Imagine the 1993 debate that once swirled around this spot, when plans for a new concert venue worried Music Hall's supporters. From this spot you can imagine the bustle when it hosts plays, ballet, popular music concerts, stand-up comedy shows and musicals. The building you see was designed by architect César Pelli and named in honor of Cincinnati native and Ohio senator Stanley Aronoff.
The center’s story begins in 1993, when its proposal stirred a public debate: some feared a new concert venue would lead to the abandonment or destruction of nearby Cincinnati Music Hall. Opponents included Patricia Corbett, wife of J. Ralph Corbett, and Louise Nippert, both noted supporters of the arts. At the time, downtown Cincinnati lacked a modern music venue; the nearby Taft Theater lacked air conditioning and could not host shows during the summer.
Patricia Corbett later changed course after meeting with the theater’s committee, while Louise Nippert remained opposed. Aronoff, then President of the Ohio Senate, secured $40 million of funding for the project—money originally set aside for an unrealized Broadway theatre in Columbus proposed by Les Wexner—and the center was named in his honor. Named for Senator Stanley Aronoff, this César Pelli design now hosts plays, ballet, and concerts for you to enjoy.