The Cincinnati Bengals are staying in tow Cincinnati Bengals are staying in town — and Paycor Stadium is getting a major overhaul.
In a pivotal moment for the franchise and city, Hamilton County Commissioners approved a new lease agreement that keeps the Bengals in Cincinnati through at least 2036, with a guaranteed two-year extension through 2038, according to The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.
The deal also commits $470 million in renovations, with $350 million from the county and $120 million from the Bengals and NFL, funded partly through the league’s G-5 stadium loan program.
The agreement marks the end of years of tension and speculation about the team’s future — and replaces one of the most criticized leases in professional sports with a more balanced framework.
Bengals’ Key Changes In New Deal
For the first time, the Bengals will pay rent: $1 million annually for three years, then $2 million per year through the rest of the lease and any future short-term extensions.
More Community Use: Non-football events at Paycor Stadium will be managed by a third-party operator, allowing more concerts, festivals, and year-round activity.
“This is a new era,” said Commissioner Denise Driehaus. “The taxpayers now have control, predictability, and a stadium that will be used for more than just football.”
The breakthrough deal came just ahead of a critical June 30 deadline, which could have triggered a little-known clause in the original lease. That clause allowed the Bengals to shift to a rolling two-year lease, potentially positioning the team to entertain relocation offers as early as 2028.
That scenario echoed early warning signs seen in other NFL relocations — including the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders — where stalled stadium talks and quiet outs in leases led to teams leaving their home markets.
Though the new lease renders that clause inactive for now, it still exists as a mechanism in the current framework — which means the future beyond 2038 remains uncertain.
A Smarter, But Not Permanent, Fix
Officials on both sides have called the deal a win. It shifts costs, ends the old lease’s financial imbalance, and allows for modern upgrades without tearing the stadium down or building anew.
However, it stops short of offering a long-term, 20–30-year stadium solution like those recently secured in Baltimore or Charlotte. It also doesn’t bundle broader development incentives or surrounding real estate projects.
And there are looming questions: What happens after 2036? Who pays for future structural upkeep? And how will this impact major decisions around team building during Joe Burrow’s prime?
Commissioner Alicia Reece also pointed out that the Cincinnati Reds’ lease expires around the same time, setting up what could be a complex dual-stadium negotiation in the early 2030s.
The Bengals aren’t going anywhere — at least for the next 13 years. The new deal offers stability, modernizes Paycor Stadium, limits public risk, and brings the stadium closer to being a full-time community venue.
But the hidden escape clause, though dormant, remains. And with the clock already ticking toward 2036, Cincinnati’s hold on its NFL team may again face serious questions a decade from now.
For now, Bengals fans can exhale — and focus on the chase for a Super Bowl.
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