"Regionalism" is a chamber of commerce buzzword, an eye-rolling, pie-in-the-sky idea that Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky come together, sing Kumbaya and get things done for the greater good of Greater Cincinnati.

Disparate political interests and big-business egos make it almost impossible to fully achieve "regionalism."

But could a soccer stadium on the south bank of the Ohio River actually help Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky get over our petty, us-vs.-them rivalry?

No, seriously. It'd be unprecedented for Cincinnati's Carl Lindner III and his mostly Ohio-based ownership group to take their uber-popular soccer franchise across the river and build a $200 million stadium in Northern Kentucky. Businesses on the Ohio side of the river just don't make those kinds of investments over there.

After years of Cincinnati generally thumbing its nose at Northern Kentucky like it's a third-world country, it would show that some of the Queen City's most powerful people are willing to check their egos and deliver a big victory to Northern Kentucky – and in turn, to the region.

It would motivate thousands of Ohioans to invest their time and cash in Northern Kentucky, something its residents certainly have done in Cincinnati. And the proposed Newport site isn't that long of a walk for fans saying it's too far away from The Banks' watering holes. (Politics Extra walked it. See below).

Simply, a NKY stadium could help shrink the Ohio River from an ocean to a creek.

"We're all Greater Cincinnati," Northern Kentucky Chamber boss Brent Cooper told Politics Extra. "Leaders on both sides of the river are now engaged at a level I’ve never seen before. Little baby steps along the way have gotten us to a place where we’re ready to take some giant leaps."

STAKES RAISED: A cutting-edge, soccer-specific stadium perched at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers in Newport could be that giant leap. Newport offers the only shovel-ready plot of land, and FC Cincinnati is running out of time to get their stadium plan in place.

Major League Soccer will make its decision to add two expansion clubs in mid-December, and Nashville raised the stakes this week by being the first serious contender to unveil a stadium plan.

Cincinnati and Hamilton County politicos aren't budging on the use of taxpayer money for a stadium. It's not like Northern Kentucky can offer much, but the fact the site is ready to go and developer Bill Butler controls it as a tax increment financing district may be the best the soccer club is going to get.

Such a district allows for some tax dollars generated from new businesses and homes built on the site to be used to pay off debt on parking garages, streets and other infrastructure.

COMING TOGETHER: For years, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have battled over the Brent Spence Bridge and airport.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich threw gasoline on the fire by criticizing Northern Kentucky leaders for their reluctance to build the bridge and push for more flights. Also, let's not forget Kasich recruited Omnicare and Nielsen to leave Covington and move to Cincinnati during his first term.

But that's Columbus not understanding the local dynamics. Kasich has gone silent on Northern Kentucky the past few years, and cross-river relationships have been improving.

Thanks to Kenton County Judge-executive Kris Knochelmann, business and political leaders on both sides of the river worked together in 2015 to break up the good-ol'-boy network that had been controlling CVG for decades.

The old board structure hindered leaders from across the region to have input on the airport, a critical jobs-growing engine. Knochelmann's efforts helped change a state law to allow more regionwide input.

CVG has been growing rapidly ever since. The interstate collaboration played a big part in landing long-coveted, flier-fave Southwest Airlines this year. Top Cincinnati and NKY business and political leaders quietly worked with CVG officials for a few years to bring the low-cost carrier to town.

Further, economic development leaders in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are working to put together one proposal to try to land Amazon's new headquarters.

FC Cincinnati President Jeff Berding has been part of some of these conversations. He used to work for Butler, the NKY developer.

PX doesn't want to overplay this Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky collaboration as an all-out lovefest, but these are all good signs.

GET OVER IT: There are FC Cincinnati fans who are groaning about the thought of the club having to go to Newport. Some even booed in the summer when stadium renderings were unveiled showing the Northern Kentucky site.

Some fans also have grumbled about the Newport site being too far away from The Banks for them to do their pregame "march" to the stadium.

Oh, really now?

PX took a walk on Wednesday from the Moerlein Lagerhouse to the Newport site. It took 18 minutes, 46 seconds nonstop via the Suspension Bridge. It was 21 minutes, 8 seconds via the Taylor-Southgate Bridge. Newport on the Levee is less than a 5-minute walk from the site.

Fans' current "march route" from Mecklenburg Gardens in Corryville to the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium is 21 minutes nonstop, according to Google Maps. (PX was too tired to take that walk, too.)

Anyway, the belief here is it's a small but loud group of fans complaining about Northern Kentucky.

Well, get over it.

Or else be cool with your team staying in the minor leagues.

Politics Extra is a column looking inside Greater Cincinnati and Ohio politics. Follow Enquirer political columnist Jason Williams on Twitter @jwilliamscincy and send email to jwilliams@enquirer.com.