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 frames how riverfront parcels are used, what revenue streams and costs remain with taxpayers, and how any renovation or redevelopment will be financed. Commissioners flagged concerns about transparency of who negotiates on the county’s behalf, the authority of commissioners on lease terms, and the potential for an urban-design study to prejudge outcomes before lease terms are renegotiated.

The county’s administrator, Jeff Aluto, told commissioners the county has assembled experts to advise on both legal and market questions: “Inner Circle Sports … has that experience on both sides of the ledger,” and the county’s financial adviser PFM and long‑time riverfront counsel Frost Brown Todd are part of the team helping analyze the deal and financing options.

Reese urged clearer public reporting on which consultants are negotiating at the table and asked for written reports from the outside firm whose contract is up for renewal, saying she had not yet received a summary of that firm’s work. She also asked for a formal legal opinion about the role of commissioners in lease execution, saying she was concerned the board’s three names appear on the eventual lease even though she is not ‘‘eyeball to eyeball’’ in negotiations.

County staff described the technical roles different advisors will play: Inner Circle Sports will focus on market and deal terms with professional-sports expertise; Messer/AECOM and other technical consultants have provided capital-cost and renovation estimates; PFM and bond counsel will advise on financing tied to the riverfront sales‑tax fund.

Commissioners raised several lease-specific concerns that they want documented before signing any new deal: who controls stadium concessions and advertising screens; whether the county continues to bear utilities and real‑estate tax exposure; how much of the stadium’s parking and naming-rights revenue remains with the team versus the county; and whether any new lease provides predictable revenue to repay riverfront debt. Reese noted the county previously approved $20 million toward the stadium and said the county needs clear accounting around revenue streams and what taxpayers will fund.

No formal action was taken at the meeting. Commissioners directed staff to continue negotiations with the county’s legal and financial teams and asked for clearer, written reporting from outside consultants.

Looking ahead: Reese recommended pausing work on an urban-design study for the riverfront lots until after the Bengals indicate whether they will exercise options or propose a new deal — she suggested waiting until June, when she said the team may announce its intentions. County staff said they would continue to coordinate the multidisciplinary advisory team and provide the board with reports on scope, cost and negotiating leads.