WEBVTT - 11-21-25 Willie with Jeff Berding

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<v Speaker 1>Card Now let's continue. This is one of the great

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<v Speaker 1>weekends in the history of Cincinnati when it comes to sports.

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<v Speaker 1>So much going on. Of course tonight is the Cardinals

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<v Speaker 1>against the Bearcats at Heritage Bank Arena. And then also

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<v Speaker 1>tonight's a little game between Elder and Saint X and

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<v Speaker 1>I'd say Rocky Boyman and maybe Jeff Birding showing disrespect

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<v Speaker 1>to Elder, not in his case, but in Rocky's case.

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<v Speaker 1>He stepped on the flag that Elder gave me two

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<v Speaker 1>or three years ago. Rocky Boyman did. Then you got

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<v Speaker 1>UC Bearcat football against BYU. Then you got the Bengals,

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<v Speaker 1>Bengals and the Patriots going. Then you got Messy at

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<v Speaker 1>five o'clock on Sunday trying to get a win against FC.

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<v Speaker 1>Joining me now is the President, CEO and chief bottlewasher

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<v Speaker 1>of FC. That is Jeff Birding and Jeff Birning. Welcome

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<v Speaker 1>again to the Bill Cunningham Show. And Jeff, first of all,

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<v Speaker 1>just in a general way, this came together out of nowhere.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't think anybody saw all these events transpire. How

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<v Speaker 1>unusual is it in Cincinnati? Did these events going on,

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<v Speaker 1>including the Midies, including the Bluebirds, all playing high school

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<v Speaker 1>football Trotwood Anderson. Isn't this special to be a Cincinnatian.

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<v Speaker 2>It is. We love our sports, and we love our

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<v Speaker 2>teams who represent us, and you know, it brings people together.

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<v Speaker 2>It makes it more fun to live here. And I'll

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<v Speaker 2>be down at pay Court tonight for Elder Saint X

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<v Speaker 2>and I got my Bengals season tickets and you know,

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<v Speaker 2>and then yeah, FC Cincinnati will take on the messy

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<v Speaker 2>Mountain of Enter Miami on Sunday at five.

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<v Speaker 1>Before we talk about MESSI and FC, there was a

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<v Speaker 1>proposal a few days ago from the city Council to

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<v Speaker 1>buy a plot of land right by w C eighteen

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<v Speaker 1>forty eight. I know you have a hope, maybe a plan,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe in the distance to build an arena there. We

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<v Speaker 1>need a brand new arena. Everyone says that is that

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<v Speaker 1>part of that plan or not not directly.

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<v Speaker 2>What I would say, Bill is, you know, when I

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<v Speaker 2>was on city council obviously fifteen plus years ago, we

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<v Speaker 2>took possession of the block at Fifth and Race, and

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<v Speaker 2>I thought, if we ever got controlled the Millennium, you

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<v Speaker 2>could put an arena there, because at some point we're

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<v Speaker 2>going to need to replace the arena on the Riverfront,

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<v Speaker 2>put a hotel on top of it, tied into the

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<v Speaker 2>convention Center, and that'd be a great development. I left

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<v Speaker 2>city Council and the new group. That's where eighty four

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<v Speaker 2>fifty one is, and that's no longer a potential site

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<v Speaker 2>for an arena. And so I think what the mayor

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<v Speaker 2>and council and the Port Authority have done here is

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<v Speaker 2>to say, listen, this parcel the old freestore food bank

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<v Speaker 2>that was offices that were abandoned a couple of years ago.

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<v Speaker 2>It's an empty building. There's going to be something great

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<v Speaker 2>that we're going to build on this site, tied into

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<v Speaker 2>the town Center garage. So now the public has full

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<v Speaker 2>control of the site. The arena study has said that

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<v Speaker 2>this is one of the best sites for a future arena.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not the only one. There's other options, but it

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<v Speaker 2>is one of them, and we need to preserve public

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<v Speaker 2>control so that some speculator done by the property and

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<v Speaker 2>then hold this community up for tens of millions of dollars,

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<v Speaker 2>which is what the experience was, as you know, with

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<v Speaker 2>the Millennium, and put it in a position where the

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<v Speaker 2>arena couldn't go there because someone is holding this community up.

