A Hamilton County jury on Friday awarded the owners of Caddy's Complex $3.1 million for their bar at Plum Street and Pete Rose Way.
The amount was almost halfway between the $1.3 million Hamilton County had offered and the $5.5 million the owners wanted for the property, which county officials need to build the Cincinnati Bengals football complex.
John Kelley, an attorney for the county, likened the compromise to ''kissing your sister.''
''We're somewhat disappointed,'' he said. ''We think our appraisers were correct.''
Charles Schneider, the father of the five siblings who own the bar, called the verdict a victory for ''the little guy.''
In the coming weeks, the county faces three other cases involving property acquisition for the stadium complex. In addition to Caddy's, the county sued Flanagan's Landing, Caruso Inc. and S&C Properties when county lawyers determined they wouldn't be able to negotiate a price for the property out of court.
Bill Duning, a lawyer representing Flanagan's, said he hopes the verdict sends a message to county lawyers that they need to continue negotiating with the businesses instead of proceeding with the trials. The county offered Flanagan's $1 million, Mr. Duning said, adding that the county should expect to pay about the same as what Caddy's was awarded.
''I think the jury has sent a message to the county commissioners that it's time to come to the table and raise their initial offer,'' he said.
But Mr. Kelley said the outcome of the Caddy's case won't affect the county's dealings with other property owners.
The Flanagan's trial is scheduled to begin Monday.
Mr. Schneider said his family doesn't know where it will relocate the bar. The family couldn't make decisions until it knew how much money it would get for the property, he said.
''We'll never, ever, ever find another location as good as we have now,'' he said.
The Bengals $400.3 million stadium complex will be roughly between Central Avenue and Elm Street, with a curved Pete Rose Way to the north and Mehring Way to the south.
The county is buying the riverfront land south of Fort Washington Way from the site of the football complex to the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge.
It has budgeted $50 million for the land. Officials have said the total spent on land could change depending on the negotiations with property owners and the jury verdicts.
