HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio — Hamilton County leaders are pressing Ohio lawmakers to include $350 million in the state’s two-year budget for renovations to Paycor Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals, after the Ohio House approved a plan Wednesday that omitted the project.
The House budget allocated $600 million in bonds for a new domed stadium for the Cleveland Browns but provided no funding for Paycor Stadium. Hamilton County commissioners, alongside the Bengals, have proposed an $830 million renovation plan, down from an earlier $1.2 billion estimate. The upgrades include a larger north end zone scoreboard, enhanced suites, new seating, and improved walkways, escalators, and elevators.
The county’s lease with the Bengals expires before the Browns’ agreement, prompting concerns about the state’s focus on Cleveland. Commissioners have been lobbying legislators, but Ohio House Finance Chair Brian Stewart said the county and Bengals only finalized their funding plan last week, too late for inclusion in the House budget passed Wednesday.
The Ohio Senate will now review the budget, with changes expected before the July 1 deadline. Gov. Mike DeWine has proposed doubling sports betting taxes to create a sustainable fund for stadium projects statewide, a plan the House opposes. DeWine’s office emphasized a preference for long-term funding over one-time bonds benefiting only the Browns.
Hamilton County plans to continue advocating as the Senate deliberates. A Bengals spokesperson referred all inquiries to the county.