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Attendance at Fountain Square concert series more than doubles since 2008

Fountain Square has long been the gathering and rallying point for Cincinnatians while it has also served as the center point for the 2+ million person metropolitan region, and it’s great to report that the heart of Cincinnati is strong.

According to 3CDC, estimated attendance through August 25 on Fountain Square for this summer’s PNC Summer Music Series is well over 100,000 – more than double the attendance figures for last year’s summer music series. Like last year, the 2009 PNC Summer Music Series featured seven live concerts and one open mic night per week on Fountain Square. And much like last year, “Indie Summer” nights on Friday, and “Salsa on the Square” nights on Thursday were by far the most popular.

There has been much more than music packing the Square throughout the summer as a weekly farmers market, movie nights, family days, cooking demonstrations and other various events have added to summer crowds. With these events an estimated 165,000 people have visited Cincinnati’s primary gathering space for programmed events alone.

“The quality of our programming, including some very well know bands like Bad Veins, The Fiery Furnaces and the Wrens made this year’s PNC Summer Music Series really stand out,” said Bill Donabedian, managing director of Fountain Square.

Labor Day weekend marks the end of this year’s music series, and many of other summer events will be ending soon too, and make way for fall events like the Oyster Festival, Oktoberfest and much more.

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2nd Annual Guinness Oyster Festival – 9/5

Cincinnati’s second annual Guinness Oyster Festival will take place on Saturday, September 5 on Fountain Square. The festival will kick off at noon and run through the evening with live music, Celtic merchandise, oysters and more.

Organizers say that the all day event will “celebrate Irish heritage with an aphrodisiac cuisine.” Downtown seafood restaurant McCormick & Schmick’s will offer a variety of raw and cooked oyster dishes and will also host a Shucking/Eating Contest. Baru’s will also have a “Bloody Mary bar” for those looking to quench their thirst throughout the day.

Entertainment Line Up:
12 pm | Mia Carruthers & the Retros from MTV’s Taking the Stage
1:30 pm | Philosopher’s Stone
3:30pm | Buckra
5pm | The Kreellers
7pm | Cover Model
9pm | Jerry King & the Rivertown Ramblers

Oyster photo by Gary Sharp on Flickr
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Cold Turkey now open for dinner

Sixth Street’s Cold Turkey is now open for dinner Monday through Friday. Guests are encouraged to dine in and enjoy the “relaxed atmosphere, great food, music and art from local artists.” From 4pm to 10pm Cold Turkey will also be offering local delivery service.

Cold Turkey prides itself on not using any freezers, fryers or microwaves to keep everything fresh. Sandwiches and salads cost $7, soups $4, and sides are $2. The restaurant is open Monday through Friday from 11am to 10pm now (Friday open late until 6am), and Saturday from 9pm to 6am.

Photo from City Beat

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Anti-Passenger Rail Amendment meeting at City Hall – 9/1

From the Alliance for Regional Transit:

At 10:00a on Tuesday, September 1st, Cincinnati City Council will take up the matter of placing the anti-rail initiative backed by COAST on the November ballot.

The Cincinnati City Solicitor and Council’s Rules Committee will determine the precise ballot language to recommend to the Hamilton County Board of Elections and ultimately to the Ohio Secretary of State. The full City Council will probably vote on the matter the next day.

This is the language submitted by the naysayers for approval by City Council:

“The City, and its various Boards and Commissions, may not spend any monies for right-of-way acquisition or construction of improvements for passenger rail transportation (e.g., a trolley or streetcar) within the city limits without first submitting the question of approval of such expenditure to a vote of the electorate of the City and receiving a majority affirmative vote for the same.”

There are serious problems with this language. First of all, it’s hard to understand. Cincinnatians who signed the petition have said they signed it in error, thinking instead they were registering their support for the Cincinnati Streetcar. And, as you probably also know by now, it would require a vote on each and every rail passenger rail project, including light rail and inter-city rail, that would be built within the city limits if it required the purchase of land or the spending of any monies by the city — even if the project required no increase in taxes.

It is unprecedented. No city in the United States has ever voted to restrict its options in this way.

Please come to City Council Chambers at 801 Plum Street at 10:00a on Tuesday. Anyone may testify by filling out a Speaker’s Card that can be obtained from the Council Clerk at the right side of Council Chambers. Each speaker will have two minutes to testify. Please strictly observe this rule of Council.

This is about much more than the Cincinnati Streetcar. It’s about the future growth and prosperity of our city. As written, it will restrict all passenger rail transit and hinder our city’s ability to be competitive. Cincinnati is now one of two of America’s Top 25 Metros without rail. If adopted, this Charter Amendment — a permanent change to our city’s constitution — will ensure that status.

City Hall is well-served by Queen City Metro routes 1, 6, 10, 32, 33, 40X, 49, and 50. To see which route is most convenient for you, and to plan your trip now, use Metro’s Trip Planner.

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Advantage IQ to expand downtown Cincinnati presence 40%

The City of Cincinnati’s Economic Development Department is reporting that Advantage IQ will be expanding their Downtown presence over the next three years by 40 percent.

The company currently has its offices in The Center at 600 Vine and will add the additional capacity there where it already employs 75 people. Advantage IQ is headquartered out of Spokane, Washington and provides expense management services for multi-site businesses.

The expansion was made possible by a job creation tax credit from the City of Cincinnati and the Ohio Department of Development. City officials say that a $1.1 million return is expected for the City in terms of the revenues generated from the new and retained jobs.