Bengals and Hamilton County Struggle to Reach New Paycor Stadium Lease Agreement as 2026 Deadline Approaches

The Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County are facing challenges in their negotiations for a new lease agreement for Paycor Stadium, with the current lease set to expire in June 2026. The Bengals have expressed frustration with the lack of progress and have proposed a $300 million investment in stadium improvements by 2025 in exchange for a five-year lease extension.

However, county officials have balked at the high price tag for a relatively short-term extension. "The proposal is too expensive for a short-term extension," said Jeff Aluotto, Hamilton County administrator. The county has committed to making $39 million in repairs and renovations to the stadium in 2024, but the Bengals say this is insufficient to properly maintain the facility.

Hamilton County commissioners have called for a timeline to be developed and released to the public regarding the lease negotiations. "We need to start the negotiations," said Alicia Reece, vice president of the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. "I'm anxious to get this moving."

The Bengals have a deadline of June 2025 to decide whether to exercise the first of five two-year extensions allowed under the current lease. The team's attorney, Stuart Dornette, stated that they have seen no progress in the talks and have "genuine questions" about what the county wants.

Why this matters: The outcome of these negotiations will have significant financial implications for both the Bengals and Hamilton County taxpayers. The stadium's future viability as an NFL venue is also at stake, with the Bengals seeking major upgrades to remain competitive with other teams' facilities.

Hamilton County is currently working on a master plan for the stadium, which is expected to be completed in June 2024. County officials have also suggested that the NFL should contribute at least $100 million towards the stadium upgrades, citing the league's financial contributions to other stadium projects in recent years.

As the clock ticks towards the June 2026 lease expiration, pressure is mounting on both sides to find a mutually agreeable solution. "We have got to get this figured out," said Denise Driehaus, president of the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. "The taxpayers deserve to know what is going on and what the future holds for the stadium."

Key Takeaways

• Bengals and Hamilton County face challenges in lease negotiations for Paycor Stadium.
• Bengals propose $300M in stadium upgrades for 5-year lease extension, but county balks at cost.
• County committed to $39M in repairs in 2024, but Bengals say it's insufficient to maintain facility.
• Negotiations' outcome will have significant financial implications for both parties and stadium's future.
• County working on a master plan, seeks NFL contribution of at least $100M for stadium upgrades.