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<v Speaker 2>So I think they showed good foresight to say, listen,

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<v Speaker 2>we just want to put the site under public control.

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<v Speaker 2>If it's an arena, fine, If it's not, it'll be

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<v Speaker 2>a residential or commercial development of some sort that capitalizes

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<v Speaker 2>on all the energy and success and over the line

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<v Speaker 2>and what we're doing up at our stadium. This is

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<v Speaker 2>a great site, and we want to make sure the

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<v Speaker 2>public can control it.

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<v Speaker 1>So you and Carl Linder control that large part of

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<v Speaker 1>those parcels, along with four hundred million dollars of development

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<v Speaker 1>happening as I speak, and so is wouldn't you prefer

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<v Speaker 1>to have the brand new arena close to FC and TQL.

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<v Speaker 2>To be fair, We're sure we would because you got

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<v Speaker 2>music Hall. We've invested in this community probably close to

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<v Speaker 2>a billion dollars since we formed three CDC in two

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<v Speaker 2>thousand and three. Over the last twenty years. You could

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<v Speaker 2>offer that, you know, it's a pretty successful, vibrant entertainment

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<v Speaker 2>district that combines a lot of the heritage of Cincinnati

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<v Speaker 2>and the preserved architecture of Cincinnati's founding with a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of really great new things that we're building up around it.

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<v Speaker 2>And so you could offer this would be a very

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<v Speaker 2>dynamic site. And I think the arena study that the

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<v Speaker 2>Chamber of Commerce led concluded that this is a very

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<v Speaker 2>viable site where the town Center garage is. But to

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<v Speaker 2>be fair, there's a couple other opportunities that will be

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<v Speaker 2>evaluated and Phil Castellini and I and Phil has his

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<v Speaker 2>own vision about maybe keeping it on the existing side

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<v Speaker 2>if that could work. Where he and I one hundred

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<v Speaker 2>percent agree is this community needs to replace an obsolete

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<v Speaker 2>arena on the riverfront. Everyone who's listening knows that we

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<v Speaker 2>we all get in our cars and we go to

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<v Speaker 2>Indy or Columbus or Lexington or Louisville to go to concerts,

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<v Speaker 2>to go to shows and people and people send me

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<v Speaker 2>the pictures of their experiences at the existing arena, and

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<v Speaker 2>it feels unsafe and it is very obsolete. And in

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<v Speaker 2>my opinion, that's what losing looks like. That's not what

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<v Speaker 2>winning looks like. And so we need to solve this,

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<v Speaker 2>and Phil and I agree, and so let's come up

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<v Speaker 2>with based on Steve leapers and work. Steve's been asked

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<v Speaker 2>by the city in the County three CDC to come

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<v Speaker 2>up with a plan on how we can fund a

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<v Speaker 2>new arena. Some private some public, and that work needs

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<v Speaker 2>to continue and we need to all be joining hands

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<v Speaker 2>to say that's the priority. How can we pay for

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<v Speaker 2>this and come up with a plan that people feel,

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<v Speaker 2>including everyone listening. Yeah, you know what, that seems pretty reasonable. Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>we get a new arena out of this. We don't

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<v Speaker 2>get to go. I have to get in our cars

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<v Speaker 2>and other people get in their cars and come to Cincinnati. Again,

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<v Speaker 2>that's winning. Then there will be a process side where

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<v Speaker 2>the arena should go, and then Bill will assert his

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<v Speaker 2>plan and we with others the city will assert ours.

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<v Speaker 2>But that's premature. We shouldn't be debating the site right now.

