More From The State of the City

If you've already read Mayor Mark Mallory's State of the City speech online and still crave more....



The crowd was an interesting mix of people. Among the more than 600 who came to Playhouse in the Park to hear what the mayor thinks: Former Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell; civil rights lawyer Al Gerhardstein; rappin'-for-Obama Leslie Isaiah Gaines; Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine; unsuccessful City Council candidate Brian Garry, who wore a Victoria Wulsin sticker on his lapel; Victoria Wulsin; Tom Luken; lobbyist Dick Weiland, recovering from an illness and in a wheelchair; state Sen. Eric Kearney; Shirley Colbert, longtime resident of and activist for the West End.



Sean Rugless took the stage first to welcome everyone. He's president and CEO of the Greater Cincinnati African-American Chamber of Commerce and used the opportunity to educate the crowd on what his group does, including training seminars, business development institutes and encouraging more meaningful inclusion for minority-owned businesses. People clapped when he said his is the largest African-American chamber in the state.



Four religious leaders - a priest, a rabbi, a United Methodist pastor and the leader of the Cincinnati chapter of the Muslim American Society - prayed for the city, its leaders and its citizens.



Sponsors: American Financial Group, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Bell, Cincinnati Business Committee, Cintas, Federated Department Stores, Fifth Third Bank, Procter & Gamble. Caterer: Elegant Fare.