An indoor practice facility may also be built near the music venue that will be adjacent to the stadiumGETTY IMAGES
The Bengals and Hamilton County (Ohio) commissioners have "struck a deal to allow for a music venue to be located in a vacant lot adjacent to Paul Brown Stadium in exchange for the county allowing more tailgating space," according to Chris Wetterich of the CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER. The Bengals also will have the "option to build, at the team’s own expense, an indoor practice facility" near the venue. In addition, the deal makes "major amendments to the lease" with the team, eliminating annual payments by the county to the Bengals valued at $29M through the end of the lease in '26. It also "settles how much money the county has to put into the stadium for capital improvements," capping them at $42.3M through '26 (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/14). In Cincinnati, Tucker & Couch note after "years of acrimony, Hamilton County and Bengals officials came together in a kumbaya moment" yesterday by "promising to put their differences [aside] for the betterment of the community." A new era of "cooperation has emerged in which the Bengals and the county have prioritized bringing the vision for The Banks riverfront development to fruition." County Commissioner Todd Portune said, "This is not just about the music venue. This is also very important about how we re-frame our relationship with the Bengals" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/15).
