Perfect Opportunity for Bengals to Build Indoor Facility

[Wes Mantooth]

So, for those that don't know, the University of Cincinnati is looking at building a new indoor facility.

See here: https://theathletic.com/2377789/2021/02/10/cincinnati-bearcats-football-practice-facility/

(This is an Athletic article, so if you don't have a subscription you'll just have to take my word for it.)

UC built their own practice bubble a few years back for, I think, around 11 million. Well, now they feel like they need a true indoor facility to attract recruits and continue to build the football program.

Some of you may remember that when UC initially looked into have an indoor facility, before the bubbble, that they approached the Bengals about going in with them to build a shared space, similar to the U of Pitt and the Steelers. The Bengals declined, and as a result UC scrapped the project, went smaller, and that's how they ended up with the cheaper "bubble".

So now we're kinda right back to square one. UC is planning a new facility and is currently in the preliminary stages. They've already spoken of fundraising and there's been talks of zoning and a lot of other boring stuff.

Now is a perfect time for the Bengals to join with the Bearcats to build something that both teams greatly need, and will greatly benefit from. Between the two of them, perhaps along with UC Health having medical facilities on sight, they could partner up to have a fantastic, state of the art, indoor facility.

Also, in a lot of the talks right now it's been said that UC most likely will have to build this off-campus. There isn't much space at UC and there's zoning issues as well. Well, for those of you out of town, know that UC and PBS are only 5 miles apart. You can drive from UC to PBS in under 10 minutes. So if they do go off-campus it makes perfect sense to plop down somewhere between the school and downtown.

Anyways, I just thought this may be interesting to watch. The Bengals are desperately trying to win over fans, and they're long overdue to have an indoor space. UC is desperate for money, as the school can't pay for a 40+ mil facility on their own, and they'll lean on alumni and boosters.

I'm not saying a team-up on the project is likely, but I do think it makes perfect sense. Although I thought the same last time UC looked into this as well, and the Bengals passed. But maybe this time they'll wise up.

[Nicomo Cosca]

If we got both a ring of honor, and an indoor practice facility it would truly be a sign the times are a changing. And that Mike has officially passed the torch to Katie. It just makes so much sense. I’m obviously not holding my breath though.

[Luvnit2]

(02-21-2021, 12:42 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: So, for those that don't know, the University of Cincinnati is looking at building a new indoor facility.  

See here: https://theathletic.com/2377789/2021/02/10/cincinnati-bearcats-football-practice-facility/  

(This is an Athletic article, so if you don't have a subscription you'll just have to take my word for it.)

UC built their own practice bubble a few years back for, I think, around 11 million.  Well, now they feel like they need a true indoor facility to attract recruits and continue to build the football program.

Some of you may remember that when UC initially looked into have an indoor facility, before the bubbble, that they approached the Bengals about going in with them to build a shared space, similar to the U of Pitt and the Steelers.  The Bengals declined, and as a result UC scrapped the project, went smaller, and that's how they ended up with the cheaper "bubble".

So now we're kinda right back to square one.  UC is planning a new facility and is currently in the preliminary stages.  They've already spoken of fundraising and there's been talks of zoning and a lot of other boring stuff.

Now is a perfect time for the Bengals to join with the Bearcats to build something that both teams greatly need, and will greatly benefit from.  Between the two of them, perhaps along with UC Health having medical facilities on sight, they could partner up to have a fantastic, state of the art, indoor facility.

Also, in a lot of the talks right now it's been said that UC most likely will have to build this off-campus.  There isn't much space at UC and there's zoning issues as well.  Well, for those of you out of town, know that UC and PBS are only 5 miles apart.  You can drive from UC to PBS in under 10 minutes.  So if they do go off-campus it makes perfect sense to plop down somewhere between the school and downtown.

Anyways, I just thought this may be interesting to watch.  The Bengals are desperately trying to win over fans, and they're long overdue to have an indoor space.  UC is desperate for money, as the school can't pay for a 40+ mil facility on their own, and they'll lean on alumni and boosters.

I'm not saying a team-up on the project is likely, but I do think it makes perfect sense.  Although I thought the same last time UC looked into this as well, and the Bengals passed.  But maybe this time they'll wise up.

I have never been in the camp "we have to get an indoor facility" to build an indoor facility. But, i do agree, if it could be done by PBS (or very close), this would be the time to team with UC who gets all kinds of state money that anyone in Ohio pays for already. It could create a win/win for everyone.

