Hamilton County commissioners scrutinize riverfront urban-design work as Bengals lease talks continue

Commissioner Alicia Reese and county staff discussed pausing a planned urban-design study for remaining riverfront lots until the Cincinnati Bengals’ lease status is clearer, and county officials described the mix of outside consultants and in-house advisers advising Hamilton County on a potential new stadium lease.

Reese, who identified concerns about the timing and public transparency of the study, said the county should not let an urban-design effort become “a major nugget in the negotiation” with the team and suggested pausing study work until the Bengals signal whether they will extend the current lease, which Reese said still has roughly 10 years remaining. County Administrator Jeff Aluto summarized the outside team supporting the county’s work, naming Inner Circle Sports (David Abrams), bond and financial adviser PFM, riverfront counsel Frost Brown Todd, and bond counsel Dinsmore.

Why it matters: the stadium lease…