Bengals, Hamilton County Reach Important MOU in Stadium Lease Negotiations

Jay Morrison | Apr 22, 2025

A view of Paycor Stadium, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Downtown Cincinnati. / Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – Per multiple reports, the Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County have reached an agreement in principle to extend the team’s lease at Paycor Stadium.

The Cincinnati Business Courier was the first to report that the county had reached a memorandum of understanding with the Bengals, a significant development that should mean a full agreement will be in place by the June 30 deadline.

As part of the agreement, the team and county will work together on an $830 million stadium renovation project.

Per a report from WLW, Phase 1 of the project will be team funded and will include renovations to the East and West Club Lounges and upgrades to all 132 suites.

There also will be improvements to certain concession areas, along with stadium beautification efforts.

Among the county-funded portion of Phase 1 will be vertical transportation (elevators, stairwells and possibly escalators) in the East and West Club Lounges, electric power and code upgrades and the scoreboard control room.

The full renovation project is expected to be completed by 2029.

The negotiations between the team and the county grew contentious in recent months as the sides exchanged jabs.

Last month at the NFL owners meetings in Florida, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn expressed frustration with the lack of urgency from the county in getting a deal done.

Those comments came on the heels of the Bengals accusing the county of being in default of the lease earlier this year.

The county claimed the team was in default of the agreement.

Nothing has been finalized, but today’s reports mark significant progress toward ensuring that the Bengals continue to call downtown Cincinnati their home well into the future.

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