Hamilton County commissioners have reversed an early practice of encouraging participation by minority, female-owned and local businesses in stadium bid invitations, according to a court document filed this week.
All references to those groups have been eliminated from three bid specifications for the remainder of the demolition work for the Paul Brown Stadium, according to a sworn statement by John Michel, deputy director of public works for the county.
His statement was made in connection with a lawsuit filed in January by Bianchi Trison Corp. against Hamilton County. The Syracuse, N.Y.-based company was not chosen for a demolition job, even though it was the low bidder, because commissioners said they wanted to hire a local, female-owned firm, O'Rourke Construction Co.
Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus, who has led the stadium project, said all future contracts will eliminate the preferences. He said a recent federal court decision in California makes such wording illegal, and the county prosecutor advised removing it.
''Our commitment to live up to these things we talked about . . . is still valid,'' Mr. Bedinghaus said. ''This doesn't change our commitment to minorities and women as we move forward.''
Greg Page, a lawyer for Bianchi Trison, read the change differently. ''This clearly vindicates our client's position,'' Mr. Page said. ''If you call it a goal, if you call it a quota, it's an illegal and unconstitutional preference.''
Mr. Bedinghaus would not comment on the lawsuit.
The Rev. William Land, social action chairman for the Baptist Ministers Conference, which represents many local African-Americans, said Mr. Bedinghaus told him about the change in the contracts.
''He said we would look into changing the wording, but the intent would stay there,'' the Rev. Mr. Land said Thursday.
Before the stadium sales tax went to ballot, proponents promised that 15 percent of the work would go to minority, female-owned and small businesses. They also vowed first preference for local companies.