[Pat5775]

(02-21-2021, 01:15 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: If we got both a ring of honor, and an indoor practice facility it would truly be a sign the times are a changing. And that Mike has officially passed the torch to Katie. It just makes so much sense. I’m obviously not holding my breath though.

Does anyone have any idea why Mike is so against building an indoor facility? At this point, it feels like he’s against it only because people have been hounding him for it for so long.

[*SHRacerX*]

The statement "The only team North of Atlanta without an indoor practice facility" should ring in everyone's ears.

I am not trying to sound like a candy ass, and save the "football is played outdoors" comments, but your athletes are fine tuned thoroughbreds and I never understood why you would want them fighting colds and such from practicing in shitty outdoor conditions when the weather is so poor. If you don't need it (say, it is in the 40s), then practice outside, but you don't get the same quality practices in wet, high winds, or extreme cold. You just don't.

Imagine the Bengals are playing the Colts at their field, and they have been practicing outside in crappy conditions and high winds. Do you think that will help them be prepared for the perfect climate inside Lucas Oil Stadium? Hell, no.

Invest in UC and the community, and have a real indoor practice facility available for your team. Do it.

[Wes Mantooth]

(02-21-2021, 02:05 PM)Pat5775 Wrote: Does anyone have any idea why Mike is so against building an indoor facility? At this point, it feels like he’s against it only because people have been hounding him for it for so long.

One thing that I think is currently hanging in the air is the stadium lease renewal.

It expires in 2026, but negotiations are due to start next year in 2022.  The Bengals might be wary to pump money into a facility until they know they're going to be here long-term.

This is a topic for another thread, but I'm getting more and more worried about the county and the team being able to come to an agreement.  The county is broke, and just hiked up their taxes.  Public support is at one of it's lowest levels ever, and the county commisioners said any tax increase would go before the voters.  On the flip side, Katie and Troy could choose to go somewhere else for a HUGE payday. I don't think many realize just how important it is for the Bengals to start getting better in a hurry and filling up PBS again.

[Luvnit2]

(02-21-2021, 02:22 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: One thing that I think is currently hanging in the air is the stadium lease renewal.

It expires in 2026, but negotiations are due to start next year in 2022.  The Bengals might be wary to pump money into a facility until they know they're going to be here long-term.

This is a topic for another thread, but I'm getting more and more worried about the county and the team being able to come to an agreement.  The county is broke, and just hiked up their taxes.  Public support is at one of it's lowest levels ever, and the county commisioners said any tax increase would go before the voters.  On the flip side, Katie and Troy could choose to go somewhere else for a HUGE payday.  I don't think many realize just how important it is for the Bengals to start getting better in a hurry and filling up PBS again.

I may be wrong as I have not seen proof, but my guess is Mike Brown has given up majority shares of the Bengals to Katie for tax purposes. It would make sense they do it sooner than later (his death).

My point is I don't think MB is now the final say of any decision, I think it is Katie.

[ElkValleyBengal]

I really hope they do get an indoor facility. That way we can move on to criticizing the facility itself.

[Whatever]

(02-21-2021, 02:05 PM)Pat5775 Wrote: Does anyone have any idea why Mike is so against building an indoor facility? At this point, it feels like he’s against it only because people have been hounding him for it for so long.

I don't know that he's against it, per say.  They added the little walk through field to the weight room at PBS.  

Mike's #1 priority since his dad died has been buying up all the minority shares.  Paul only bought enough shares in the team to have a 51% controlling interest.  While it gave him control of the team, it denied the family a ton of profits.  Ever since he took over, Mike has been trying to buy those shares back and only within the last few years has he consolidated ownership of the team. It may seem silly, but most of the other owners are independently wealthy from non-football related businesses. There's a huge difference between 51% and 100% of an NFL team's profits.

There is also a big snag in building an indoor facility at PBS.  Katie has explained that they can't build it there because the city ran the power lines for PBS underneath the practice fields and it's not really feasible due to that issue.  The facility would have to be off site.

[Wes Mantooth]

(02-21-2021, 02:31 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I may be wrong as I have not seen proof, but my guess is Mike Brown has given up majority shares of the Bengals to Katie for tax purposes. It would make sense they do it sooner than later (his death).

My point is I don't think MB is now the final say of any decision, I think it is Katie.

