Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken has proposed a $3 million renovation of the city's Reeves Golf Course in the East End to make way for a new hangar at Lunken Airport for Procter & Gamble's five corporate jets.
Luken said it wasn't easy finding $1.7 million in an austere 2005 budget to redo nine holes, a driving range and a clubhouse. "All of which needs to be done anyway, but it's part of the project to put P&G in a new hangar," Luken said. "I've said all along that keeping Procter at Lunken was a priority."
P&G has agreed to contribute $1.3 million for the golf course work. The company is seeking no city subsidy for the hangar.
But capital improvements to a golf course - as other city services like snow plowing senior centers, and public health nurses are being cut - are raising some eyebrows.
"What are our priorities? What are we doing as a city?" said Councilman Christopher Smitherman.
"Some folks can walk in and get in the budget, and other folks have to go through a grant process and stand in line to get $10,000," said Vice Mayor Alicia Reece. "I just want to make sure the one set of rules applies."
P&G added a fifth jet to its fleet this year. The current hangar won't hold all five jets, so the company said it needs to build a $12 million to $15 million hangar on 10 acres.
"We're making a significant investment in Lunken," said P&G spokeswoman Linda Ulrey. "It's also an investment to improve the golf course. It's retaining P&G at Lunken, and in the long term it will also strengthen Lunken as a corporate gateway."