The Cincinnati Bengals Lease at Paul Brown Stadium Remains Valid - ENQUIRER.COM

Hamilton Co. pays up for PBS turf
And Bengals make their rent payment
BY KIMBALL PERRY | KPERRY@ENQUIRER.COM

The Cincinnati Bengals lease at Paul Brown Stadium remains valid.

During weeks of arguments between the team and its landlord, Hamilton County, there were indications the lease might be defaulted because of disagreements over money.

Concerns about the possible default disappeared, though, when the team paid its 2006 rent Wednesday and Hamilton County starting reimbursing the Bengals for the stadium's new synthetic turf.

In recent weeks, Commissioner Todd Portune signaled that Hamilton County may not make the payments for the turf and its accompanying heating system, which were installed in 2004.

He said that the Bengals insisted on grass fields when the stadium opened in 2000 and the synthetic turf was needed only after the grass kept dying.

The Bengals, insisting the lease required the county to pay for stadium enhancements already in other NFL stadiums, offered Hamilton County to reimburse it for the turf - costing $889,000 - in three yearly payments.

Portune wanted the county administration to investigate whether taxpayers had to foot the bill.

After the Bengals threatened to declare the county in violation of the 30-year lease if the turf payment wasn't made by Wednesday, commissioners reluctantly said they at least would make this year's payment.

Hamilton County paid the team $296,535.32 on Tuesday, County Administrator Patrick Thompson said.

Wednesday was also the deadline for the team to pay its 2006 rent for Paul Brown Stadium.

Thompson said the Bengals sent the rent check Wednesday morning. The lease called for the team to pay $1.1 million for the 2006 season.

Animosity between the sides was heightened after Hamilton County filed a federal lawsuit against the Bengals and the National Football League, alleging they used their monopoly to win a lease unfavorable to the public, paying for the $450 million stadium with a sales tax.

The lawsuit was thrown out but is being appealed.