CINCINNATI — Local festival organizers are asking Hamilton County commissioners to consider an increase to a proposed budget line item for large event grants.
It’s a response to the county administrator's proposed budget, which is 1.7% smaller compared to last year, driven primarily by a reduction in sales tax revenue over certain months. Inflationary pressures are driving consumers to spend less, impacting county governments.
The county administrator’s proposed budget reduces funding for Economic Development/Tourism Grants from $1.25 million to $600,000.
Last year, BLINK, the Flying Pig Marathon, Forbes 30 under 30 and the Cincinnati Music Festival split the competitive grant funding.
At a public hearing Tuesday, America’s River Roots festival organizers asked the commissioners to reconsider.
“In a year like 2025, when once again we will be without a downtown convention center, events like America’s River Roots are vital to our county’s success,” co-chair Tim Fogarty said.
From Oct. 8-12, thousands are expected to gather on the banks of the Ohio River for America’s River Roots. The festival will celebrate the region’s music, cuisine and culture.
Executive Director Susan Fischer said public investment is critical to keeping the event free and open to the public.
“We are very much reliant on city and county resources to help us pull off this event,” Fischer said.
River Roots estimates a $150 million economic impact return for the region, with upwards of $1 million going directly to the county.
Fischer said she would like to see funding for the large event grant increase to the 2023 budget level, $1.5 million dollar.
An increase “can continue to bring events like River Roots that are good for the whole region, employ people, fill hotels and generate a lot of economic impact for the region,” she said.
Fischer thanked the commissioners for considering large events a priority.
“It’s driving people to visit," she said.
When asked whether there was an appetite among the commissioners to increase grant funding, Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus said she’d like to see an increase from what’s proposed in this year’s budget.
“I’ve asked the administration to consider bringing that line item back to where it was last year,” she said, noting the 2024 budget level of funding was $1.25 million dollars.
“These are big economic drivers, and the whole idea is to help expand these events to bring in even more revenue into the county and the city coffers,” Driehaus said.
The commissioner suggested the funding could come out of the reserve. She said the county has a 17.1% reserve right now when the standard is generally 15%.
“So we’ve got a little bit of flexibility there,” she said.
The funding source for the large events grant is separate from the money being offered to lure major names.
“The Recommended Budget allows for … the use of one-time resources to enable the County to play a role in catalytic community and economic development efforts being proposed,” the budget states.
$5 million has been allocated to develop and prepare a site within the county for the construction of a new National Women’s Soccer League franchise.
$2 million has been allocated for grant funding to assist in securing the Sundance Film Festival to Hamilton County.
Those line items come from interest earrings, Driehaus said.
“We are not going to have the same level of interest earnings in the future, and so this is one-time money," she said. "But we feel like the investment here for those two categories is important.”
The budget will be finalized and voted on later this month.
