Even after Cincinnati and Hamilton County leaders approve a deal to assure the Bengals stadium project will proceed, the county has plenty of work ahead to open the stadium for the 2000 season.
County and team officials still are working to set a ''guaranteed maximum price,'' or GMP, for Paul Brown Stadium. The county's lease with the team requires a GMP, which will make the stadium construction manager responsible for cost overruns above that price.
Once a GMP is agreed to, the construction manager also assumes liability for the $4 million-per-game late penalties detailed in the county's lease with the team.
County and team officials have been working for months to determine a GMP, going over the price of everything from plumbing fixtures to carpet to make sure the stadium project falls within the county's planned budget.
At the same time, county officials began demolition on the stadium site Thursday. Site preparation began on the south end of the site, south of Mehring Way, and will continue in phases moving north because the county had access to the southern land first, Commission President Tom Neyer Jr. said.
Demolition will continue in phases, he said, and a large portion of the site will be cleared by March.
In mid-March the county's schedule requires construction crews to start below-grade construction, pouring concrete for footers to support the stadium and for flood protection, Mr. Neyer said.
One down, Reds to go
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