Thousands wait to tour Paul Brown Stadium. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        So many people came to the Paul Brown Stadium open house Wednesday that there will be a second one in a couple of weeks.

        Stadium spokeswoman Brooke Hill said the date hasn't been picked.

        “People are still pouring in here,” Ms. Hill said at 9:50 p.m. “It's totally packed in here.”

        An estimated 100,000 people turned out for the first public view of the new, 66,000-seat stadium that has taken three years and $453.2 million to build on the riverfront.

        Authorities expected about 20,000 visitors, and had that many before 5 p.m., an hour after the stadium opened. The open house ended at 10 p.m.

        While most fans raved about the stadium's design, they also had to fight traffic headaches to get inside.

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        Cars jammed many downtown streets near the stadium, with much of the congestion on Third Street and several north-south streets near the stadium. Cincinnati police said they posted officers on every downtown corner in anticipation of traffic tie-ups.

        The turnout stunned Hamilton County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus, who pushed for a sales tax increase to pay for new riverfront stadiums for the Bengals and Reds and has championed the cause ever since.

        “Clearly, this exceeds our expectations, several times over,” Mr. Bedinghaus said. “And many of these people aren't ticket holders. This is truly a community event — just people coming out to see what we've been talking about.”

Mitchell Leonard, 10, of Edgewood, Ky., takes his first look at the stadium. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Mr. Bedinghaus said he thinks the traffic — which was still snarled at 9:30 p.m. — will flow more smoothly on Saturday night, when the Bengals officially open the stadium against the Chicago Bears.

        “This was a convergence of office people leaving with an incredible number of fans showing up at same time,” he said.

        Rondel West was one of the people caught in the middle. The East Walnut Hills man said it took him 45 minutes to drive three blocks when he tried to make it home Wednesday.

        “And that was doing it illegally,” said Mr. West, who was stuck in Benham Alley at Elm Street. “I live 3 miles from here, and it'll take me three hours to get home.”

        Other than the traffic problems, the event was, by the account of most of those in attendance, a huge success. Fans came to catch their first glimpse inside the stadium. Nonfans came to see what their tax dollars bought.

Visitors to the restaurant get a view of the downtown skyline. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The stadium gave Elizabeth Skillman goose bumps.

        She and her husband, William, of Oakley took in the Cincinnati skyline through the 30-foot glass walls in Paul Brown Stadium's Club Lounge, then walked out to the seating bowl and looked down for the first time on the freshly painted field.

        That's when the chills hit.

        “Cincinnati is such a conservative town, and now we have something that is so modern,” Ms. Skillman said. “It's so futuristic.”

        The Skillmans were sold on the stadium when they left.

        “We're buying season tickets,” Mr. Skillman said.

Mark Oldfield of Western Hills, holds up his daughter Erica, 8, for a photo in front of the stadium (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Others, like Ryan Wagner and Glenn Waller of Clifton, came because it was their only chance to see the new stadium. With the cheapest seats selling for $35, Mr. Wagner and Mr. Waller said they don't figure to be at many games.

        Still, both voted in favor of raising the sales tax in 1996, which allowed the stadium to be built.

        “I was floored by it all,” Mr. Wagner said. “I hope it's a success. But they have got to put a good team on the field for that to happen. People can only look and say the building is pretty for so long.”

        Joyce Johnson, 41, of Kennedy Heights has been a season ticket holder for 23 years. Her seats are in the end zone near the Ohio River.

        “I love this stadium,” she said. “The architecture is fantastic and I like that I can now see the large TV. In Cinergy, my seats were under the big TV. Now I can actually see the screen.”

Visitors check out the Bengals' locker room. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        Three University of Cincinnati architecture students came to the stadium to get what would probably be their first and only look at the inside of the stadium.

        “The tickets are too expensive. I doubt I'll be able to afford to come to a game,” said Seth Oakley, 21, of Clifton.

        Bernard Smith, 39, of Anderson Township, said he felt “proud” of the new stadium. He brought his 13-year-old daughter Alexis and 13-year-old nephew Lazerrick with him.

        They sat in an end zone seat and marveled at the huge scoreboards.

        “I don't care what the critics say, this is a fabulous stadium,” Mr. Smith said. “It's like a crown jewel, man. It makes you proud to be a Cincinnatian.”

        There have been many critics of the stadium — which is an estimated $46.2 million over budget — and its troubled past. But they were hard to find Wednesday in the massive crowd touring the stadium's wide concourses, plush luxury suites and carpeted club lounge.

Laura Roosa of Deer Park points out an interesting feature to Rita J. Cerasi of Norwood. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Ainsley Schroeder felt a little lost in her end-zone seat. The 12-year-old Mount Lookout girl was there with her father, sister and brother.

        “It's so big,” Ainsley said of the stadium. “But I really like the cup holders.”

        Tom Schroeder, a downtown architect, has watched the stadium rise out of the ground for two years. He was amazed how close the seats are to the field, considering the size of the building.

        “It's very, very cozy,” he said.

        Andrew Conlon, 51, of Norwood was surprised by the large turnout.

        “I thought only football fans would turn out. But I guess I can understand why so many people came tonight, the media and everybody has been hyping this for so long,” he said.

Mike Brown and former mayor Roxanne Qualls chat in front of the main gate, which bears the stadium's nameplate. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        The day was especially emotional for Bengals President Mike Brown, who fought for seven years to make the stadium a reality. He beamed like a new father Wednesday afternoon after a dedication ceremony.

        The struggle was worth it, he said.

        “It might have been easier to move the team, but it wouldn't have been better,” Mr. Brown said. “The Bengals started here and they belong to the people of this community.

        “Football teams aren't just business operations to make money. There's a lot more to it than that.”

        Brown said his father would have been very proud of the stadium.

        “And I take great pride and I think it is fitting that his name is above the door,” said Brown.

        Season ticket holders get a special sneak preview from 7-10 p.m. today. They will get to watch the first game on the stadium field — a Bengals alumni flag football game.

        The Grand Opening is 7:30 p.m. Saturday with the first preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Tickets are available online at www.bengals.com/tickets

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