When was that agreement okayed?

After all the fanfare surrounding the approval of the Banks documents in October - just before Election Day - the agreement wasn't actually finalized for several more weeks.

Some "minor language changes" were still needed, according to Eric Stuckey, assistant county administrator. So all parties agreed to make the "effective date" of the contract Nov. 23.

That pushes the subsequent deadlines back a couple weeks, but Commission President Todd Portune said in an e-mail Wednesday that the groundbreaking will take place before the Reds' Opening Day (March 31).

Said Portune: "When the official groundbreaking occurs before Opening Day downtown will be converted to a sea of cranes [as opposed to a sea of parking] that will usher in a new era of progress for the region."

In the meantime a construction company is taking soil samples this week to help the county finish its garage designs. The big yellow drill rig is is working in the area between the Great American Ball Park and the Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

"The geotechnical work marks the first noticeable work on the project and, as such, stands as evidence that the Banks is moving ahead and is now a reality instead of a vision," Portune said.