I agree.  And I think it's been trending that way for a long time now.

You can go as far back as 2016 and find articles that come straight from the horses mouth (Mike Brown) that state that he's stepped back and Katie and Troy are running the show.  Although he does say that he still has a say and does chime on certain things.

Andrew Whitworth's interview with Willie Anderson this past summer backs this up as well.  He says somethng to the effect of that Katie and Troy handled his contract and it took Mike Brown finally getting him another year (2015).  Then the next year (in 2016) Katie and Troy offered him, what he described as 50-60% of his other offers.

Then you look at some other things; Troy speaking on Bobby Hart.  Troy speaking on Kwon Alexander.  Katie and Duke being in charge of the coaching search that ended with Zac Taylor. The spending spree in free agency in 2020.  The fact that Mike has not done his end of the year press conference these last two years. etc. etc. etc.

I don't think there's any doubt by now that Katie is leading the charge.  That's not to say Mike doesn't give advice or is completely shut out, but I don't think he's nearly as involved as people still think he is.

Mike Brown will be 86 years old when this season kicks off.  He'll 92 by the time the new lease goes into affect (if it does, fingers crossed).  If the Bengals are going to stay put I think we all need to hope and pray that Katie has the same sense of loyalty as the old man, because it's going to be her call on what to do.

[*Synric*]

The UPMC Rooney Sports Complex isn't just some indoor practice field. In has like 4 outdoor fields and is the weight training center for the Steelers and Panthers along with every sport at the University. It is also part of the school it houses are one the best sports medicine programs in the country.

The Bengals just put in one of the top weight training rooms and rehab centers in the NFL. It wouldnt be cost effective for them to do that again at the University of Cincinnati. Their best bet would be to find off site and build just an indoor climate controlled field.

[BrownAssClown]

Last I heard Mike Brown comment on an indoor practice facility was the time he and Marvin held that joint press conference and Brown stated he wasn't to "keen" on the idea. Not to worry though, there's always the little indoor complex in Mason that Katie rented in the past that the players, including Palmer, thought was a joke and bush league.

[Sled21]

And once again, it all circles back to the same question. Where are you going to put it? I think teaming with UC to build one makes sense, but there has to be a place available. I don't live there anymore, so is there even a place between downtown and Clifton to put one? I would think UC would want a facility student athletes could walk to.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(02-21-2021, 03:57 PM)Sled21 Wrote: And once again, it all circles back to the same question. Where are you going to put it? I think teaming with UC to build one makes sense, but there has to be a place available. I don't live there anymore, so is there even a place between downtown and Clifton to put one?

FC Cincinnati found a place to build a 26,000 seat soccer stadium in the west end. Availability of space is not an excuse. If the Bengals truly wanted a practice facility it would have been built years ago.

[Sled21]

(02-21-2021, 04:00 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: FC Cincinnati found a place to build a 26,000 seat soccer stadium in the west end. Availability of space is not an excuse. If the Bengals truly wanted a practice facility it would have been built years ago.

That didn't answer the question. Is there a place close to UC and PBS? Looking at an aerial view it appears the only place that doesn't have something on it is an empty lot of some kind at Ezzard Charles and John St, and that does not appear large enough. They'd have to buy something and tear it down.

[Essex Johnson]

(02-21-2021, 12:42 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: So, for those that don't know, the University of Cincinnati is looking at building a new indoor facility.  

See here: https://theathletic.com/2377789/2021/02/10/cincinnati-bearcats-football-practice-facility/  

(This is an Athletic article, so if you don't have a subscription you'll just have to take my word for it.)

UC built their own practice bubble a few years back for, I think, around 11 million.  Well, now they feel like they need a true indoor facility to attract recruits and continue to build the football program.

Some of you may remember that when UC initially looked into have an indoor facility, before the bubbble, that they approached the Bengals about going in with them to build a shared space, similar to the U of Pitt and the Steelers.  The Bengals declined, and as a result UC scrapped the project, went smaller, and that's how they ended up with the cheaper "bubble".

So now we're kinda right back to square one.  UC is planning a new facility and is currently in the preliminary stages.  They've already spoken of fundraising and there's been talks of zoning and a lot of other boring stuff.

Now is a perfect time for the Bengals to join with the Bearcats to build something that both teams greatly need, and will greatly benefit from.  Between the two of them, perhaps along with UC Health having medical facilities on sight, they could partner up to have a fantastic, state of the art, indoor facility.

