Hamilton County commissioners approve new 11-year Bengals lease amid dissent and calls for voter referendum

County commissioners voted 2–1 on July 31 to approve a new 11-year lease and attached management agreement between Hamilton County and the Cincinnati Bengals, advancing a package of operating and capital terms the administration said are necessary to fund a stadium renovation and to secure the team’s presence on the riverfront.

The lease resolution authorizes the county administrator to execute the finalized lease documents and a management agreement that define how renovation funds will be tranch ed and administered, how stadium booking and revenue-sharing will operate, and the rent and capital-payment structure for the team and county.

The commissioners’ approval came after extended public and closed-door negotiations. County administrator Jeff Alito summarized the agreement as covering the “how the dollars associated with the renovation get allocated, how they get put into tranches” and other operational details. Outside counsel and county negotiators said the draft presented to the board reflects “the vast majority” of terms the county and team had agreed to and that the county had negotiated language to limit previously uncapped county liability.

Why it matters: County leaders and residents have debated for months whether to preserve the Bengals on the riverfront while limiting taxpayer exposure. Supporters argued the new lease secures significant capital funding, establishes rent payments where none existed, caps…