In a move that makes you want to pull your hair out, the Bengals have sent a letter to Hamilton County asking for $43M over the next 10 years, four times the amount the County expected to spend, to pay for a new scoreboard and broad categories like "groundskeeping," "audio/visual," or "concession."
As the Enquirer stated, Mark Rosentraub, a professor of sports management at the University of Michigan, estimates the Bengals only need between $2-4 million each season for maintenance.
Does Mike Brown know the budget struggles the City and County are going through right now? Not only trying to keep fully funding schools and prevent laying off police and fire staff, but also working to pay down the $1B spent to build PBS and GABP?
As the Enquirer wrote: "Since Paul Brown Stadium opened in 2000 and Great American Ball Park opened in 2003, taxpayers have made $10.2 million in improvements to the football stadium and $2.1 million in improvements to the baseball stadium.
That's partly because of differences in the leases: The Bengals lease, signed in 1997, says the county must pay for routine maintenance and all capital repairs at Paul Brown Stadium. The Reds lease, signed in 2003, says the county only has to pay for capital improvements at Great American; the team pays the rest."
Yes, the team has recently started contributing to some capital improvements (new cash registers, as if that isn't ironic enough that the only thing the Bengals will invest in is better cash registers), but this is just a boneheaded move all around. You have a team falling apart, fans revolting and not buying tickets and a County struggling to keep basic services afloat - and you demand $40M for unspecified improvements?
Do the Bengals not understand how the stadium fund was set up? Basically, the stadiums and improvmetns were paid for by an increase in the sales tax. That sales tax increase was projected to provide the County with enough revenue to build the stadiums and fund improvements. But, suprise suprise, the projections have not been met and the sales tax fund is not driving enough revenue to the County to even make the debt payments on the intial stadium fund. So the County must decide where to pull the money from to be able to make the debt payments - if they default, the County's credit rating would go in the tank and then every other service would become more expensive as financing terms would significantly appreciate.
It is moves like this that really show the Bengals true colors. Not wanting to come to table to negotiate, not being a real corporate citizen, no compassion for the County's current budget crisis - just a demand for more without making any real effort to change anything that would produce a winner. If the Bengals were winning playoff games, I am sure this money would not be an issue. But when you consistently lose and fail to show any committment to the City and its fans, this kind of cold-hearted demand will fall on deaf ears.
Bengals=depressing, demoralizing, and dysfunctional. Can you name any other "entertainment" organizations that can be described as such? How is that petition/class action law suit coming that argues the Bengals aren't entertainment or competitive.
Posted by: Neutered Bengal | January 31, 2011 at 11:29 AM
"groundskeeping"? WTF - what kind of groundskeeping does field turf need?!?!?!
Posted by: Queen_of_Snark | January 31, 2011 at 11:34 AM
Well Mike Brown just put the last nail in the coffin for me guys have fun with this loser team I will be selecting a new team this year in the draft A la Free agentcy. I will not select the Bengals that is forsure. I will also be rooting for whoever plays the bengals. This includes the steelers, browns, and the ravens. The teams I mentioned will also be able to pick me up in the draft (only teams excluded are the Bengals and the Lions)I have not figured out how I will be doing this yet but it will be done. Maybe all the teams in a hat and pull until only my new team is there don't know yet. All i do know is my hate for mike brown is now greater than my love for this team. So thank you mike Brown for ruining my football experince.
Posted by: Rk | January 31, 2011 at 11:47 AM
The increased sale's tax was supposed to pay for the new stadiums.
Since the Bengals are not filling the stadium each week, Hamilton County should reduce anything due to the Bengals by the lost sale's tax revenue that is caused by fewer people buying tickets, concessions, hotels, meals and bar tabs.
I wonder how much that might be?
Does anyone have an reasonable estimate how many empty seats and luxury boxes were empty this past year?
Go Bungles,
Randy
Posted by: Randy | January 31, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Harder and harder to stave off apathy, this from a freaking crack head like Bengals addict, real sad.
Posted by: CurseofBoJackson | January 31, 2011 at 12:25 PM
The most telling thing from that article is a quote:
"The Bengals are not a team that goes for the high end for much of anything," said Stuart Dornette, an attorney for the Bengals.
This pretty much explains the Bengals' approach to EVERYTHING. They don't want a high end medical staff, scouting dept., etc. All they want is enough to get by. That quote should be on a t-shirt with MFB's face!
Posted by: Marc | January 31, 2011 at 12:52 PM
What do you expect from a cold hearted blood sucking lawyer.
Posted by: barry | January 31, 2011 at 01:21 PM
This article has no logical basis. What is a good "corporate citizen"? What is the "public good"? Does WDR advocate socialism?
A contract is a contract. This is an agreement that was entered into arms length by the city of Cincinnati. Now they have to honor it. Mike Brown has shortcomings no doubt, but expecting him to give away money is un-American.
This is a mistake on the part of the elected officials of the city of Cincinnati. Refusing to hold the City's feet to the fire for the deal they signed off on will only embolden the future leaders to to do the same thing. This problem runs much deeper than football, and some illogical charity from Mike Brown will not fix it. City politicians will continue to ask for just a little bit more money, and then all of our problems will be solved, they say. Do you believe them?
For once, this is not Mike Brown's fault. Don't let the wrong people of the hook just because of how you feel about MB.
Posted by: Leroy | February 04, 2011 at 02:25 PM