Hamilton County, Ohio officials revealed plans for $1.2 billion in renovations to Paycor Stadium, the home of the Cincinnati Bengals.
With the team’s lease set to expire in 2026, local government is trying to ensure the club Hall of Famer Paul Brown founded in 1968 remains in the Queen City for the foreseeable future.
The problem is, the team’s 25-year-old Paycor Stadium (formerly Paul Brown Stadium) is now seen as ill-equipped for an NFL franchise. And since building a new stadium could cost upwards of $5 billion, the County hopes renovation plans from architecture firm MSA Sport will suffice.
Unfortunately, financing remains unclear.
There are currently no new taxes proposed to pay for the renovation plans, although an existing half-cent sales tax remains on the books from a quarter century earlier, when the stadium was first financed.
Currently the Bengals practice near a concrete plant along the Ohio River
County officials hope to move the concrete plant down river to build a practice facility
That existing tax, along with contributions from the team and league, might be needed to get the proposal over the proverbial goal line. Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece wants $100 million from the NFL and has criticized the current team-friendly lease as a burden on taxpayers.
‘My goal is to have a diversified plan,’ Reece said in 2023 as quoted by Cincinnati.com. ‘Everybody is looking at that. NFL, you’re putting skin in the game for other teams. You need to put some skin in the game for our team. Give us some respect.’
The Bengals do have the right to extend the current lease by five years or two, according to Cincinnati.com.
The proposed renovations will result in 35 percent more square footage for the stadium, 67 percent more entryways, 38 percent more fan amenities, 20 percent more restrooms, and a 17-percent bump in concessions, according to Hamilton County officials.
The North end zone will see the biggest change if the MSA Design plans are adopted
And like all stadium renovations, there would be a massive scoreboard upgrade
A rendering of the plans for the North end zone at Paycor Stadium are seen
Naturally, new concessions will open as part of the proposed renovations at Paycor
One significant feature of the plans would be a renovated practice facility.
Currently the Bengals use an indoor practice bubble and surrounding fields abutting a concrete plant along the Ohio River.
The proposal has plans for a larger brick-and-mortar facility with indoor and outdoor practice fields.
The total capacity of Paycor would remain around 65,000 seats if the proposal is adopted, only with a higher percentage of club seating.
Many of the surrounding streets and walkways would be adjusted to create more open spaces along the river, while making the stadium more accessible for all fans.
And like all stadium renovations, there would be a massive scoreboard upgrade. In this case, a new 200-foot-wide and 60-foot-tall scoreboard would be added to the north end zone at Paycor.
The Bengals originally played two seasons at Nippert Stadium, where the University of Cincinnati continues to play football. They moved to Riverfront Stadium in 1970 and enjoyed two AFC titles while playing at the multi-sport facility.
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