Citizens for Major League Sanity was rooting for attorney Robert Manley to win his court case against Hamilton County this week, which could have killed the county's stadium deal with the Bengals.
But Judge Richard Cole's ruling in favor of the county, saying it could use eminent domain to take the property needed for the stadium, doesn't mean the citizens group will stop its efforts to put a lid on stadium costs, said Tim Hershner, the group's leader.
''We were never dependent upon that lawsuit,'' he said. ''We've just been held up by the city's negotiations with the county.'' The group has continued to circulate petitions and plans to present them to Cincinnati City Council on Jan. 7, or whenever council votes on a riverfront development agreement with the county, he said.
The city and county continue to negotiate a riverfront development agreement that will lead to the transfer of city-controlled land to the county. The county needs that land to build the Bengals' $400.3 million stadium complex.
The city's planning commission and city council must approve any such agreement.
The group's petitions ask county commissioners to limit spending on stadium projects for the Reds and Bengals to $544 million, the estimate used during the campaign to increase the county sales tax.
The petitions also ask members of Cincinnati City Council not to release land needed for the stadium until commissioners limit spending.
Mr. Hershner said the group wants to get signed petitions back weekly to be ready to present them to council. The group is seeking volunteers and donations and is planning a ''stadium roast'' fund-raising event for late January.
People interested in learning more or volunteering can go to the group's Web site at http://www.cintiweb.com/sanity/ or call 784-9870.
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