Cincinnati Bengals fans filing into Cinergy Field for Thursday night's Bengals-Oilers game were greeted by a handful of protesters alienated by the way riverfront development plans are being handled.
Tim Hershner, leader of Citizens for Major League Sanity, rallied support for his group's proposal for a $544 million cap on spending for two new stadiums on the river. His group collected about 1,000 signatures Thursday, he said.
Bengals President Mike Brown, for his part, said he was tired of being blamed for the rising cost of the team's new stadium.
''There's been a steady drumbeat of criticism and it's not fair,'' Mr. Brown said. ''The price of the stadium has essentially stayed the same.
''This (the higher stadium price) is a product of riverfront development, not just the stadium. We felt it was finally time to set the record straight,'' he said.
Citizens for Major League Sanity organized a petition drive in an effort to ''promote responsible use of public funds.'' Taxpayers were told the stadium projects would cost an estimated $544 million, but have learned the cost of the Bengals stadium alone will be more than $400 million.
The group wants county and city leaders to stick to the original figure. It will present signed petitions to city council Wednesday. Mr. Hershner said the petition drive is off to a good start.
''Actually, where we're having a lot of success is on our Web site,'' he said. ''I think we've got city council's (ear) because they're having a lot of problems with this thing, too.''
Petitions are also available on the group's Web site - www.cintiweb.com - sanity
The Bengals handed out information showing that the cost of Paul Brown Stadium is in line with NFL stadiums in other communities, and that of the increased cost for the facility comes from items such as parking, increased land acquisition costs, inflation and other factors.
There was also a small protest outside the stadium by vendor Tom ''Peanut Tom'' Hagins, who said he was protesting what he called the Bengals' attempt to restrict all business near the stadium. He handed out free peanuts and leaflets.
Mr. Hagins, a peanut and novelty vendor for five years, fears that an agreement between the county and the Bengals will allow the club control of all business along the Riverfront.
''We want to bring it to the people and let them know that the Bengals are trying to create a monopoly on the Riverfront and the county commissioners are helping them,'' Mr. Hagins said.
''There's no reason to restrict street vendors. We're not taking that much money from the Bengals.''
Many residents, such as Robert Kelly of Sayler Park, had strong opinions about the stadium issue.
''I was against the sales tax in the beginning and I didn't vote for it,'' he said. ''Mike Brown doesn't need $544 million. There should be a petition to repeal the bloody tax.''
Said David Schumann of Avondale: ''It seems to me that the cost of the stadiums isn't the only issue. Not only were we told that the cost would be substantially lower than what it is, but we voted to build two stadiums - not to build one and renovate one.''
Geoff Hobson contributed to this report.
