Hey, what about my Bengals box?
Thursday, August 6, 1998 BY JIM KNIPPENBERG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
This much we know: The private boxes at the new Paul Brown Stadium will be the lap of luxury.
This much we don't know: Who will be sitting in aforesaid lap. We got to wondering on account of the team has all these flashy brochures going out, trying to unload the remaining boxes and club seats.
The Bengals have decided not to release names of people who lease boxes, says director of community affairs Jeff Berding.
"If a company or individual wants to announce they leased one, we're all for that -- but we're not making announcements," he says. Cinergy Field Box folk are made public, because the lease is between the owner and the city. But with the new stadium, it's a deal between a private outfit (Bengals) and the buyer.
However, we do know that 85 of the 112 boxes have been leased in all price categories: $45,000, $59,000, $74,000, $99,000, $119,000 and $134,000. Leases run 10, 8 or 6 years; prices are the annual lease price.
Prices vary depending on location (50-yard line is $134,000 and sold out; the 20 yard-line is cheaper and available). The lease price includes parking, 16 tickets for each home game, utilities, furnishings and everything else -- except the food and drink the box owners will serve.
Boxes will have kitchens, bathrooms -- and glass windows that open to let in the roar of the crowd or close to keep out the roar of the crowd. "We're just getting ready to go to the owners and show them options for carpeting, colors, types of upholstery, that sort of thing," says Berding. "We're furnishing them for the buyers."
Right. Since Psst! still didn't know who those buyers are, we made a few calls . . .
The Brown family, of course, has one. Absolutely, Berding says. The club has an ownership suite (50-yard line) and a visiting owners suite, probably on the 40- or 45-yard line.
Here at home base, the Enquirer has one, confirms assistant to the president Martha Flanagan (who failed to issue Psst! an invitation despite enormous hints).
We took one, says Randy Michaels, CEO of Jacor, the company that owns WLW radio and goes all out with sports talk shows.
So did we, says Charles Lindberg, managing partner of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, the law firm that does a heck of a lot of Bengals work. "We were just about first in line. Wouldn't miss the opportunity."
Fifth-Third Bank leased one, confirms spokeswoman Robbie Jennings. "Absolutely. We love supporting the team," she said. Star Bank, too, says spokesman Steve Dale. "We're always looking for ways to further support the community. This is a good one."
PNC has one, too, says spokeswoman Donna Schmid.
Procter & Gamble leased one, named it and gave it away, says spokesman Michael Whiting. The Cincinnati Bengals Procter & Gamble Suite has been donated to United Way for charitable works.
John Sawyer, captain of Sawyer Industries, huge fan and former major Bengals shareholder, is leasing one with a friend.
Hamilton County, meanwhile, didn't lease one -- it gets one free.
The Reds didn't take one, says managing executive John Allen. Nor did the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, says president John Williams. Both considered it, then decided not to.
But Cinergy, says spokesman Steve Brash, does have one.
Others, according to a way-up source who wants his name out of it, include Carlisle Construction and American Financial Corp.
That leaves a lot leases unaccounted for -- until Psst! can get up there and snoop around. Someone, after all, will have the bad sense to invite us.
Psst! appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Have an item to report? Call Jim Knippenberg at 768-8513; fax: 768-8330.
KNIPPENBERG ARCHIVE