Evening star., 1944-07-15
Cincinnati 10 Have
MuItipIe-Use Stadium
Costing S1,0OO,0OO

A streamlined, multiple-use new
indoor stadium, sports arena and
convention hall, representing an ag-
gregate investment Of approximately
$1,000 900, to be privately financed
and operated In connection with
Oincinnati's postwar planning and
community development, Is to be
built as soon as wartime restrictions
on manpower and construction ma
terials are lifted.
Eight years ago, when jefferson
Memorial was contemplated in
Warrington, many civic groups here
proposed that this memorial take
the form Of q great outdoor stadium
to be placed across the Anacostia
River to complete the Lincoln Me-
mortal, Washington Monument,
Capitol axis on the east and develop
the Anacostia region with the same
formality and beauty which sur
rounds the Lincoln Memorial on the
banks of the Potomac. For various
reasons these plans were abandoned
and the Jefferson Memorial was
erected in the form of monument.
Announcement of the Cincinnati
project, conceived and developed by
Willis Vance, 42-year-old manager,
operator and developer of motion
picture properties, was made this
week by Walter s. Schmidt, presi-
dent of Frederick A. Schmidt. Inc.
Long Negotiations Conducted.
Mr.. Schmidt announced that his
real estate firm, which for over a
half century has been associated
with some of the larger real estate
transactions In Cincinnati and has
participated in assembling property
for important developments, includ-
ing the Carew Tower project a
decade ago, has. during the last
three years, been negotiating for
the purchase by Mr.. Vance of the
properties necessary for the under
taking.
Following extensive surveys of
land and general utilities focused in
the light of Cincinnati's postwar
planning. Mr.. Vance determined on
the location at the southwest cor
ner of Second and Main streets,
three blocks from the heart of
downtown Cincinnati.
The parcel of land on which the
all-purpose stadium. sports arena
and convention hall will be built
contains 10000 square feet of space
It will be bounded on the north by
Second street, on which it will have
a frontage of 19l feet. and con-
templates q full block on Main
street, which has a frontage OF 402
feet.
Transportation Is Factor.
One of the prime factors involved
In the selection of the location was
accessibility and facility of transpor-
tation-private automobile, street.
car and bus lines for both Greater
Cincinnati, including the Northern
Kentucky communities and the s.
900, 900 population area of the tri-
State area of which the Queen City
is the hub.
The stadium site is adjacent to
q large municipal parking area on
the public landing owned by the
city of Cincinnati, which will fur
nish free 1900 to 1900 car-parking
facilities to patrons.
The location is three blocks from
the heart Of downtown Cincinnati
and its arteries of public transport
facilities leading to all suburbs and
communities. At the same time the
site Is only a few minutes walk
from the terminal of the major in
terstate and Translate bus lines
entering Cincinnati.
Equal facility to reach railroad
depots in Cincinnati and Northern
Kentucky is provided by taxicab or
public transports.
THE need of this project" Mr..
Schmidt stated, lis concurred in by
some of the most responsible f1nan-
cial and governmental personalities
in Cincinnati" He pointed out that
absence Of facilities of this char
acter in Cincinnati augurs we'll for
the success of the enterprise from
. business standpoint and repre-
sents a demonstration of the fore
sight, willingness and aptitude of
private enterprise to build needed
facilities having communicative
utility"