Hamilton County outlines Paycor Stadium lease proposals; approves escalator purchase amid debate

Hamilton County commissioners heard a public update June 12 on negotiations with the Cincinnati Bengals over a new long-term lease for Paycor Stadium and approved an escalator purchase for the stadium’s club entrance.

The presentation by County Administrator Jeff Aludo summarized term-sheet language exchanged in April and showed wide differences between the county’s and the team’s proposals on lease length, capital contributions, rent and operation costs. After discussion, the board voted 2–1 to approve a $1,525,000 contract to replace club‑level escalators.

The update was intended to give “a snapshot in time” of talks with the team, Aludo told the commissioners and the public. “The board has been clear that it desires a new lease for Paycor Stadium that’s consistent with the NFL market, keeps the team here for as long as possible, doesn’t raise taxes,” he said. Aludo said the county will use the existing stadium sales tax fund — a voter‑approved fund dating to 1996 — as the primary public funding source and is not discussing a new sales tax.

Why it matters: the lease term and public contribution levels determine how much county taxpayers could be asked to pay and how the county would finance a renovation estimated at about $830 million. The county’s April proposal would cap the county’s capital contribution at $270 million, the team’s initial April term sheet asked for a county contribution of $608 million over 10 years and proposed roughly $120 million of team funds (with additional items that could raise that to about $200 million). The county requested an additional $350 million from the state in its April proposal.

Key proposal differences included: - Term: the county proposed a 15‑year base term with a five‑year extension contingent on state participation; the team proposed a shorter five‑year base term extendable to 10 years if the county provided more capital. - Capital split: county April proposal $270 million / team $210 million / state $350 million requested. Team’s April proposal envisioned a much larger county contribution with a smaller immediate team contribution. - Rent: the county’s April offer proposed $1,000,000 annually through the lease term; the team proposed $1,000,000 annually for five years. - Operations and maintenance: under the current lease the county carries most non‑game day O&M; the county’s proposal seeks a more shared approach, including a proposed $6.5 million annual team contribution to offset O&M. - Community benefits: the county has proposed a community benefits agreement covering prevailing wage, workforce training opportunities tied to the renovation, and increased public access for events such as high‑school sports and community programming.

Aludo emphasized the county’s aim to secure a “financially sustainable” deal without raising taxes and invited public feedback at county meetings and via a Paycor keyword submission form on the county website.

Commissioner Denise Driehaus said the presentation was useful to keep residents informed and said protecting taxpayer interests and county assets has been a priority throughout lengthy negotiations. “I can’t go anywhere without somebody asking me about the Bengals,” Driehaus said, calling for a long‑term agreement that is “beneficial to the team and to the taxpayers without increasing any sales tax.”

Commissioner Summer Dumas also pushed for a lease she can “sign and feel really good about,” saying she would accept no less than a 15‑year term with a possible five‑year option and stressed that the stadium should be more available to the public.

Commissioner Alicia Reese, who spoke at length about negotiating posture, urged the board to view the talks as negotiation between team ownership and the taxpayers. Reese warned that the materials exchanged to date read like a letter of intent (LOI) rather than a binding lease and stressed the need for specific, enforceable protections for taxpayers. “They’re not here for the taxpayers, and us as the taxpayers should not be here trying to accommodate the Bengals,” Reese said, adding concerns about rent caps, county debt capacity and whether the deal includes tangible relief for homeowners paying rising property taxes.

Escalator purchase and vote: the board discussed a $1,525,000 procurement to replace or upgrade club‑level vertical‑transportation equipment. Commissioners debated whether the county should preorder parts now or wait until a final lease was signed. Driehaus moved to approve the purchase; the motion carried 2–1 with Dumas joining Driehaus and Reese voting no. Commissioner Reese said she opposed proceeding while the lease remained nonbinding and said the county should not send mixed signals on spending prior to a finalized agreement. Driehaus and Dumas said the replacement is maintenance needed to keep the facility safe and operational for upcoming events.

What was not decided: no lease or formal agreement with the Bengals was approved at the meeting. Aludo repeated that negotiations continue and said the April term sheets were only a point in time and may not reflect final terms. County staff and the board will continue talks with the team and with state legislators on potential state participation.

Next steps: commissioners asked staff to continue negotiations, to refine financial scenarios and to provide updates at future public meetings. Aludo reiterated that residents may submit feedback via the county website under the Paycor keyword.