The Cincinnati Bengals will continue to play their home games at Paycor Stadium for at least another decade, potentially through the 2045 season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the franchise has finalized a new lease agreement with Hamilton County that secures their presence until June 2036, with an option to extend through June 2046.
The new lease wraps up negotiations that have been in progress throughout the offseason. In June, the Bengals reached an agreement with local officials for a $470 million renovation of Paycor Stadium, which necessitated county commissioners’ formal approval for the lease extension.
Paycor Stadium, the Bengals’ home since its opening in 2000, will undergo upgrades as part of the renovation project. This budget is lower than the previously proposed $830 million, with the county committing $350 million toward the costs. The team will contribute $120 million, aided by the NFL’s G-5 loan program. The renovations aim to enhance club lounges, stadium suites, concessions, and scoreboards.
Hamilton County commissioners ratified the lease on Thursday, although the Bengals had yet to finalize the terms until Friday, completing the last hurdle following a 2-1 vote by the county.
Mike Brown, Bengals owner, commented, “The county has said that what we’re asking for is in line with what other NFL teams are receiving in markets similar to ours. We believe the stadium meets our needs and serves the community well for its size. It is a nice stadium, but it needs to be adequately maintained moving forward.”
As one NFL team from Ohio finalizes its long-term prospects, the focus will now shift to the Cleveland Browns, aiming to relocate their downtown venue to a new enclosed stadium in the suburbs despite facing opposition and a lawsuit alleging that the plan is “unconstitutional and unlawful.”
The Browns’ current lease expires at the end of the 2028 season, and local leaders have expressed their intention to keep the team at its lakefront location rather than allow it to move to Brook Park.
