NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, in Cincinnati to
launch a ticket campaign for a new Bengals stadium,
continued to "shoot down" ideas that team Owner Mike Brown
would move the team to Cleveland, according to a front-page
story by Hobson & Michaud in the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER.
Tagliabue: "The feeling here is the Bengals have been a
great tradition for three decades and the team should stay
here." Tagliabue added he expected the club to reach its
sales goal, including selling 80% of its 104 luxury suites,
to keep the team in Cincinnati. He also complimented the
team's design of its new stadium, specifically the seating
bowl model. Tagliabue: "Sooner or later someone was going
to reach out for a tailor-made and innovative design."
Tagliabue and team officials met with business leaders last
night to sell the corporate community on the luxury seating
ranging from $40-100,000. Burke Inc. President Michael
Baumgardner, a potential suite customer: "Personally,
coming in I didn't think they could sell them. They're very
impressive." The Bengals say they are "most worried" about
their sales of 7,500-8,000 club seats ranging from $995-
1,995 a year (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 12/17).
