FCC Promises Community Benefits, West End Community Skeptical

( West End ) - Nothing official has been decided yet. FC Cincinnati says it's still equally considering Oakley, the West End, and Newport as possible locations for a soccer stadium. On top of that, FCC is still waiting for Major League Soccer to even say whether or not a franchise is coming. Nonetheless, preparations continue, and the president of the football club on Monday evening made a presentation to Cincinnati Public Schools.

"What we would like share with you tonight is the idea to do an exchange, a land exchange. To consider the possibility of 'could we build a bigger, improved Stargell Stadium that would be the best high school stadium in the district, maybe in the state,'" said FC Cincinnati President Jeff Berding to Cincinnati Public Schools' Board of Education meeting. If the team gets an MLS franchise, and if the team chooses to build a stadium in the West End, it's going to need to work with CPS on land, and how Stargel Stadium would be shared. Berding promised improved access for students, that no West End residents would be displaced, and there were multiple references to a Community Benefits Agreement that the team says it would be willing to sign. 

Berding also indicated that he knows there's cynicism when it comes to professional sports looking to build new stadiums, promising "a good story."

After Berding's presentation ended, there was a public comment period where dozens of people spoke, and some of them also referenced that stadium cynicism. "Get everything in writing. If it's not in a legally binding agreement, it doesn't exist. And we know that from the 1996 stadium tax campaign, which was managed by Mr Berding, they promised us huge piles of gold, instead we got some huge piles of crap," said one person. There were people who made public comments in support of the plan, but the majority of speakers were against it. 

Cincinnati Public Schools says it will hold another community meeting next Wednesday, February 21, at Taft IT High School at 6pm.