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<v Speaker 2>We should be coming together to say we need a

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<v Speaker 2>plan that allows us to replace a very obsolete arena

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<v Speaker 2>on the riverfront.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, that's like Masters of the Universe. On one hand,

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<v Speaker 1>you have the Castellinis, you have the banks, You have

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<v Speaker 1>the interest of CBD Downtown, the Central Business District, against

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<v Speaker 1>the lenders and against the farmers and against the Birdings

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<v Speaker 1>and against TQL. So you have on one site. You

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<v Speaker 1>got get it on the banks. I know Jim Mooring

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<v Speaker 1>wants it there. Castellini's won it there. The Bengals won

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<v Speaker 1>it there. On the other hand, you have the lenders,

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<v Speaker 1>the farmers, the meg Whitman's, the tqls, the birdings want

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<v Speaker 1>it up that way. This will be interesting to watch

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<v Speaker 1>when will be concluded. I want to see the masters

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<v Speaker 1>of the universe butt heads.

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<v Speaker 2>To see for the next six months, we come up

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<v Speaker 2>with a Bible plan where there's public hearings, public buy in,

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<v Speaker 2>there will be government approvals, all of that will need

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<v Speaker 2>to say we can do this. Then once that consensus

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<v Speaker 2>has been established around the plan again with public hearings,

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<v Speaker 2>then there will need to be a process on okay, now,

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<v Speaker 2>what's the best place to build it? And I am

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<v Speaker 2>confident that we'll come up with a process. And at

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<v Speaker 2>the end of the day, Bill, I know you know this.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm a Cincinnati guy. I want to see a new arena.

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<v Speaker 2>If the best plan is to put it on the riverfront,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, that's great, we get a new arena. If

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<v Speaker 2>the best is to put it next door to over

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<v Speaker 2>the Rhine of Music Hall and all the great entertainment

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<v Speaker 2>and history of Cincinnati up in our neck of the woods,

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<v Speaker 2>then that's great. But at the end of the day,

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<v Speaker 2>what I don't want is that we continue to lose

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<v Speaker 2>out as a community because we have among the top

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<v Speaker 2>fifty cities in this country the worst arena. How are

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<v Speaker 2>we going to bring the best talent, How are we

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<v Speaker 2>going to bring more jobs, more popular? How are we

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<v Speaker 2>going to be winning as a community when such a

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<v Speaker 2>visible thing our arena is the worst of the top

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<v Speaker 2>fifty cities in the country. Again, I'm tired of losing.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to see us winning.

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<v Speaker 1>Bill the new Duke Energy Center supposed to open in January,

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<v Speaker 1>I believe there's no hotel attacks to it. A little

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<v Speaker 1>birdie told me that the Port Authority had difficulty getting

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<v Speaker 1>financing from the Maria Group's going to operate it. But

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<v Speaker 1>why is there not a big hotel opening along with

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<v Speaker 1>the convention center.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I think the short is is that this three

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<v Speaker 2>CDC has done excellent work advancing the convention center modernization.

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<v Speaker 2>That work, that plan came together quickly, it was much

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<v Speaker 2>less money, and we obviously went to work right away

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<v Speaker 2>because we don't have a functional convention center right now

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<v Speaker 2>until the work is done at the beginning part of

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<v Speaker 2>twenty six. The hotel much more complicated, you know, an

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<v Speaker 2>eight seven hundred and fifty eight hudred room hotel is

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<v Speaker 2>much much more extensive. If there's some different financing pieces,

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<v Speaker 2>some of the pieces involved the state, these things are

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<v Speaker 2>just a little bit more challenging. My belief, Bill, is

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<v Speaker 2>that we will have an announcement again led by three

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<v Speaker 2>CDC in our you know, the city and the county

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<v Speaker 2>here very soon on the hotel, and then that construction

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<v Speaker 2>work will commence.

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<v Speaker 1>That's going to be years away, years away.

