Back in the early 2000s, Paycor Stadium (then Paul Brown Stadium), home to the Bengals, was the crown jewel of Cincinnati’s riverfront—a modern marvel that brought the Bengals back to the city center. Fast forward to today, and that once state-of-the-art facility is showing its age. With the lease set to expire in 2026, the Bengals and Hamilton County teamed up to request $350 million (a $830 million project) from the state of Ohio for renovations earlier.

And yeah, interestingly, this request comes just after the Ohio House approved $600 million in bonds for a new domed stadium for the Cleveland Browns. Safe to say the whole mess starts from here. The reason? See, Ohio State announced $600 million in bonds for the Browns, but for Cincy? Nope. Not even close. The reason was pretty simple: Hamilton County, and the Bengals failed to present an actual plan for the stadium’s renovation before the deadline.

The proposed $830 million overhaul for the Stadium reportedly aims to modernize the stadium with improved accessibility, updated suites, and enhanced fan experiences, all while avoiding the $2.4 billion cost of building a new stadium. And now? Well, after the County’s commissioners presented a plan earlier this month, they just released a memorandum of understanding with the Bengals to start Phase 1 of the renovations to the stadium.

As per Cincinnati’s News Radio 700WLW, “It identifies team and county priorities and responsibilities and sets a goal of getting a comprehensive agreement by June 30, 2025.” Long story short: the Bengals and Hamilton County have reached an agreement to reach an agreement by the end of June, 2025. Call it a preliminary deal

Path to a comprehensive Agreement includes:

• County and team advance the Design/Engineering for the renovation program and finalize the estimated cost.
• County and team work together to seek and secure state funding for the Paycor Stadium renovation.
• Finalized the agreed-upon term sheet MOU by June 1, 2025.
• Final comprehensive agreement by June 30, 2025.

Translation? Basically, the Bengals and the county are teaming up to give Paycor Stadium a facelift. First, they’ll dive into the design stuff and nail down how much it’ll all cost. Then, they’ll hit up the state for some extra cash to help out. After that, they’ll lock in the game plan with a draft agreement by June 1, 2025, and make it all official with a final deal by the end of June. Just like that.

To top that off, if we believe the early reports, the NFL came forward to help the Cincinnati team and Hamilton County with Paycor Stadium.

Joe Burrow’s Bengals get help from the NFL

Paycor Stadium has been the site of some unforgettable and historical Bengals moments. Remember, in 2000, when Corey Dillon shattered Walter Payton’s single-game rushing record with 278 yards? Or in 2009, when Chad Johnson playfully asked fans for a hot dog during a game against the Broncos to face Champ Bailey? Most recent one?

Yeah, the time when Sam Hubbard’s 98-yard fumble return, dubbed the “Fumble in the Jungle,” secured a playoff win against the Ravens. But now, the very Paycor Stadium is in need of a major upgrade. Whether for a better fan experience, the bigger screen behind the north end zone, some fresh new seats, better walkways, escalators that don’t feel like a gamble, or elevators, the $830M project intends to cover all the stuff.

And recently, Joe Burrow’s Bengals and Hamilton County agreed on terms for $184 million in improvements for the stadium for the first-phase of $830 million extensive plan. The Bengals will pay $120 million, the county $64 million, and both of the parties are expected to reach on an extended agreement by the end of June, 2025.

However, the current agreement doesn’t guarantee if Cincy and the county will come to a long-term agreement. In fact, both the parties are expected to pursue other sources of revenue. That said, Roger Goodell’s NFL has come forward to loan some amount for the renovation of the Paycor Stadium. However, the exact amount is yet to be confirmed.

As per the County Administrator Jeff Aluotto, it is for the first time that the NFL has committed to help with Cincy’s stadium. All in all, it’s safe to say that the first phase of the planned renovation for the Paycor Stadium is set to kick off next year.