulder no more than 50% of the cost.
• 90% of residents said taxpayers should be able to vote before the county allocated any new money to the stadiums through the sales tax.

“This isn’t about pitting an arena vs. the Bengals vs. the Reds or anything else,” Kindcaid said. “There are a limited amount of funds, but it is important to the community and to voters that the Reds and the Bengals stay here. It’s just that they don’t want it to be at any cost.”

The poll didn’t ask residents whether the stadium tax should be repealed or if one possible project should receive funding over another.

“We have to find a way to fairly distribute those resources and do it in a way that maximizes the economic return,” Kincaid said. “When I look at what the sales tax could be used for that would benefit the most people, a new modern arena is an obvious need.”

Kincaid declined to comment on who funded the poll or the organization.