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Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Banks and the Bengals have made a mess of Cincinnati's riverfront
The headline on this story has been updated to better reflect our editorial standards. "Many good things have happened along the riverfront over the past 25 years, and the team is glad to continue working with Hamilton County to forge a long-term deal that works well for Greater Cincinnati." − spokesperson Emily Parker. When I read this quote from Parker, my first thought was, "Does she work in Cincinnati, or is she a remote worker?" I ask because there is no way a person who works at The Banks can make such a statement with a straight face. A long, long time ago, when Hamilton County and the city of Cincinnati partnered to build a neighborhood and lift the riverfront out of the mud and flood zone, a world-class riverfront was a possibility. But for 25 years, the area has remained a checkerboard of long vacant lots with ugly steel rebar sticking up from partially built concrete columns. More: 'It's not over until it's over.' County, Bengals to commit $184M to Paycor Stadium The area around Paycor Stadium looks more like Gaza than St. Louis or New Orleans. Honestly, the only thing I see that's world-class down at The Banks is the Smale Riverfront Park with the awesome Reds Hall of Fame, The AC Hotel Cincinnati, with its fantastic rooftop lounge, and the Moerlein Lager House, with its annual Christmas village and skating rink and the Carol Ann's Carousel and Anderson Pavilion. The former GE building might be close to being world-class, as it has the amazing Taste of Belgium restaurant, with its awesome world beer collection. But now that GE has abandoned Cincinnati for Evendale and taken its sign off the building, this can hardly be considered a business center. My question is, why can't my former employer, First Student, Inc., put a sign on top of their headquarters and get the naming rights? As the largest school bus company in North America, they come across as nothing but cheap. The new CEO is nothing like his predecessor, who was proud to have FGA naming rights to the Sixth and Vine building. It might be because this remote CEO lives in Florida. More: 5 things to know about Hamilton County's deal with the Bengals for Paycor Stadium upgrades Why we never covered the Bengals' stadium stands out as another example of why The Banks is not world-class. Look no further than Indianapolis, where I previously worked for Eli Lilly, and you will see a world-class NFL stadium hosting the Colts. Sadly, we let our NFL team owners, who live in Indian Hill in a family compound, dictate to Hamilton County what and how things will look at The Banks. They don't want any neighbors. The long vacant lots around their Taj Mahal and their stadium only host football games and rock concerts, though it was built to host soccer as well. The next question is, why are so few college and high school football championships or fan favorite high school rivalry games not held at Paycor? Is it because it is controlled by a world-class bully and his family? The nearby lots have zero chance of being built on, except perhaps as a Brown/Blackburn cemetery or mausoleum, so we can pay homage to Cincinnati's royalty forever. More: New 21-and-up policy at The Banks receives 'positive feedback' Here are some other reasons why The Banks is not world-class: The Banks transportation center is a ghost town. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has top attendee ratings, but sparse attendance. And, Heritage Bank Center is famous solely for The Who concert stampede and the end of festival seating. I have called the arena's owners, Nederlander Entertainment, in New York several times, and they never seem to have time to share their expansion or renovation plans. Brian Frank lives in Mt. Adams and is a Republican candidate for Mayor of Cincinnati in 2025. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: The Banks and Bengals turned potential into concrete ruins | Opinion
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tommy Helms, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer, dies at age 83
Fanduel Sports Network's John Sadak, Barry Larkin and Jim Day remembered Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Tommy Helms, who died Sunday at the age of 83. "Tough news to share," Sadak said during Sunday's broadcast. "Reds Hall of Famer Tommy Helms has passed away. Lost at the age of 83. National League Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star. 1979 Reds Hall of Fame inductee. Lost today. Information shared by his surviving wife, Cathy, who said that 'Tommy is a Red to the core. Kept his Reds hat on through his last days. He was so proud to be in the Reds Hall of Fame and wore his Reds jacket with pride.' The Reds plan to honor Tommy and his passing this homestand. Our condolences to his family." Advertisement "He could light up any room," Day said. "I mean he was just one of those funny guys and just a pleasure to be around. Any room he was in he just uplifted the spirits." Reds Hall of Famer Tommy Helms in 2014 "Good man!" Larkin added. "Good, great man. … Tommy would light up a room. Always smiling, joking. Great man." Helms was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 5, 1941. He was a batboy for a semipro team managed by his father in Leaksville. Helms played baseball and basketball at West Mecklenburg High School. He signed with the Reds shortly after his 18th birthday. Helms was the Reds' third baseman for one season, but he became the team's second baseman in 1967 when Pete Rose moved to the outfield. Advertisement Helms was a National League All-Star at second base in 1967 and 1968, and won Gold Gloves in 1970 and 1971. In November 1971, the Reds traded Helms, first baseman Lee May, and outfielder Jimmy Stewart to Houston for Ed Armbrister, Jack Billingham, Cesar Geronimo, Denis Menke, and Joe Morgan. In 1983, he returned to the Reds as a member of the coaching staff, as infield instructor and first-base coach. He became the team's interim manager for a month in 1988 while Rose served a suspension for shoving an umpire. In 1989, when Rose accepted a plea agreement that called for his lifetime ban from baseball for gambling on games, Helms was named interim manager again. He managed the team through the end of the season. Advertisement Helms was a regular at Redsfest throughout recent years. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Tommy Helms, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer, dies at age 83
