07-31-2022, 04:05 PM
For all the complaints about the quality of PBS, the number one narrative about it has been the ridiculous cost and how much of that cost the taxpayers payed. The only way it was going to be nicer would be if the Browns payed for it to be nicer and Mike Brown was perfectly happy with a utilitarian stadium.
Architecturally from outside PBS is one of the best looking stadiums in its class. It's not a football palace but it's sleek and modern with great lines. You should be proud to have such a fine looking stadium in your town instead of the big brick lump that many cities have.
Inside, yes, there's too much bare concrete and steel. I wonder how many millions it would have costed to dress that up. Maybe we'll find out in the renovation. But in design, it's great. Almost every seat is good and the open design lets you see that you're in PBS in Cincinnati, Ohio, not some anonymous, ubiquitous bowl in anytown, USA.
Orange seats instead of green is one area where a little bit of money would have improved the spirit of the place considerably.
The food is not good. My advice is to skip eating and watch the game. If you're driving from Columbus (as I do) a breakfast sammich on the drive is the ticket. Maybe some popcorn at the game (not bad if it's fresh) and then get some real food afterward.
With success and community interest, maybe we'll see more brand name food stands. Most of the concessions are staffed by whatever volunteer group is on deck that week and I don't see quality food places trusting them to slop out their grub. They can barely fill a cup and put a dog on a bun in less the five minutes. So the good food is going to be in the less common branded concessions. Right now there are some Goldstars, a Buffalo Wings n Rings, and a Love, Tenders, & Chicken. No idea of the quality of those because I've never bothered to search them out. Some stands have Gliers Bratts but I wouldn't give that stuff to my dogs. Hopefully that list will expand and improve this year. A list of locations is here:
https://www.bengals.com/stadium/concessions
Someone said that the pizza was LaRosa's but what we got in the club lounge two years ago was definitely not. LaCardboard's maybe. I think they offered Poppa John's for a while but not last season.
Then there's the atmosphere. The atmosphere in PBS was great for the first ten years. It started to slide during the string of playoff disappointments and then the '15 Steelers playoff loss killed it. By that time PBS had become a destination stadium for opposing fans and the sullen Bengal fans who did show up sat on their hands lest they be humiliated.
Bengal fans should have seen enough during Burrow's first aborted season to be chomping at the bit to return to the stadium from the start of last season. Instead we were treated to a stadium half full of Packer, Browns, and Steeler fans. Bengal fans had created this "playoff win" litmus test where they weren't going to support the team without one. And they missed most of the greatest Bengal season to date as a result.
I'm sure that the atmosphere will be rockin' this year with all these born-again Bengals fans joining us in the stadium. I hope they get a good long run of winning football and don't have to weather any disappointments.
Architecturally from outside PBS is one of the best looking stadiums in its class. It's not a football palace but it's sleek and modern with great lines. You should be proud to have such a fine looking stadium in your town instead of the big brick lump that many cities have.
Inside, yes, there's too much bare concrete and steel. I wonder how many millions it would have costed to dress that up. Maybe we'll find out in the renovation. But in design, it's great. Almost every seat is good and the open design lets you see that you're in PBS in Cincinnati, Ohio, not some anonymous, ubiquitous bowl in anytown, USA.
Orange seats instead of green is one area where a little bit of money would have improved the spirit of the place considerably.
The food is not good. My advice is to skip eating and watch the game. If you're driving from Columbus (as I do) a breakfast sammich on the drive is the ticket. Maybe some popcorn at the game (not bad if it's fresh) and then get some real food afterward.
With success and community interest, maybe we'll see more brand name food stands. Most of the concessions are staffed by whatever volunteer group is on deck that week and I don't see quality food places trusting them to slop out their grub. They can barely fill a cup and put a dog on a bun in less the five minutes. So the good food is going to be in the less common branded concessions. Right now there are some Goldstars, a Buffalo Wings n Rings, and a Love, Tenders, & Chicken. No idea of the quality of those because I've never bothered to search them out. Some stands have Gliers Bratts but I wouldn't give that stuff to my dogs. Hopefully that list will expand and improve this year. A list of locations is here:
https://www.bengals.com/stadium/concessions
Someone said that the pizza was LaRosa's but what we got in the club lounge two years ago was definitely not. LaCardboard's maybe. I think they offered Poppa John's for a while but not last season.
Then there's the atmosphere. The atmosphere in PBS was great for the first ten years. It started to slide during the string of playoff disappointments and then the '15 Steelers playoff loss killed it. By that time PBS had become a destination stadium for opposing fans and the sullen Bengal fans who did show up sat on their hands lest they be humiliated.
Bengal fans should have seen enough during Burrow's first aborted season to be chomping at the bit to return to the stadium from the start of last season. Instead we were treated to a stadium half full of Packer, Browns, and Steeler fans. Bengal fans had created this "playoff win" litmus test where they weren't going to support the team without one. And they missed most of the greatest Bengal season to date as a result.
I'm sure that the atmosphere will be rockin' this year with all these born-again Bengals fans joining us in the stadium. I hope they get a good long run of winning football and don't have to weather any disappointments.
