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Ben Child
CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday publicly raised questions relating to a key participant within the staff’s stadium dialogue with Hamilton County and his connection to the Cleveland Browns.
The Bengals stated in an announcement that David Abrams, whom the county has employed as a guide to help in lease negotiations with the Bengals, can also be offering providers to the Browns. With out making any direct claims, Cincinnati raised questions on whether or not Abrams may very well be compromised in his negotiations with the Bengals.
“The staff has expressed concern to the county {that a} stadium guide performing providers for the Cleveland Browns won’t have Cincinnati’s greatest pursuits at coronary heart,” the Bengals stated of their assertion.
Abrams is employed by Inside Circle Sports activities, which declined to remark when reached by ESPN on Thursday.
Hamilton County launched its personal assertion denying the Bengals’ assertion about Abrams’ position however did acknowledge a hyperlink between Inside Circle Sports activities and the Browns.
“Mr. Abrams has no involvement with the Browns, their stadium venture and/or associated issues,” the county stated. “This was defined to the staff they usually have been beforehand given Abrams’ contract and scope of labor, which doesn’t embody any state lobbying.”
The county stated a unique particular person is working for the Browns as a contractor for Inside Circle Sports activities and that the third-party group “has not acquired or shared proprietary info involving the Bengals or the county.”
The Bengals have till June 30 to train the primary of 5 two-year choices that reach their settlement with Hamilton County on Paycor Stadium. If the choice is not picked up, Cincinnati’s lease on its present stadium will finish after the 2025 season.
Each the Bengals and the Browns wish to safe funding from the state of Ohio for his or her respective stadiums.
The Browns are eyeing a mixed-use advanced in close by Brook Park that’s estimated to price round $3 billion, with a minimum of $1.2 billion of that coming from personal funding. On Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell traveled to Columbus and met with legislators on the Ohio capitol to debate the Browns’ proposal.
The Bengals and Hamilton County have been working towards a stadium renovation of $830 million below a framework accepted by the county’s commissioner board in late April. The framework allotted $210 million, with $120 million from the staff, for the primary a part of a three-phase course of. Nevertheless, that might dissolve if the 2 sides fail to succeed in a long-term extension on the lease earlier than June 30.
Hamilton County and the Bengals had seemed to be making progress towards an settlement. Nevertheless, additionally on Thursday, the county fired regulation agency Frost Brown Todd and lawyer Tom Gabelman, who had labored with the county relationship again to 1997 on venture negotiations. In an announcement offered to ESPN, Gabelman stated discussions have been “considerably superior” on a long-term settlement to maintain the Bengals at Paycor Stadium earlier than the county’s change to the Dinsmore regulation agency.
Hamilton County contracted Abrams in October 2023 to help with its negotiations with the Bengals. In accordance with his Inside Circle Sports activities bio, Abrams has suggested on stadium funding initiatives in Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Jacksonville and Nashville.
Along with Hamilton County’s denial that Abrams is concerned with the Browns, a supply accustomed to Cleveland’s respective negotiations corroborated that to ESPN on Thursday.
Nevertheless, the Bengals say he might need a battle of curiosity.
“The county can resolve the way it needs to proceed, however the staff felt it acceptable to share issues over whether or not events concerned in discussions have been working solely to advance native pursuits — or whether or not different conflicts would possibly exist,” the Bengals stated.
ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi contributed to this report.