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<v Speaker 2>Probably at least twenty four months. Twenty four months is

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<v Speaker 2>I think what it will take. So if we could

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<v Speaker 2>get under way in early twenty six and you're talking

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<v Speaker 2>about opening in early twenty eight, well.

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<v Speaker 1>The convention center can't rip and roar until there's an attached,

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<v Speaker 1>brand new hotel. It's just done work by itself. Now

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<v Speaker 1>let's talk about soccer for a moment.

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<v Speaker 2>What can I tell you, Bill, Sorry real quick, but

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<v Speaker 2>you know what, once the cranes go up, you're telling groups.

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<v Speaker 2>You're recruiting these groups to come to your convention center

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<v Speaker 2>for big conventions a couple of years out anyway, Once

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<v Speaker 2>the cranes go up, then you're showing a level of

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<v Speaker 2>confidence and certainty to groups you're recruiting to come here

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<v Speaker 2>and to bring their groups and to bring the people

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<v Speaker 2>that are spent a lot of money, you have something

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<v Speaker 2>to sell them for two years down the line anyway.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, and then also, isn't it true that financing has

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<v Speaker 1>been a problem.

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<v Speaker 2>I think there's a lot of these final details. I

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<v Speaker 2>would tell you. I think most of this deal, eighty

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<v Speaker 2>ninety percent of the deal has been done for some time,

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<v Speaker 2>and the final ten percent, as you know, is always

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<v Speaker 2>the hardest.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, let's talk about MESSI six or seven years ago,

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<v Speaker 1>eight years ago, when I was with you and Gerber

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<v Speaker 1>the commission at UC campus, there was a dream. I

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<v Speaker 1>think the final vote on city Council was five to four,

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<v Speaker 1>could have gone the other way, could have been four

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<v Speaker 1>to five. If that went the other way, then we

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<v Speaker 1>wouldn't have a franchise, There wouldn't be a TQL, there

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<v Speaker 1>wouldn't be a convention center possibly there. There wouldn't be

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<v Speaker 1>five hundred million dollar development happening as I speak. When

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<v Speaker 1>you look back on that, do you kind of amuse

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<v Speaker 1>by the fact that at least four members of council

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<v Speaker 1>did not want to change zoning. Isn't that amazing?

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<v Speaker 2>You know it is, But I'm not much of a

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<v Speaker 2>look back guy. At the end of the day, we

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<v Speaker 2>got it done. I'm focused on what do we still

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<v Speaker 2>need to build, what do we still need to achieve

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<v Speaker 2>as a community. At the end of the day, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>there were some people who maybe didn't quite see the

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<v Speaker 2>vision the way we saw it. I assure you that

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<v Speaker 2>can I've talked to a bunch of them. You know

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<v Speaker 2>they see it now. And that's all that really matters

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<v Speaker 2>is people see that this has been a tremendous shot

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<v Speaker 2>in the arm for our community.

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<v Speaker 1>In the West End. Community Council is for it. Talk

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<v Speaker 1>to me about Messy one hundred, talk about that because

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<v Speaker 1>this argument because you when someone has to lose, that's

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<v Speaker 1>not true.

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<v Speaker 2>No. Look, I went door to door in the West

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<v Speaker 2>End and listen and to hear what their concerns were.

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<v Speaker 2>We did our the first ever community benefits agreement because

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<v Speaker 2>to be fair, change had never been good for residents

0:11:53.160 --> 0:11:55.360
<v Speaker 2>of the West End. They had suffered from decades of

0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:58.319
<v Speaker 2>disinvestment in decline. I've said this, you know, I was

0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:00.240
<v Speaker 2>on City Council for six years. I don't call a

0:12:00.280 --> 0:12:02.319
<v Speaker 2>single meeting where we even talked about the West End.

0:12:02.800 --> 0:12:07.960
<v Speaker 2>And so you know, we've delivered. We've and in return.

