Why do we continue to let the Cincinnati Bengals hold Hamilton County and the taxpayers hostage? Yes, over the years, Hamilton County has received some economic benefit from having the Bengals in Cincinnati, but the taxpayers have funded a multibillion-dollar private company. The Bengals got a new stadium back in 2000 and most of the revenue, while the Hamilton County taxpayers have paid the bills.
More: Here’s where the Bengals stand on stadium negotiations with Hamilton County
The Wall Street Journal called it “one of the worst professional sports deals ever struck by a local government − soaking up unprecedented tax dollars and county resources while returning little economic benefit.” Is it going to happen again as Katie Blackburn and the Bengals continue to threaten us? It certainly looks that way.
From left: Mike Brown, Troy Blackburn, Katie Blackburn and Paul Brown, pose for a portrait, Tuesday, July 25, 2017, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. The Brown family is celebrating 50 years this year as owners of the Cincinnati Bengals franchise.
The Brown family should be eternally grateful to Cincinnati, but instead, they threaten to leave unless we pump millions of dollars more into their family business. What an amazing story and one that the Brown family couldn’t have written better. It is an expensive game that we can’t continue to play.
More: NBC’s Florio: Bengals should move to Chicago area, share stadium with Bears
How will it end?
Mark Zoller, White Oak
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Hamilton County is about to get burned by the Bengals again | Letter