Also, in a lot of the talks right now it's been said that UC most likely will have to build this off-campus.  There isn't much space at UC and there's zoning issues as well.  Well, for those of you out of town, know that UC and PBS are only 5 miles apart.  You can drive from UC to PBS in under 10 minutes.  So if they do go off-campus it makes perfect sense to plop down somewhere between the school and downtown.

Anyways, I just thought this may be interesting to watch.  The Bengals are desperately trying to win over fans, and they're long overdue to have an indoor space.  UC is desperate for money, as the school can't pay for a 40+ mil facility on their own, and they'll lean on alumni and boosters.

I'm not saying a team-up on the project is likely, but I do think it makes perfect sense.  Although I thought the same last time UC looked into this as well, and the Bengals passed.  But maybe this time they'll wise up.

Nice idea I agree be great to happen but the idea that a bubble win's fan don;t think that works but it might work in winning FA on the fence.. though Bengals do have one of the state of the art weight room, pool and MRI on site which is a perk for sure

[BFritz21]

(02-21-2021, 01:15 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: If we got both a ring of honor, and an indoor practice facility it would truly be a sign the times are a changing. And that Mike has officially passed the torch to Katie. It just makes so much sense. I’m obviously not holding my breath though.

I think it has been said that Mike's officially done in any aspect of control and I thin that this would officially prove it.  

Hopefully Katie and Troy see how much it would help to attract free agents and just improve play overall.  

(02-21-2021, 02:05 PM)Pat5775 Wrote: Does anyone have any idea why Mike is so against building an indoor facility? At this point, it feels like he’s against it only because people have been hounding him for it for so long.

Pretty sure, just like with everything that Mike fails to do, it's because of money.  He doesn't understand that spending money would make him so  much more by improving play, limiting injuries, attracting FAs, etc.

(02-21-2021, 02:22 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: One thing that I think is currently hanging in the air is the stadium lease renewal.

It expires in 2026, but negotiations are due to start next year in 2022.  The Bengals might be wary to pump money into a facility until they know they're going to be here long-term.

This is a topic for another thread, but I'm getting more and more worried about the county and the team being able to come to an agreement.  The county is broke, and just hiked up their taxes.  Public support is at one of it's lowest levels ever, and the county commisioners said any tax increase would go before the voters.  On the flip side, Katie and Troy could choose to go somewhere else for a HUGE payday.  I don't think many realize just how important it is for the Bengals to start getting better in a hurry and filling up PBS again.

Even if Mike isn't calling the shots anymore and Katie and Troy wanted to leave, they seem like the type that wouldn't abandon the city.

Even if they wanted to, what other city is going to want to bring the Bengals to their city?  It's not exactly the franchise that attracts the most fans or makes the most money.

I don't think the stadium lease will play any part in it because then what was the excuse in the (almost) two and a half decades since the lease started?

[Nicomo Cosca]

(02-21-2021, 04:29 PM)Sled21 Wrote: That didn't answer the question. Is there a place close to UC and PBS? Looking at an aerial view it appears the only place that doesn't have something on it is an empty lot of some kind at Ezzard Charles and John St, and that does not appear large enough. They'd have to buy something and tear it down.

I seriously doubt Cincinnati is the only city in all of the NFL that “can’t fit an indoor facility” literally anywhere around town. That’s ridiculous.

There’s one big (and obvious) reason we don’t have one: $$$

[Wes Mantooth]

(02-21-2021, 08:59 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: I seriously doubt Cincinnati is the only city in all of the NFL that “can’t fit an indoor facility” literally anywhere around town. That’s ridiculous.

There’s one big (and obvious) reason we don’t have one: $$$

Fwiw, Dallas' facility is in another city!!!!  It's in Frisco Texas, which is about 30 miles away from Dallas.

I'm postive there are other examples, as I know a lot of NFL teams don't have their facilities within blocks of the stadium, but this is one that always comes to mind.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(02-21-2021, 09:25 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Fwiw, Dallas' facility is in another city!!!!  It's in Frisco Texas, which is about 30 miles away from Dallas.

I'm postive there are other examples, as I know a lot of NFL teams don't have their facilities within blocks of the stadium, but this is one that always comes to mind.

Can’t we just do that too though? Why does the practice facility have to be within spitting distance of PBS? Put it in Harrison or something.