Hamilton County Officials Vote on New Paycor Stadium Lease

CINCINNATI — The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners officially approved the new lease agreement with the Bengals for Paycor Stadium on Thursday. The commissioners landed on a 2-1 vote in favor of the new lease, which now expires in 2036.

The team's close to officially staying in Cincinnati for at least the next decade after months of negotiations between the two sides. Commissioner Alicia Reece was the only no vote, stating she thinks county residents should be able to vote on the lease at the ballot box. The Bengals just need to vote yes on their end.

"We've been talking about it for not only months, but years. It's time to get this done," Hamilton County President Denise Driehaus said in the board meeting that approved the County's portion of things.

The original Paul Brown (now Paycor Stadium) lease started in 1997 and the stadium will now get major upgrades as part of the new agreement. Hamilton County taxpayers are footing a $350 million chunk of the renovation bill on their end, and the Bengals are contributing $120 million for improvements. Of that $120 million, $60 million will come from an NFL loan.

“We aren’t looking to move, we don’t plan to move,” Bengals owner Mike Brown said before training camp. “We want to have a deal that we can make work here. And that’s what’s being negotiated now and I think it will get done and we’ll stay here and I’ll be happy about it.”

The lease terms lay out $470 million worth of stadium improvements, with maybe more on the way from possible state of Ohio funding. The improvements hone in on upgrading stadium elevators, escalators, club lounges, and suites in the coming years.

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