Millions in state tax dollars would go towards a new Downtown convention center, a tennis center in Mason, and a new medical school at Xavier University under a plan offered by Ohio’s state senators.

Noticeably absent from the latest list: Any money for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s plans for what it calls Riverbend 2.0, a new music venue at the former Coney Island site.

Local business leaders had sought $20 million. A House version included $8 million for the project. But the Senate version provided nothing.

Ohio Sen. Steve Wilson, a Maineville Republican who represents the area, did not request any funding for the project. Wilson’s senior legislative aide Nick Butcher told The Enquirer that the project was “not a priority” for the fiscally conservative senator.

“Riverbend 2.0 was one of the projects that we got the most opposition phone calls from constituents,” Butcher told The Enquirer.

What did get funded

The House and Senate agreed that each chamber would each decide how to spend $350 million − a windfall that came after federal COVID-19 relief money flowed into Ohio, leading to a spike in state tax revenues.

Lawmakers set aside $700 million in a one-time pot of money for extra community projects. Some legislators called it the “super duper fund.”

Greater Cincinnati would get nearly $70 million for projects. Some of the largest allocations of money would go towards the renovations and expansion of Duke Energy Convention Center, receiving $24 million, and the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, receiving $13.75 million.

Other big-name projects that would receive money include, University of Cincinnati Health, Xavier University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Milliken Interchange and Felicity Veterans Village Housing Project.

What’s next

House Speaker Jason Stephens said he hopes to send the combined package, which would be worth more than $4 billion in total to the governor’s desk by the end of June.

Typically, the capital budget is hashed out by March 31 and lays out how to spend about $2.5 billion, including about $150 million earmarked for local projects. This year, the House and Senate have delayed coming to an agreement on the capital budget bill and on how to spend the $700 million.

“I think it’s important that we get this right, and that we get this money into the communities’ hands. These are the type of projects that are going to impact the next decade or two, maybe even longer,” he said.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio senate funds nearly $70 million for projects in Cincinnati