The Banks Project

image (header) - The Banks

The Story of The Banks: Redevelopment of Ohio’s Southern Gateway

The Banks Project is one of the largest and most complex urban public-private partnerships in the United States. Underutilized for decades, the flood-prone riverfront has been transformed into a $2.8 billion marquee, mixed-use development incorporates residential, office, retail, park, stadiums, museums and entertainment venues. 

Specifically, The Banks Project is home to the nationally-acclaimed Smale Riverfront Park, the Cincinnati Reds (Great American Ballpark), the Cincinnati Bengals (Paul Brown Stadium), the new AC Hotel, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum and G.E.’s U.S. Global Operations Center. 

For more information on The Banks, check out the update during the Commissioner meeting on YouTube or page through the presentation here. 

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Music Venue Rendering
Music Venue

The preferred developer, CSO/MEMI, unanimously approved by the City and County as recommended by the Joint Banks Steering Committee, will build its much-anticipated Music Venue just east of Paul Brown Stadium along Elm.

The iconic indoor-outdoor venue will be unique to the Midwest, with indoor concerts for 4,500 patrons and outdoor concerts for more than 8,000 patrons.

CSO/MEMI anticipates that over 150 events will be held at Riverview drawing more than 300,000 patrons on an annual basis that will further activate the entire Banks development. For more information and renderings click here to view the presentation given at our April 10, 2019 Commission Meeting.

Special Project Counsel

Between 1997 and 2019, under the direction of Hamilton County Commissioners, Hamilton County Special Project Counsel has worked collaboratively with the County Prosecutor's Office, County Administration and the City-County Banks Project Team to obtain savings and generate additional funding with respect to the transformation of Cincinnati's riverfront. Read the county's return on investment for over two decades of work on the project. 

The Banks Public Partnership

A working partnership between the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, The Banks Public Partnership ensures timely, safe, efficient and inclusive management of the public infrastructure of The Banks project—a vibrant Cincinnati riverfront neighborhood where people live, work and play.

Please click here to go to the Banks Partnership page