“Go do it. It’s your arena,” Democratic County Commissioner Todd Portune said Wednesday, in comments to the Cincinnati Enquirer addressed to the arena’s owners, Nederlander Entertainment. “We’ll be happy to help with permits and zoning, but don’t think that the county has a pot of money over here that we’re waiting to make available.”
Republicans and Democrats alike were united in their opposition to the public subsidy. Cincinnati is already reportedly $1 billion in debt on its other two pro sports stadiums (where the NFL’s Bengals and the MLB’s Reds play) and the U.S. Bank Arena is currently home to only a minor-league hockey team, with little hope of luring an NBA or an NHL franchise.
As such, the overhaul, which could cost as much as $350 million — the arena is in considerably worse condition than the Q — would be a “tough sell” for voters.
No kidding. Like Cleveland’s Sin Tax, Cincinnati already has a dedicated half-cent sales tax that goes toward the Bengals’ and Reds’ stadiums, but officials worry that voters would not extend the tax, which is said to be unpopular.
Nevertheless, Cincinnati’s site selection for Rounds 1 and 2 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in 2022 were said to hinge upon a facility upgrade. Folks at Nederlander Entertainment are optimistic that they’ll work out a financing plan.
That sounds like the NBA’s promise to host an All-Star game in Cleveland just as soon as Quicken Loans Arena is “enhanced” (to the tune of $140 million, which, through the magic of financing, will end up costing about $282 million, with about $160 million coming from the public, though all of that is subject to change!) For its part, the Q will host Rounds 1 and 2 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tourney in 2020.
Just like in Cleveland, the owners in Cincinnati are promising that “major concerts and events, such as political conventions,” will inject “hundreds of millions” of dollars into the local economy, and that even without a major tenant, an arena upgrade (or new construction entirely) makes financial sense.
The only difference is that in Cleveland, the majority of elected leaders — including Mayor Frank Jackson, City Council President Kevin Kelley, and Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish, all of whom are funded, to varying degrees, by the parties most vocally in support of the Q deal — believe them.
This article appears in Apr 19-25, 2017.
Holy shit is this a lazy article. Some times its better to just not talk or write when there is nothing to write about instead of trying to force something
One difference you fail to mention (and is often left out in Q upgrade articles) is the Q is OWNED by the city of Cleveland unlike the arena you are comparing to in Cincinnati.
I would say after reading this article that the politicians in Cincy are not interested in committing political suicide and that’s about it. We’re comparing apples and oranges here because this is an arena that doesn’t even house a major sports team, vs the Q which holds the Cavs. It’s also a lot easier to say no to a bid like that when you’re already a billion dollars in debt on stadium deals and the voters are understandably upset. I would like to think that even our leaders aren’t so dumb to agree to giant upgrade costs for a similar facility.
The pointlessly whiny articles are my favorite.
Rather than pay another penny for the Q, we should GIVE it to Dan Gilbert for free. We will pay off the existing bonds with the revenue already allocated and then starting in 2024 we can put the admissions tax in the general fund. He can upgrade or not upgrade as much as he would like. Although he would NEVER take the arena for free. Because he would then have to pay taxes on it. God forbid they contribute to the community.
Socialism for the filthy rich is the American Way!