First Financial Bank backs Hamilton's Amtrak efforts

Yahoo

29-01-2025

Jan. 29—Since Amtrak announced it would expand its passenger rail through Ohio, Hamilton city leaders have lobbied state, federal rail authorities and Amtrak to bring one or possibly two stops into the city.
On Tuesday, the city landed support from First Financial Bank in its initiative to land a stop for the Amtrack passenger service.
First Financial Bank CEO Archie Brown penned a letter of support to the cause, and that document was presented to Hamilton leaders.
Jeff Judd, First Financial Bank Market president for Butler and Warren County, said the letter talks about the importance of a stop in Hamilton and the bank's support of bringing it to the county's seat.
Hamilton Mayor Pat Moeller said support for this Amtrak initiative, which some dubbed the effort Hamtrak, is growing and "soon people all around town are going to understand how important Amtrak is to business."
"If you can get an Amtrak ride from Hamilton and do business in Columbus and Cleveland, or anywhere in between, that's the business positiveness about Amtrak," he said. "And it would be fun, too, to go somewhere on the weekend to Columbus, Cleveland, to Cincinnati."
Dewayne Greenwood, First Financial Bank's Senior Business Specialist, said passenger rail with Amtrak "would be an amazing thing for this community, not only from a people standpoint but an economic impact that it can have in this community over a period of time could be amazing."
Hamilton Councilman Michael Ryan called First Financial Bank's support "a very powerful voice." He's been the lead for the city in pushing to land one or two Amtrak stops said, "When we started this endeavor, this was all about Hamilton, this was all about getting our folks involved to push Hamilton forward."
"We're investing in Hamilton. Amtrak is an investment into the future. It's an investment to help our business, it's an investment to help our residents with travel, tourism and economic development, and support our businesses and make our city great and strong."
Hamilton hired a consultant to help give the city its best shot at landing a stop. Officials have identified the Butler County city as a possible stop for two lines.
One stop is the to-be-established 3C+D line, which would connect Cleveland and Cincinnati by way of Columbus and Dayton. The other stop would be along the Cardinal line, which currently exists and Amtrak is adding a stop in Oxford.
Amtrak, the state of Ohio and other planning organizations are in the midst of their own feasibility study, and the state report is anticipated in May. Hamilton's consultant is expected to release its feasibility study in February.
If Hamilton gets both the 3C+D and Cardinal lines, they would open up Hamilton to the major cities in Ohio as well as the Midwest, like Chicago and Indianapolis, and in the east to Washington, D.C.
Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dan Bates said his organization conducted some research on the impacts of train stations. He said it's been shown that when a city upgrades an airport or adds a train station, "without exception, every city that did that had major economic growth related directly to that. I can't imagine it wouldn't be the same in Hamilton."
"You can't think about the history of Hamilton without thinking about (First Financial Bank) because they're one in the same," Bates said about the bank, which was founded in Hamilton more than 160 years ago. "It's great to have new enthusiasm, and we have certainly noticed your involvement in the community, and your interest in business success."
First Financial Bank has been investing in Hamilton for the past few years, including building a new branch to replace an old building on Ohio 4 and refreshing the bank lobby at 300 High St. in downtown.
Jessica Valentino, the bank's district manager for Hamilton and Fairfield said they're continuing to commit to investing in the city, which includes investing in the High Street building. They are continuing to renovate the first floor for Yellow Cardinal Advisory Group with a High Street street entrance. Later this year, they're expected to renovate by turning the second floor into a community room that's free for the community to use. They also plan to bring associates back to downtown Hamilton when it eventually renovates the eighth floor.
That investment, which will be in the millions of dollars, is a commitment to the city, said Moeller.
"Thank you for the investment into the building and bringing jobs back, That's an investment in the city of Hamilton, that's an investment into our citizens and it means a lot. And the community spaces is another reason why we really appreciate First Financial Bank in Hamilton."