The NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals and the commissioners of Ohio’s Hamilton County are asking the state government for $350 million for what they describe as an “overhaul of Paycor Stadium.”
The Cincinnati Business Courier reports the requested money would cover 42% of an estimated $830 million renovation project. A list of upgrades and repairs to the 25-year-old stadium includes “improvements to elevators and escalators, replacing the canopy and roofing systems, renovating club-level seating and suites and creating additional ones, improving the concourse and plaza and modernizing the stadium audio-visual equipment.” But unlike an earlier $1.2 billion proposal, the current list does not feature a new team headquarters and an upgraded practice facility.
The request came one day after the Ohio House of Representatives included $600 million in bonds in the state budget to pay for a new domed stadium for the state’s other NFL team, the Cleveland Browns. The Bengals’ lease at Paycor Stadium expires at the end of the 2025-2026 season and the team has dropped hints that it might be considering a relocation when the season is over.
Photo: JonRidinger / Wikimedia Commons
