Bengals and Hamilton County Finalize New Lease for Paycor Stadium | Bengals finalize lease extens…

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Bengals and Hamilton County Finalize New Lease for Paycor Stadium

The Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County finalized a new lease that keeps the team in Cincinnati playing home games at Paycor Stadium through June 2036, with 10 additional option years that could extend the lease through June 2046.

"The Bengals thank Hamilton County and its Commissioners for demonstrating leadership and taking steps that continue moving Cincinnati forward," said Bengals Executive Vice President Katie Blackburn. "This new lease keeps Paycor Stadium on par with other communities around the country and a focal point for Cincinnati's riverfront. More importantly, it solidifies the future of the Bengals in Cincinnati, our beloved home, for many years to come. Today's deal embodies a responsible approach for the future, while at the same time keeping Paycor Stadium a great venue that can provide our great fans the great gameday experience they deserve. We love Cincinnati and are proud to call this town home. The Bengals sincerely thank the community, and we look forward to successful and exciting football seasons ahead."

Bengals finalize lease extension to stay at Paycor Stadium

On Friday, the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a new lease agreement with the Bengals that will run through 2036. The lease was approved via a majority decision, 2-1.

The two sides had initially reached a soft agreement in June on the original lease for Paycor Stadium that was set to expire after the upcoming season.

Friday's approval cements a $470 million joint agreement between Hamilton County and the Bengals for improvements on the new stadium. The county will contribute $350 million, while the Bengals will pay $120 million through the NFL's G-5 loan program.

Initially, the two sides had a deadline at the end of July, which was Thursday, to finalize the agreement. At Thursday's meeting, Hamilton County approved a version of the lease that the Bengals hadn't seen or approved.

Stadium deal nearly collapsed at last minute, with Bengals seeking to extend current lease

Hamilton County Commissioners approved their preferred version of a new lease agreement for Paycor Stadium on July 31, hoping the Bengals would sign on, despite the team's reservations about parking spaces.

Instead, after that meeting, the team hand-delivered a letter to County Administrator Jeff Aluotto. The letter, signed by Bengals Vice President Troy Blackburn, said the team wanted to use their option to extend the 1997 lease by two years.

The lease signed in 1997 has long been criticized by taxpayers and used as an example in sports economics of a local government giving too much control to a professional sports team. Hamilton County Commission President Denise Driehaus has previously said the county wanted to negotiate a new lease largely to avoid another 10 years of the Bengals extending the 1997 lease.

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