0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:10.920
<v Speaker 2>We've earned their trust and we're good neighbors and they're

0:12:10.960 --> 0:12:13.959
<v Speaker 2>good neighbors to us, and it's been a great thing.

0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:16.679
<v Speaker 2>Our mixed use development, which was approved by the City

0:12:16.720 --> 0:12:20.880
<v Speaker 2>Planning Commission today unanimously, approved by the West End Community

0:12:20.880 --> 0:12:26.200
<v Speaker 2>Council unanimously, was approved in its first iteration largely still

0:12:26.200 --> 0:12:29.079
<v Speaker 2>the same by City Council unanimously. I mean, that's pretty

0:12:29.120 --> 0:12:30.520
<v Speaker 2>rare these days in politics.

0:12:31.000 --> 0:12:34.600
<v Speaker 1>Two winners, not a loser, and a winter. Lastly, about Messy.

0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:36.640
<v Speaker 1>If somebody could have told you five or six years

0:12:36.679 --> 0:12:40.760
<v Speaker 1>ago that MESSI would come to TQL at five o'clock

0:12:40.800 --> 0:12:44.120
<v Speaker 1>on Sunday and actually get beaten by FC, you would

0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:46.520
<v Speaker 1>not have believed it. It was impossible. He'd be like you

0:12:46.640 --> 0:12:49.680
<v Speaker 1>signing Ronaldo, which is still down the road, I hope.

0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:53.000
<v Speaker 1>Talk about the historical aspects of the greatest of all

0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:56.040
<v Speaker 1>time coming to the West End to play soccer against

0:12:56.080 --> 0:12:56.520
<v Speaker 1>your team.

0:12:56.679 --> 0:12:59.439
<v Speaker 2>Talk about that, well, The thing I would say is

0:12:59.480 --> 0:13:02.839
<v Speaker 2>people need to appreciate that soccer is the biggest sport

0:13:02.880 --> 0:13:04.760
<v Speaker 2>in the world. It's not in our country, of course,

0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:07.840
<v Speaker 2>football is in the history of baseball, but it is

0:13:07.880 --> 0:13:11.000
<v Speaker 2>and this weekend, the biggest soccer game on the planet

0:13:11.920 --> 0:13:15.320
<v Speaker 2>is in Cincinnati at Tiquo Stadium, because the whole world

0:13:15.440 --> 0:13:21.360
<v Speaker 2>is watching to see if Cincinnati sends Messi and Miami home.

0:13:21.880 --> 0:13:25.520
<v Speaker 2>And you know, there's two legends of Barcelona, Sergio Busquettes

0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:27.559
<v Speaker 2>and Jordi Alva, that have been playing with Messi these

0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:30.400
<v Speaker 2>last couple of years at Miami. They announced the retirement

0:13:30.400 --> 0:13:32.080
<v Speaker 2>at the end of the regular season, so this could

0:13:32.080 --> 0:13:35.760
<v Speaker 2>be their last game. And you know, we have fared

0:13:35.880 --> 0:13:38.760
<v Speaker 2>very well against Miami. We didn't lose to them this year.

0:13:38.760 --> 0:13:40.360
<v Speaker 2>We have it in our two games. We didn't even

0:13:40.360 --> 0:13:44.720
<v Speaker 2>concede a goal to them. We match up with them

0:13:44.760 --> 0:13:46.920
<v Speaker 2>pretty well. Obviously, they have some of the best players

0:13:46.920 --> 0:13:49.440
<v Speaker 2>and with Messi probably the goat. And so it's going

0:13:49.480 --> 0:13:52.079
<v Speaker 2>to be a great environment. We still have a few tickets,

0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:54.520
<v Speaker 2>but ultimately it'll be sold out. It's going to be

0:13:55.080 --> 0:13:56.800
<v Speaker 2>you know, a lot of fireworks, a lot of music,

0:13:56.920 --> 0:14:00.400
<v Speaker 2>some incredible fan energy and of course Bill worldlie.

