Committee asks administration for report on creating dedicated special-events fund

The Cincinnati Budget and Finance Committee amended a motion from Council member Seth Walsh at its meeting to ask the administration to return a report on creating an identified funding source and policy for city-supported special events.

The request follows a proposal from Walsh to set aside a recurring, restricted account for events such as Blink and the Cincinnati Music Festival and to reserve 10% of that account for an incubator that would help smaller or startup community events grow. Walsh said the proposal builds on a prior idea raised during the last budget cycle and the city’s recent closure of a ticket‑tax loophole, which he said drove a projected 15.1% increase in ticket tax revenue and roughly $1.5 million in new revenue in the last budget.

Walsh said the goal is to “set that aside and have a fund that is for special events every single year, that targets events like Blink,” and to create a predictable, transparent path for both large and grassroots events to request city support. He added the motion’s design contemplates a percentage‑based set‑aside rather than a fixed dollar amount and allows for administrative flexibility in identifying funding sources.

Council members asked how the city would determine what qualifies as a special event and whether large, one‑off windfalls (for example, a major tour that generates a surge in ticket tax receipts) would be locked into the restricted account in ways that could hamper budgeting. Council member Nolan said he “think[s] of special events” as typically nonannual occasions and voiced concern that receipts tied to an unusually large event could be restricted in a single year. Walsh responded that the restricted account structure is intended to allow funds to accumulate year to year and that the administration would provide recommendations on criteria such as economic impact, hotel room usage and whether an event is recurring.

Council member Rauby and others pressed for clarity about how grassroots community efforts — tournaments, small neighborhood festivals and other smaller‑scale events — would fit into the proposal. Walsh and supporters said the 10% incubator allocation is specifically intended to help smaller community events with back‑end infrastructure and capacity building.

Council member Albee offered a friendly amendment to change the motion from immediate implementation to a request that the administration produce a report. The amendment was approved by roll call vote (Kramarini: Yes; Johnson: Yes; Nolan: Yes; Jeffries: Yes; Vice Mayor Jan Michelle Kearney: Yes; Albee: Yes; Owens: Yes; Parks: Yes; Walsh: Yes). The amended motion now directs the administration to return a report with criteria, budget implications and recommended processes before any funds are formally set aside.

Committee members noted budget pressures in coming years and asked that the report include long‑term budget implications and options for leveraging private and county resources.

The committee did not adopt final funding allocations; any allocation or ordinance that would spend or restrict city funds would require subsequent council action.