The Banks: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra picked as developer for new concert venue at The Banks

It might seem that the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra was always the front-runner to build a new concert venue at The Banks.

After all, several members of the Joint Banks Steering Committee (JBSC), which Wednesday selected the symphony as the preferred developer, readily expressed their preference for the local group among three competing bids.

"We got three good proposals, but (CSO) is Cincinnati...I don't see how we can turn them down,'' said Bob Castellini, a committee member and president of the Cincinnati Reds.

But Castellini also said the CSO's proposal did not receive special treatment. He said it was simply the best proposal out of all three.

"We look forward to working with the Joint Banks Steering Committee, the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County to create a music venue that will establish Cincinnati as the premier destination for concerts,'' read a statement from the CSO.

Even the concert promoters whose bids were rejected acknowledged the symphony submitted a solid proposal.

Live Nation Entertinment, along with real estate developer, Ark Group, submitted a joint proposal to build a concert venue at The Banks. They were joined by Columbus-based concert promoter, PromoWest - the ninth-biggest promoter in the country - which submitted a separate bid.

Live Nation's proposal for an approximately $73 million indoor-outdoor facility was dismissed largely because it was the only bid that would require public money - about $36 million.

PromoWest proposed a fully funded $15.3 million indoor-outdoor facility, while CSO's plans called for a $19.25 million, three-story building with adjacent outdoor concert space.

PromoWest still a contender?

PromoWest CEO Scott Stienecker said he still hasn't given up on the Cincinnati market, despite the steering committee's recommendation.

"This recommendation isn't a done deal,'' Stienecker said, referring to the next step in the process, which requires both city and county officials to sign off on the steering committee's recommendation.

Both the city and county are expected to consider the steering committee's recommendation sometime next week.

"I understand the pressure that this committee was probably under to go local,'' Stienecker said. "But I think Cincinnati wants the real deal, not doing something indoors.''

The proposals from CSO and it's subsidiary, Music and Event Management, Inc, call for hosting outdoor concerts on a "seasonal stage,'' while PromoWest and Live Nation both proposed facilities with dedicated, permanent outdoor concert space.

Preserving green space key factor

That may have worked against them, according to Tom Gabelman, a steering committee member and Hamilton County's counsel for The Banks project.

Gabelman was joined by Castellini, Steven Love, president of SRL Consulting Inc., and Robert Rhein, CEO of Rhein Interests, in voting in favor of the CSO proposal.

Charlie Luken, a committee member and former Cincinnati mayor, was the only "no'' vote.

Two members of the committee - 3CDC CEO Stephen Leeper and Cincinnati Bengals' Executive Vice President Katie Blackburn - recused themselves from the vote. And committee member Robert Richardson, president of the Cincinnati NAACP, was unable to attend.

Gableman said the committee wanted a concert promoter who could build a "quality venue" with 'long-term sustainability' that could be seamlessly integrated with existing spaces at The Banks.

He noted the CSO proposal for outdoor concerts would preserve more public green space than either of two competing bids because the temporary stage wouldn't block of public access when not in use like the permanent outdoor facilities.

"All of us like the idea of going to an outdoor concert, and we don't want to lose that,'' Gableman said. "But our space down here (at The Banks) is at a premium, and the CSO proposal maximizes the green space available to the public.''

In addition, financing for the CSO project is already in place and would require no public subsidy, Gableman said.

Tax dollars would be forfeited in CSO plan

However, because of the CSO's nonprofit standing, the concert venue also would not generate property tax or sales tax revenue like the PromoWest and Live Nation venues.

Luken raised the issue of forfeiting the tax revenue during the steering committee meeting, and also described the CSO's proposal for a primarily indoor facility as outdated.

"I think a new way of doing things would be better for us in the long run,'' Luken said.

The CSO proposal was selected despite opposition from Luken and Mayor John Cranley, who expressed his support for PromoWest's proposal in a letter to the JBSC on Tuesday.

Cranley said he supports PromoWest's proposal because it calls for a true indoor-outdoor facility that would take full advantage of The Banks river views and encourage visitors to patronize other businesses there.

"An indoor-only facility, which it may be a nice design, could be placed anywhere in the city,'' Cranley wrote. "It would be a waste of the beautiful banks space to not take advantage of the view with an outdoor venue.''

County commissioners back CSO

The CSO's proposal seems to have the advantage among the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. The steering committee's recommendation carries a lot of weight, said Commissioner Chris Monzel, the lone Republican on the county commission.

Monzel said he the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s proposal is the frontrunner in his opinion.

Commissioner Denise Driehaus, one of two Democrats, wouldn’t say if she has a preference. But she said both the CSO and PromoWest meet what the county is seeking: an indoor and outdoor component plus no request for public money.

“My understanding the two options, PromoWest and CSO, can accommodate outdoor entertainment,” Driehaus said. “They do it in different ways, but they both do it.”

The Enquirer has sought records and communications between the CSO, the steering committee and county leaders to give any indication why the CSO may have been picked. Attorneys with the steering committee and county have not returned messages.

Here's a quick look at all three proposals for a concert venue at The Banks. All three proposals call for hosting between 150 and 180 events each year, including 20 to 30 outdoor concerts.

PromoWest

PromoWest's proposal calls for a $15.3 million indoor-outdoor facility that would require no public dollars but would be largely underwritten by third-party investors.

It would be located just south of Paul Brown Stadium and east of Elm Street. It would be a split-level facility with raised plazas and landscaped terraces to give concertgoers a panoramic view of the river.

It would use an over-sized airport hangar door to divide indoor and outdoor seating at the venue, which would have the capacity for more than 2,500 and also feature pedestrian walkways to connect the venue to Smale Riverfront Park.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

CSO has proposed a $19.25 million, three-story building with maximum indoor capacity of 4,000 to be located on a parcel known as Lot 27 southeast of Paul Brown Stadium near Smale park.

While primarily an indoor facility, tentatively named "Riverview,'' plans also call for a temporary seasonal stage' to sit on a large terrace adjacent to the main building, which could be used for outdoor concerts and complementary events.

The seasonal stage would preserve green space for the public more than 85 percent of the time when not in use for concerts.

Financing for the project is already in place, and the project would require no public funding. CSO would pay for programming and staffing at any of its outdoor events.

Live Nation

Live Nation and Ark Group proposed an approximately $73 million indoor-outdoor facility, tentatively named the "Banks Event Center." It would require a public subsidy of $36 million, which Banks officials described as "difficult'' to achieve.

Their proposal calls for a music venue on the two-and-a-half-acre parcel at The Banks, known as Lot 24, just east of Paul Brown Stadium, between Race and Rosa Parks streets.

The venue would feature a giant retractable wall separating the covered stage and seating area from the outdoor seating, balconies overlooking the Ohio River and a 50-foot-long bar with big-screen monitors and seating above.