CINCINNATI (WKRC) – There’s an interesting nugget in the budget bill.

If the Bengals ever considered leaving Ohio, Hamilton County taxpayers would have a chance to buy the team.

It says teams that use a tax-supported facility have to give six months’ notice to relocate out of state, and the team’s owners would have to give local residents or county government the opportunity to buy the team and keep it in town.

The amendment was added to the budget because the Cleveland Browns are moving to the suburbs. A right of first refusal already exists, but it’s vague about changing cities or moving across state lines.

So, if the Bengals don’t come to a lease agreement with the Hamilton County Commissioners and want to leave, they have to let the taxpayers buy them first. Forbes estimated that the Cincinnati Bengals are valued at $4.1 billion.

Most of the people Local 12 talked to don’t have that in their back pocket, but they’d find a way to keep the team here if they ever left.

“How many friends do you think you need to pool to come up with $4.1 billion?” said Local 12.

“Well, if they’re making the amount of money I’m making right now, then probably about a million,” said Bengals fan Jack Trusty. “Wait. Did you say $4.1 billion?”

“Billion,” said Local 12.

“Oh, then one billion people. I would need to be able to get this to go through, but I’ll find them if need be,” said Trusty.

The Bengals’ owners haven’t hinted that they’d relocate, but the deadline to decide on a lease extension is Monday.

“I think every single person I asked in any of my group chats would agree that we’re so scared of them leaving. So, I would love for us to be able to find a way to get them to stay here,” Trusty said.

Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus said that she feels really good about the county getting money for the stadium in the state budget. The proposal allocates $400 million for sports and cultural projects that the county can apply for.

“We will be competing with other stadiums throughout the state, but again, there are criteria that they’re going to insist upon, and that criteria, I mean, I feel really good about where we sit with having met some of the criteria already. So, we will be ready to go as soon as that application is open,” said Commissioner Denise Driehaus (D)-Hamilton County.

Driehaus had no comment on whether the county would buy the Bengals if they were to relocate. State Representative Cecil Thomas is confident the county will be able to keep the Bengals in town.

“The logic behind that is the economic impact of a team just uprooting and leaving, especially when that team has benefited from the taxpayers where it’s located, significant taxpayer benefits,” said State Rep. Cecil Thomas (D)-North Avondale.

Commissioner Driehaus said that the state budget isn’t the only place the county is looking to find the money to renovate the stadium.