Cincinnati council OKs Banks concert venue, although exact location remains under debate

Sharon Coolidge | Cincinnati Enquirer

Show Caption Hide Caption Drone video: Proposed music venue sites at The Banks Aerial footage of the three proposed music venue sites at The Banks.

Cincinnati City Council put the final stamp of approval on the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's bid to build a music venue at The Banks.

Yet during the unanimous vote Wednesday, there was no mention about where exactly at The Banks it would be built – because that issue isn't settled.

The Joint Banks Steering Committee recommended the orchestra as the developer of the indoor/outdoor venue. Hamilton County commissioners agreed, but council needed one final vote.

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Despite the votes, it's not a done deal. There's been a mostly behind-the-scenes battle about where in The Banks project that the concert venue should be built. Banks planner Tom Gabelman wants to build it on a site next to the Bengals stadium, which would mean building a $20 million parking garage under it that would also be a catalyst for the next phase of The Banks.

But the Bengals, whose lease with the county gives the team approval power on any project at The Banks that draws more than 3,000 people or is higher than two stories, want the concert venue built just south of the General Electric building. That site, they say, is in line with the original vision of what The Banks would look like.

It was supposed to be a graded development that sloped down toward the river so it didn't block existing views and complimented Downtown development. The Bengals haven't officially said no, but Mayor John Cranley told Council last week that would be the case. The Bengals granted a waiver to those rules for GE.

Last week, the mayor warned the venue might not be built at all because of the lot dispute.

"I worry we're giving people false hope," Cranley said. "There's no question we're far from a deal," he said. "One, the Bengals have made it clear they don't support using the lots closest to the stadium. And two, there is no agreement or legal obligation for us to put money into parking."

He did not comment Wednesday on the plan.