Hamilton County, owner of Paycor Stadium, has set out a $1.2bn (£909.1m/€1.08bn) redevelopment plan that aims to transform the home of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals into a more campus-style environment.
The Paycor Stadium Complex Renovation Proposal has been produced by the sports arm of Cincinnati-based MSA Design, as part of a stadium master planning process jointly funded by the county and the Bengals.
MSA Sports’ vision aims to increase public engagement, improve accessibility, and better connect with the surrounding community while sustaining the long-term future and competitiveness of the team in its home on the Cincinnati Riverfront.
While the redevelopment is unlikely to alter Paycor Stadium’s 65,515-seat capacity, the preliminary plans set out would essentially give the facility 360-degree seating through seating in the north end where a gap currently exists between the stands.
The stadium’s club seats and suites provision would be ramped up, including a new ‘End Zone Club’ located underneath a 200-foot-wide and 60-foot-tall scoreboard in the north stand. Renderings also show party decks and additional plazas for fans to gather, eat and drink.
The exterior of Paycor Stadium would be substantially overhauled. Mehring Way, located west of the stadium, would be moved closer to the Ohio River creating 20 additional acres of green space for either a park or some other use. A pedestrian plaza would also be introduced, along with big screens on the exterior of three of the stadium’s stands.
The current Bengals indoor practice facility is also set to be eliminated and replaced by a permanent indoor facility built alongside the outdoor practice fields on the west side of the stadium. Stands for spectators would also be added to these fields.
Yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) news came after the Bengals in May announced plans to invest between $100m and $120m to upgrade Paycor Stadium, with the work to focus on enhancing the fan experience.
The Bengals will launch major improvements to Paycor Stadium, with construction to take place until 2026. Projects will be in fan-facing areas and will include updated video and audio systems, renovations to suites and club lounges, concession upgrades, and beautification projects.
The plans received unanimous support from NFL owners and the league’s finance committee. The Bengals said the stadium improvements form a “necessary part” of a long-standing plan to keep a successful team in Cincinnati.
The announcement took recent team investment to around $150m over the past few seasons. Paycor Stadium opened in 2000 and in April 2022, a study by design and architecture firm Gensler found that the stadium is suitable to remain the long-term home of the Bengals but will require a minimum of $493m in upgrades.
Hamilton County yesterday stressed that the initial proposal is not a final plan. The County, team and public will give feedback and use the proposal to prioritise, phase, and scale renovations as prioritised by the County and team, according to the funds available from “diverse sources”.
Specific financing plans have not been outlined yet, with a new lease deal also required. The Bengals’ current lease deal at Paycor Stadium expires in 2026. The team has until June 2025 to decide whether to activate the first of five two-year extensions.
In a statement reported by WCPO-TV, the Bengals thanked Hamilton County for “sharing these concepts and designs” but didn’t expand on how it will take the proposal forward. “Paycor Stadium is a cornerstone of the community that has been well maintained but needs immediate repairs and improvements to remain competitive now and into the future,” the Bengals said.
“The team will review the materials in due course and believes an approach of responsible investing in this great public asset can serve the community for NFL games, major concerts and other events that bring vibrancy to The Banks, Greater Cincinnati and the entire region for years to come.”
