CINCINNATI — The Banks will restrict its Public Plaza area to people 21 and older after 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights beginning immediately, officials announced Friday.
The restrictions will impact the public plaza area on Freedom Way between Joe Nuxhall Way and Marian Spencer Way/Walnut Street. The restricted area ends at Marian Spencer Way.
Cincinnati officials said the initiative was launched by The Banks itself and the privately-owned businesses that call it home, but Mayor Aftab Pureval and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge are in support.
"The Banks is a critically important aspect of our local economy," said Pureval. "It's really the lifeblood, particularly for our sports and our entertainment economies and we want to do everything we can to maintain the safety of our patrons and our tourists."
WATCH: Breaking down the new age restriction at The Banks, its impact
The Banks' business association applied for special event permits to allow the 21-and-over restriction and has fully funded the initiative itself through private funds, according to Tracey Schwegmann with The Banks.
"It's a conversation we've been having for about two years," said Schwegmann.
She said overall it will likely cost the association around $250,000.
What will this change at The Banks?
According to Schwegmann, at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the coming summer months, bike racks will be positioned at either end of the pedestrian plaza where the DORA district is located.
From there, a private security firm hired by The Banks will check identification for everyone entering, and patrons who are under the age of 21 will be asked to leave. Schwegmann said businesses within The Banks will also still be doing their own ID checks at bar doors.
"The reality is, at a certain point in the evening, the offerings of these establishments are solely geared toward 21 and over, so we want to make certain that the folks that are coming down to patronize those businesses are of age and can do so in a safe, fun, vibrant area," said Schwegmann.
WATCH: Security checks IDs on first night The Banks implements new age policy
This is just a next step in The Banks' efforts to improve safety in the entertainment district that follows improvements already made to lighting, cameras and landscaping.
Right now, the initiative is set to run for at least the next six months, since that's how long the permit The Banks obtained runs — but Schwegmann said once that time period is up, there will be a conversation about whether to keep the policy in place permanently depending on its success.
Jawan Walker was among the crowd Friday night to see the first night with the new policy. Walker said some people were already trying to work around it.
"A couple people that tried to come in being younger that had the fake IDs," Walker said.
Walker said he thinks the new policy is a step in the right direction, but he said he didn't think it was a firm solution to the problem.
Theetge said the age restriction will likely free up Cincinnati police officers to patrol other, nearby areas more heavily instead. Since a private security firm will be handling IDs and security at The Banks' DORA district, Theetge said she hopes that CPD officers can focus elsewhere.
Recently, CPD has deployed its SWAT team and its Civil Disturbance Response Team at The Banks to help handle issues tied to the large crowds the area draws.
"I'm excited to see how it goes tonight, tomorrow night and into the summer," said Theetge.
What about late Reds games? Can my family still access the area?
Fear not — Reds games will likely not be impacted much.
Schwegmann said they are in communication with the Reds on when games may release a large crowd into The Banks in the evening.
Barricades may not go up right at 10 p.m. when there's a late game, so families can still move through — but even if they are up, Schwegmann said families will be allowed through the plaza to head to the parking garages or make it back to their vehicles or homes in the evenings.
Officials said areas around Great American Ball Park and both sidewalks on Joe Nuxhall Way are not part of the public plaza, so they also won't be restricted.
Is this the first step toward 21-and-over restrictions elsewhere in Cincinnati?
According to Theetge, not yet.
Theetge said those involved at The Banks came up with a plan that specifically worked for them to improve the area.
Pureval called the move "proactive."
But that doesn't mean that similar initiatives won't be looked at for other areas in the city, like Over-the-Rhine.
"We got this one across the finish line, we're gonna evaluate it at the end of the summer and see how things went and then we'll take conversations from there," said Theetge.
How are businesses and patrons reacting to the changes?
Dan Norrish, a retiree who lives in an apartment above The Banks' main plaza, said he is encouraged by the changes.
"It's way overdue. They needed to do it," he said. "I mean, because you got a lot of young professionals living here, but you also got old folks like me living down here and you just want to walk around and just enjoy the environment."
Norrish said from time to time, he can see large groups of young people gather near The Banks' main plaza from his living room window.
"It's just intimidating. These kids cluster in 20 to 30 in a pack. Sometimes they fight amongst each other," he said.
Jim Moehring, owner of The Banks' Holy Grail, said conversations surrounding this policy have been ongoing for several years. He is content with the decision to implement it now.
"It's just an added layer of protection for our customers. The frustrating part with these kids is they are not our customers. They don't pretend to be our customers. Don't want to be our customers," Moehring said. "We don't want them to be customers at night either. As a perception, I think it'll just make people feel more secure."
Saturday, WCPO 9 spoke to Branden Bell, who works at the Street Corner Market. Their store already had an age restriction in place, but he said it was hard to enforce on the kids.
He said he noticed a difference even after only one night.
"I didn't see no fights, I didn't have to argue with nobody to leave the store," Bell said.
Hear more from Bell and those who experienced night one of the new policy in the video below:
