5 big things Hamilton is doing to try to energize the city

Butler County’s largest city is riding a wave of success, with hopes that its economic development is about to accelerate later this year when the proposed Spooky Nook Sports at Champion Mill breaks ground.

Here are several ways Hamilton is working to build excitement and sett a course for increased economic development in the next several months:

1. Spooky Nook. Officials hope they can break ground by this fall on the Spooky Nook mega-indoor sports complex to take maximum advantage of historic-building tax credits under the new federal tax law enacted last month.

RELATED: Tour of ‘the Nook’ brings visions of what could be in Hamilton

2. 'Come live here' scholarships. Starting in March, scholarships will be offered that help recent college or tech-school grads pay off their student loans if they move into certain Hamilton neighborhoods, in an effort to lure more educated people to the city's urban core.

3. The Great Miami Riverway. Hamilton will participate in development of the Great Miami Riverway, which is the network of trails, boat entry-points and the river itself from Sidney to Hamilton. The development is supplemented by recent additions of restaurants and micro-breweries near the river.

4. Outdoor drinking area. Taking advantage of the new restaurants and bars downtown, the city is looking to create a Downtown Outdoor (Adult) Refreshment Area, where people can stroll around with alcoholic beverages, possibly from noon to midnight Monday through Sunday. Officials hope to have the program in place by May.

RELATED: Hamilton looks at allowing outdoor drinking downtown: What makes it work?

5. Marcum Park. The city looks to continue using the new downtown Marcum Park to attract people to the burgeoning riverfront with concerts and other events. In addition, a trolley and human-peddled pedicabs will be operating when the warm weather arrives this year.

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