TJJackson Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 There is an investigative article, an excellent one in my opinion, in this week's Citybeat (Citybeat is a free local weekly "newspaper" supported by advertisements, for those of you out of town or otherwise unaware) about the Bengals 1997 stadium deal.Link: http://www.citybeat.com/2007-03-14/cover.shtmlIn the article, it is revealed that the County may recently have acquired new evidence to support their claims against the ridiculously lucrative (for the Bengals) 1997 stadium deal. It's an excellent read for any Bengals fan who is also a Hamilton County resident, or for anyone who wants quick a glimpse at the ugliness of the Bengal's top management.Don't get me wrong - I am glad they are still the Cincinnati Bengals, but despite that it is very obvious that Hamilton County (led by Bob Bedinghaus, the slime who now has a cushy job with those selfsame Bengals, all legal, but clearly not a good thing) were screwed royally by the Bengals, and the fact that they allowed themselves to be screwed doesn't change my opinion of who the real wrongdoers are/were............stepping off soapbox...........anyway, it's a good read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who Dey Time Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 The idea that the Bengals screwed the taxpayer is a little dramatic. Mike Brown had a deal in Baltimore then found a better deal in Cincinnati. That's business. Hamilton County negotiated and accepted the deal. If they felt like the deal was one-sided, they shouldn't have signed it.As an individual taxpayer, you pay on average about $10, to fund the Reds and Bengals stadiums under the sales tax increase.The part that states that the Bengals are responsible for the delays in the Banks project is absurd. This project is delayed because Hamilton County, including Portune, have been at odds with City Council over almost every aspect of the potential deal.It was a good read, although I think the author showed a clear bias and misreported certain facts to better clarify the point.WHO-DEY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_Bengals_Fan Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 The idea that the Bengals screwed the taxpayer is a little dramatic. Mike Brown had a deal in Baltimore then found a better deal in Cincinnati. That's business. Hamilton County negotiated and accepted the deal. If they felt like the deal was one-sided, they shouldn't have signed it.As an individual taxpayer, you pay on average about $10, to fund the Reds and Bengals stadiums under the sales tax increase.The part that states that the Bengals are responsible for the delays in the Banks project is absurd. This project is delayed because Hamilton County, including Portune, have been at odds with City Council over almost every aspect of the potential deal.It was a good read, although I think the author showed a clear bias and misreported certain facts to better clarify the point.WHO-DEY!I think his point is that the guy who negotiated the deal for Hamilton Co. might have been a little too friendly with the Brown family, as evidenced by his current employment with them. Not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentjett Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 He would have recieved similiar deals in Cincy and Baltimore. Cincy offered a little better deal and he took it. Take away the Bengals from Cincy and the city would take a huge hit. They did what they had to do to keep a football franchise in Cincy. You should be thankful we still have a team. Times have changed, Mike Brown is starting to learn how to run an organization. He is one of the most profitable owners in all of the NFL. Dillion is the last player to dog the organization, were doing something right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoePong Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 Dillion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 "In the stadium lease, the Bengals are given some oversight about facilities built next to the stadium. They include control over building heights and some design elements of The Banks. Earlier this year commissioners said they wouldn't file a separate lawsuit against the Bengals in state court, publicizing the move as a compromise to help jumpstart Banks development. Now county officials hope the team reciprocates by relinquishing the control. The Bengals, however, have told commissioners they won't discuss the issue unless they agree to drop the appeal in federal court, Portune says. "That is an outrageous position for them to take," he says. "What more do they want? Do you mean to tell me that building condos next to Paul Brown Stadium is going to negatively affect them? It's ludicrous to be holding out for more compensation in exchange for development. What the team is saying to taxpayers, in essence, is in order for the Banks to work we have to give them a blank check." Todd Portune is a born liar. The Bengals haven't ask for a blank check. In fact, in regards to the Banks project it's unclear whether they've asked for a single penny in additional funding. All they've claimed they're interested in, and the article backs them up, is refuse to discuss the matter until Portune agrees to drop his appeal of a lawsuit that was previously thrown out of court. So Todd Portune controls whether the Banks project is subject to additional delays, missed deadlines, and cost overruns. As for the letter itself, it's hardly a smoking gun. Portune and many others have already admitted that the lease is as one-sided as it is largely due to a downturn in the local economy and the resulting shortfall in tax revenue. Mike Brown isn't at all responsible for that, and shouldn't be expected to renegotiate his lease with every change in the economy. In addition, while the letter makes it clear that the Bengals gained a better lease staying in Cincinnati they would have gained in every other important way had they agreed to move to Baltimore...provided Mike Brown agreed to sell controlling interests in the team. Obviously he had no interst in doing that, but what the article doesn't comment on is the fact that had he agreed to that demand Mike Brown would have been able to sell his shares at a greatly inflated price, just as Art Modell did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agreen_112 Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 Glad I live in Butler Co. and don't have to worry about all this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 I just heard on the news that judge ruled that the lawsuit was filed too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Stadium lawsuit was tossed per Hobson:http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6102I expect construction to begin on the bubble any day now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShulaSteakhouse Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Yes! No excuse for not having a bubble now Mikey boy! Whatcha gonna do says Marvin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 I just heard on the news that judge ruled that the lawsuit was filed too late. That sorta sums up Todd Portune, ehh? Completely incompetent, and too slow to recognize it in time to do anything about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Portune said the county now will try to find other ways to make more money from the stadium, such as putting naming rights up for bid and using the stadium for more concerts and events. Under terms of the lease, however, the Bengals have final say on those decisions."We hope the Bengals will be a partner in that," Portune said. Partners don't file 350 million dollar lawsuits against each other or follow up with endless appeals that drag on for years and years and years. So if I'm Mike Brown I think I'd tell Todd Portune to find another location for the local tractor pulling championship or Toby Keith concert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 I might even tell Todd Portune to check his ass to see how much room there is for his tractor pull idea in there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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