Of the nearly $1 billion in the city of Cincinnati’s annual budget, one $8 million allocation might spark the biggest political battle as city leaders wrangle in the next month over next fiscal year’s budget.
The $8 million would go toward the new Farmer Music Center, informally known as Riverbend 2.0, as it’s an upgrade to the landmark Riverbend Music Center on the city’s eastern border.
With the city facing a $29 million projected deficit, the music venue could be divisive, said Budget Committee Chairman Jeff Cramerding, who voted against the resolution to give $8 million to the music venue.
“I think as of right now it is one of the larger issues; $8 million is a very large hit,” Cramerding said. “Where will that $8 million come from? What will be cut to pay for that $8 million?”
Does a majority of City Council support it?
In March, a narrow majority of Cincinnati City Council, 5-4, passed a resolution in support of $8 million for the Farmer Music Center.
But that doesn’t mean the city will give $8 million to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, which owns and operates Riverbend through its subsidiary, Music and Event Management Inc. – known as MEMI.
The resolution passed in March declared the music venue a priority but didn’t obligate the city to allot the money.
The city manager and mayor aren’t saying whether they will include the $8 million in their recommended budget they will present to the public May 22. City Council will have the final say and has until June 30 to approve the budget.
Council sharply divided
The issue has divided council.
Voting for the spending in March were Anna Albi, Seth Walsh, Evan Nolan, Meeka Owens and Ryan James.
Voting against were Mark Jeffreys, Scotty Johnson, Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney and Jeff Cramerding.
It’s not clear whether such an allocation still has the majority of council support.
Walsh, in a text to The Enquirer, said he still supported the measure and said the unused money from last year in the capital budget could go toward the music venue and not be taken out of the city’s operating budget.
Those who supported the spending said the music venue will be an important part of the city’s cultural legacy and have a far-reaching economic impact.
“If we’re not growing, we’re dying,” said Nolan in the March meeting where he voted for the resolution. “Others have suggested the money is not needed to get this return. … They wanted to call CSO’s bluff. Well, I’m not here to gamble with our city’s future.”
Some council members might be having doubts
While Owens voted in support of the resolution, she wouldn’t commit to voting for the $8 million allocation in the city budget. She said she wants to see where the city manager would propose to get the $8 million.
“I’m not interested in cuts to important, I mean really any, city department,” Owens said. “If this becomes a decision of this or that, we will have to do this with a fine-toothed comb.”
Another council member who supported the resolution didn’t say whether he’d vote for it or against it.
Nolan, in a text, said there’s “no additional info at this time” but pointed out the resolution he voted for is contingent on the administration vetting the investment, giving a thorough review “and other conditions appropriate and necessary to guarantee completion of the project.”
Opponent called allocation ‘reckless’
Those who opposed it expressed concerns the $8 million would require cutting important services, such as road repairs.
“We need to fund urgent infrastructure before we fund a private investment,” said Jeffreys.
Johnson, in a later meeting in April, called it “reckless and irresponsible” and said it could jeopardize other initiatives, such as affordable housing projects.
“There’s still not been any financial analysis attached to this $8 million, so what message are we sending?” Johnson said.
Mayor still skeptical
The mayor seemed skeptical of the city giving MEMI money for the music venue in March when he grilled Albi, the chief sponsor of the $8 million resolution.
When Albi said it wasn’t her place to “rattle off the numbers,” Pureval sharply responded.
“I respectfully disagree,” Pureval said. “I do think it is your place. This is council’s job to vet these before making investments.”
Pureval hasn’t publicly taken a position on city funding for the Farmer Music Center. The city administration is currently conducting a financial analysis, said Jack Willingham, the mayor’s spokesman, in a text to The Enquirer.
The mayor wants a financial analysis “to inform any decision about financial support,” Willingham said.
The administration and MEMI have met to discuss the finances of the project, Willingham said.
“With limited resources and competing needs, this has to make sense for the city,” Willingham said.
Why does MEMI need the money?
The symphony is building a $160 million new music venue to upgrade the 42-year-old Riverbend Music Center on Kellogg Avenue on the site of the old Coney Island amusement park in Cincinnati’s California neighborhood. Designed by GBBN, the outdoor performance venue is expected to be able to hold 20,000 people.
Supporters of the symphony have said the city’s money is needed to keep the project on track for an opening of spring 2027. The symphony spokeswoman and council members who supported the measure have not said what would happen to the project if the city doesn’t give the project money.
“City funding remains important to maintaining the current project timeline and to ensuring that we’re on track for opening in spring 2027,” said Felecia Tchen Kanney, spokeswoman for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, in an email to The Enquirer.
The project is 76% funded, Kanney said. The Farmer Family Foundation donated $60 million toward the project last spring.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: New Riverbend music center could spark budget battle on City Council
Reporting by Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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