Hamilton County officials expect to begin demolishing riverfront property next week to make room for the Bengals' $400.3 million stadium complex.
The county will start by knocking down several produce warehouses owned by Castellini Co. south of Mehring Way, said John Michel, the county public works official overseeing the stadium project.
Demolition of Caddy's Complex and Flanagan's Landing likely will start in early February, County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus said.
''Every step is a positive one,'' said Troy Blackburn, the Bengals director of stadium development. ''I'm just afraid a big White Castle is going to go down there.''
Standoff continues
Uncertainty surrounds the stadium project because of unresolved riverfront negotiations between the county and Cincinnati officials. The city has 10 acres of riverfront land the county needs to build the stadium. Before transferring the land, city officials want the county to agree to pay for riverfront infrastructure, including a $14 million contribution to the city's overhaul of Fort Washington Way. The total cost could range from $50 million to $100 million.
Bengals President Mike Brown has said he'll kill the stadium deal if the city and county don't settle their differences by Jan. 31. Both city and county leaders have said they will meet that deadline.
While those negotiations continue, county officials are plowing forward so the stadium opens by August 2000 as the county's lease with the team requires.
Commissioners decided Monday to award demolition contracts for some buildings on the stadium site. The bids came in at about half the $857,000 estimate, but would have been cheaper had commissioners not considered minority and female participation.
Low bidder not chosen
O'Rourke Construction will demolish six buildings owned by the Castellini Family Trust for $240,000. King Wrecking will knock down Caddy's and Flanagan's for $150,377.
Commissioner John Dowlin objected to ''paying a premium'' to hire women-owned or minority-owned enterprises. ''My understanding was not that we would pay a premium, but that these contracts would be bid in a way that they could compete,'' Mr. Dowlin said.
Choosing the low bidder for the six-building demolition would save $34,381.
Mr. Bedinghaus said he didn't mind paying a premium to meet a promised goal of 15 percent participation by minority- and women-owned firms, especially when the bids were under budget.
''Particularly this early, nobody is going to take us seriously if we don't'' start awarding contracts to meet the goal of 15 percent participation by minority businesses, he said.
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