Regional effort fills seats
Kentucky, Dayton areas buy into Bengals
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerThe Bengals' front office took quarterback Jeff Blake's playbook and went long to defy the experts.
The club announced Saturday a regional strategy sold at least 83 luxury suites and 6,000 club seats for their new stadium, meeting goals in the memorandum of understanding with Hamilton County. The Bengals offered no exact figures, but eight luxury suites were sold in the Lexington-Louisville area, eight in the Miami Valley - Dayton area and two in Columbus. An estimated 20 percent of the club seats are classified as regional sales.
After the announcement, Bengals President Mike Brown said a 30-year lease with Hamilton County is imminent this week despite City Manager John Shirey's new report recommending raising an admission tax to at least 5.5 percent and possibly 6 percent.
"We're going forward. We aren't going to be put off by this," Mr. Brown said. "We aren't going to be driven out of town by this, but it does leave a bad taste in our mouth."
The sides spoke briefly Saturday, but spent most of the day huddled with each other in preparation for sessions today or Monday. With the Bengals willing to reduce the size of the canopies on top of each side of the stadium, the club appears to keep the estimated $5 million roof in the budget.
Construction could begin by January, which would allow an August 2000 opening.
"Back during the sales tax campaign, there were critics convinced we'd fail at every turn," said Jeff Berding, Bengals' director of community affairs who ran the successful 1996 Issue 1 campaign backing the stadium sales tax. "We knew we had to go into other regions to make it work."
Mr. Berding and his assistant, Jenny McNally, hit the road with presentations hawking suites averaging $70,000. Each box has 16 movie-theater style seats behind retractable windows. Behind the seats is a parlor-like room equipped with TVs, couches, chairs, tables, a bar, bathroom and kitchenette.
Mike Murray, vice president and general counsel of the Wilmington trucking firm R&L Carriers, said his bosses were impressed with the club's December presentation for business leaders.
"The feeling of public spirit made an impact," said Mr. Murray, whose company has 4,000 employees in 22 states. "The (company's owners) are interested in investing in communities close to them, and this is something we can use to entertain customers and share with our employees on special occasions."
In December, the Bengals were confident they could sell the suites. But they weren't sure about club seats averaging $1,000 along with a $150 one-time seat license fee in one of the NFL's smallest markets.
Mr. Berding pitched the club seats to small companies, relying at times on Issue 1 contacts. Lovie Ross, president of the 40-employee Penguin Painters of Madisonville, was active in the campaign and passed the word in the corporate community.
Ms. Ross bought two of the best club seats at $1,995 each, and convinced Blue Chip Broadcasting to buy four. "I want to support the effort and it fit my needs and gave me the option I could afford," Ms. Ross said. "I think this club level is going to be the place where people want to be. A heck of a place to entertain clients."
Previous stories
Bengals reach sales goal May 24, 1997