By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter
The construction at Newport’s Ovation site has recently commenced, and count Commissioner Frank Peluso among those impressed by what’s occurring in the west end of the city.
“I would encourage everyone to ride past the Ovation site and take a look,” Peluso said at Monday night’s monthly meeting, speaking of the music venue and parking garage that are quickly being built. “It looks like a small city. It’s absolutely amazing. You see earthmovers and the construction they are getting done right now.”
Ovation, Corporex’s planned $1 billion project at the vacant west-end site in Newport near the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, had been announced in 2006. But a combination of factors postponed the development of the project for 13 years.
“We’re grateful this project finally started moving, because it’s been a long wait,” Newport City Manager Tom Fromme said, pointing out the recession in 2008 hindered progress for the Ovation project. “Plus, retail has pretty much fallen flat the past several years. Corporex, though, never gave up and they have a significant investment already. They were well over $25 million in investments before they ever broke ground on the site.
According to Corporex officials, the Ovation’s music venue will accommodate indoor audiences of up to 2,700, with an outdoor capacity for summer shows of up to 7,000 people.
Ovation is a 25-acre mixed-use development, comprised of more than 900 residential units, restaurants, retail, hotels and offices. According to Corporex officials, the Ovation’s music venue will accommodate indoor audiences of up to 2,700, with an outdoor capacity for summer shows of up to 7,000 people.
The facility is expected to attract up to 400,000 fans annually. The concert hall, with its unique sweeping roof design, will sit atop a 550-car structured parking garage. Corporex officials also expect to hold more 180 events per year at the music venue.
The Venue Plaza will be linked to the future phases of the Ovation development via a pedestrian walkway over the recently opened Route 9 extension. The pedestrian bridge will be linked to the restaurants, nightlife and other entertainment spots that will make up the main pedestrian streets dubbed Broadway and Main Streets within the Ovation development.
Fromme said while there is no set timeline for the opening of the venue, “near the end of 2020, or even that fall, is definitely within the realm of possibility.”
In other items Monday night:
• Fromme reminded everyone that Riverfest, which is set for Sept. 1, is fast-approaching and Newport is prepared to handle the annual event that draws an estimated 250,000 people to the city.
“The floodwall and Riverboat Row is jam-packed that day,” Fromme said. “Newport is a busy place for Riverfest, with everyone anticipating the fireworks show that night.”
• Fromme also pointed out the traffic situation following the annual fireworks show has drastically improved in Newport the past few years.
“At one time in the past, it was total gridlock,” he recalled. “The Police Department has done a lot of work over the years tinkering with the traffic flow, and tweaking the plan. We have an after-action critiquing every year to see how we can improve it.
“Now, with the Route 9 expansion, what used to be until 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning as far as the traffic being moderated, within an hour of the fireworks being finished a lot of the traffic has left the city. But I’ll tell you what, 15 years ago, at 11 p.m. you were sitting in traffic.”
• Dr. Bob Hudepohl, who is retiring after serving as the medical director for the Newport Fire/EMS Department, was recognized by the Board of Commissioners and Mayor Jerry Peluso for his years of service.
The Newport Board of Commissioners will next convene in a regular meeting on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.