0:14:00.720 --> 0:14:03.480
<v Speaker 1>No question, all right, give our best to the Lender family.

0:14:03.480 --> 0:14:06.200
<v Speaker 1>They're suffering and at this point, your family like that

0:14:06.360 --> 0:14:09.720
<v Speaker 1>needs compliments and warmth and they need a big thank you.

0:14:09.760 --> 0:14:13.079
<v Speaker 1>I could not imagine our communities without the Lender families

0:14:13.440 --> 0:14:16.960
<v Speaker 1>participating and giving so much over these decades. And once again,

0:14:17.040 --> 0:14:19.720
<v Speaker 1>Jeff Birding, it's a big weekend in sports. It's all

0:14:19.760 --> 0:14:21.720
<v Speaker 1>going to be five o'clock on Sunday at the end.

0:14:21.760 --> 0:14:24.400
<v Speaker 1>And may God bless you, and God bless the Lender

0:14:24.400 --> 0:14:27.320
<v Speaker 1>family and Jeff Birding. Thank you, very thank you, God

0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:30.040
<v Speaker 1>bless you, thank you. Let's continue with more if a

0:14:30.080 --> 0:14:33.000
<v Speaker 1>line becomes available five one, three, seven, four, nine, seven thousand.

0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:35.880
<v Speaker 1>I don't know too many communities anywhere in the world

0:14:36.160 --> 0:14:39.560
<v Speaker 1>that has this lineup of activities, including the Jonas Brothers.

0:14:39.560 --> 0:14:41.960
<v Speaker 1>I know Jeff Birding is a great fan of the

0:14:42.080 --> 0:14:45.000
<v Speaker 1>Jonas Brothers. I think they're playing tonight. But to have

0:14:45.080 --> 0:14:48.440
<v Speaker 1>all this happening coming together is a testament to all

0:14:48.960 --> 0:14:50.680
<v Speaker 1>of the kind of community that we can be in

0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:53.000
<v Speaker 1>the count of community that we are. And I could

0:14:53.000 --> 0:14:57.200
<v Speaker 1>not imagine the Old West End not having these developments.

0:14:57.240 --> 0:14:59.560
<v Speaker 1>The last five or six or seven years. It was

0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:01.920
<v Speaker 1>right down and the Crapper. And at this point it's

0:15:01.960 --> 0:15:04.680
<v Speaker 1>win win win every which way. And if you have time,

0:15:05.000 --> 0:15:07.520
<v Speaker 1>drive through Central Parkway take a look at what's happening

0:15:08.080 --> 0:15:12.160
<v Speaker 1>adjacent to TQL Stadium. A four hundred million dollar investment

0:15:12.760 --> 0:15:14.720
<v Speaker 1>and to have on one side of the ring the

0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:20.040
<v Speaker 1>Castellini's and Jim Mooring and the John Barretts and the

0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:23.680
<v Speaker 1>Procter and Gambles and the Bengals saying we want the

0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:26.840
<v Speaker 1>new Indoor Stateument to be here. On the other side,

0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:30.600
<v Speaker 1>you have the lenders, you have Meg Whitman, you have

0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:34.360
<v Speaker 1>the farmers, you have the Jeff birdingsd the TQL saying no,

0:15:34.480 --> 0:15:36.960
<v Speaker 1>we want it over here, and the masters of the

0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:39.960
<v Speaker 1>universe will decide what to do. Let's continue with more

0:15:40.760 --> 0:15:42.680
<v Speaker 1>and so much to do in the tries did over

0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:44.960
<v Speaker 1>the next few days. I think to an extent, we

0:15:45.000 --> 0:15:48.600
<v Speaker 1>criticize ourselves so much, but the world has his eyes

0:15:48.640 --> 0:15:52.000
<v Speaker 1>trained on Cincinnati this weekend, and I'm picking Elder to

0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:56.040
<v Speaker 1>kick ass tonight, all on news radio seven hundred WLW