CINCINNATI — Cincinnati City Council narrowly passed a resolution Wednesday in support of spending $8 million on a new music venue set to be built at the former Coney Island site.
The resolution passed five votes to four. It followed nearly an hour of back-and-forth between council members, with many questions left unanswered.
Council member Anna Albi was the main sponsor of the resolution. She said the city’s contribution would cover 5% of the project’s $160 million cost and is an investment in the city’s future.
Albi said the venue is expected to generate $1.5 million in admission taxes per year, allowing the city to recoup its investment in roughly five years.
Mayor Aftab Pureval questioned the 5% figure and asked Albi about the exact funding gap the project is trying to fill. Albi declined to give a specific number during the meeting, stating the city’s director of the office of strategic growth had already vetted the financials and that it was “not her place.”
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Council narrowly approves new $8M music venue
“I respectfully disagree,” Pureval said. “I do think it’s your place. It’s council’s job to vet these before making investments.”
Several council members said they were frustrated over the process and the city’s projected operating budget shortfall.
“Right now, facing a $35 million deficit, $8 million is reckless and irresponsible,” Council member Scotty Johnson said.
Johnson argued the city should prioritize housing and feeding people over “leisure and luxury.”
Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney agreed, saying the council should not prioritize the venue before discussing other pressing city needs.
“We don’t know what we have to forego by putting this project in the front of the line in the special place where we would make this commitment, before we’ve had these discussions,” Lemon Kearney said.
Council member Mark Jeffreys noted the lack of a formal hearing and questioned what other projects would be sacrificed.
“I would like to know from the administration, what are we not going to do, what road are we not going to repave, what fire truck are we not going to buy?” Jeffreys said.
Council member Jeff Cramerding voted against the measure and spoke with us Thursday about his decision. He said it’s an important project, but there should be a conversation regarding the city’s support.
“What happened yesterday, and allocating or at least identifying $8 million of funds without knowing where those funds will come from and how they will impact the project, was irresponsible,” Cramerding said.
Cramerding also said he felt blindsided.
“I first heard about this a few weeks ahead of yesterday’s vote, and normally we’ve got much more time,” Cramerding said. “I have not seen a spreadsheet, I have not seen anything in writing about the city’s $8 million investment.”
Cramerding said that the $8 million will come out of the city’s capital fund, meaning other neighborhood projects will be cut.
“There’s been a lot of questions and concerns from citizens after the vote yesterday, people wanting to know what projects will be affected,” Cramerding said. “All this happened after two budget hearings, so there was not time for citizens to ask questions at those two budget hearings.”
Supporters of the resolution said that capital funds legally cannot be used to fix the operating deficit and that the venue will spur long-term economic growth.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Council member Seth Walsh pushed back on claims that the vote was rushed. Walsh said that the city cannot “cut our way to prosperity.”
“I have written evidence that last year, during the closeout process and during the budget process, I actually put forward for us to fund this project,” Walsh said.
Council member Ryan James said the venue could make Cincinnati a national destination for festivals, competing with the likes of Bonnaroo in Tennessee or Lollapalooza in Chicago.
“For me, there is no more pressing need than investing in growth,” Council member Evan Nolan said. “If we’re not growing, we’re dying, and this project will return tens of millions of dollars that we need to fund all of the services that people are talking about.”
Council member Meeka Owens also voted in favor of the resolution. We spoke with her Thursday about her decision. She said the project will uplift cultural vibrancy and create jobs.
“I believe the CSO will be a game-changer project,” Owens said.
Owens said the city can invest in the new facility while also passing a budget that includes safety services like fire and police.
“This is an example that we can do multiple things at once,” Owens said. “You decide that quality of life comes back to investments that you make into it, and this is certainly one of those opportunities.”
Johnson made a motion to hold the item until the council had more clarity, but it failed. The council then passed the resolution.
Council members Albi, James, Nolan, Owens and Walsh voted yes. Cramerding, Jeffreys, Johnson and Lemon Kearney voted no.
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