Bengals agree to new stadium lease that will keep them in Cincinnati until at least 2036

The Cincinnati Bengals are staying put until at least 2036. The team agreed to a new lease Thursday that will keep it in Paycor Stadium for another decade.

The team announced the news Thursday, which includes updates and modernizations to Paycor Stadium. While the current lease will take the team through 2036, it also contains 10 additional option years, meaning the agreement may actually keep the Bengals in Cincinnati through 2046. 

The news should come as a positive for Bengals fans, who won’t have to be subject to relocation talk for at least another decade. There weren’t many rumblings about that possibility this time around, though the team did have a June deadline to renew its lease with Hamilton County, where Paycor Stadium is located. That added some light drama to the situation ahead of Thursday’s new lease announcement.

It should also make Bengals players happy. The team ranked dead last in the food/dining area category and the treatment of families category in the latest NFLPA player survey

That survey specifically mentioned the team does “not offer a family room during home games.” Players gave the dining area a 5.98 rating out of 10, ranking it 30th among the 32 teams. Both of those areas could potentially be addressed as part of the updates and modernizations coming to the stadium per the new lease.

Additionally, team owner Mike Brown ranked 25th out of 32 in the player survey. One of the biggest gripes about Brown was his “willingness to invest in the facilities.” Brown ranked 24th in that area, though could see that number increase following Thursday’s agreement. 

Paycor Stadium opened in 2000, and has served as the team’s home field since then. In addition to Bengals games, the venue has also hosted concerts and the occasional college-football game. The Cincinnati Bearcats have played games at Paycor Stadium multiple times since it opened.

This story will be updated.

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