Will Hamilton County get a winning deal for taxpayers in new lease with Bengals?

CINCINNATI (WKRC) – For the first time, the public had the opportunity to voice their opinions on a proposed new lease agreement for Paycor Stadium between the Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County.

The current lease, which many consider heavily skewed in favor of the Bengals, is set to expire in 2026. All three county commissioners have expressed their intent to negotiate a more balanced deal that benefits the county and taxpayers.

Public comments at the meeting were divided. Some attendees expressed frustration over the existing deal, feeling burdened by the financial benefits it provides to the Brown family, who are the owners of the Bengals. Others, however, emphasized the team’s importance to Cincinnati and the surrounding region.

Georgiana Iles, a recent transplant to Cincinnati from Florida and a Bengals fan, shared her thoughts on what a new deal should look like.

“No one really wants that old deal to keep going through. We want something that is for the people. We want the stadium to be used by the community. I think that’s first and foremost. But we also need Cincinnati. I mean, the Cincinnati Bengals are Cincinnati as much as anything else.”

Denise Driehaus, Hamilton County Commission President, highlighted the potential for the stadium to serve the community beyond Bengals games.

“We’ve talked about football games for high schools. We’ve talked about big concerts. We’ve talked about using the club levels for receptions. And so, making this asset that belongs to the taxpayers available to the taxpayers outside of just game day. And so, it’s really important that we take advantage of that. That is also in this agreement,” said Driehaus.

Despite the progress in negotiations, state funding remains uncertain. While the Cleveland Browns recently received $600 million from the state legislature for a new stadium, Commissioner Alicia Reece noted that no state funds have been earmarked for the Bengals’ stadium.

The Bengals and the county have agreed to extend the current lease until a new agreement is reached. The team has the option to extend the existing lease for up to a decade under the current favorable terms.