"The Jungle" | |
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![]() The stadium in June 2017 | |
Former names | Paul Brown Stadium (2000–2021) |
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Address | 1 Paycor Stadium USA [1] |
Location | Cincinnati, Ohio |
Coordinates | 39°05′42″N84°30′58″W / 39.095°N 84.516°W |
Public transit | ![]() |
Owner | Hamilton County |
Operator | Cincinnati Bengals |
Executive suites | 114 |
Capacity | 65,515 |
Record attendance | 67,260 (Bengals vs. Dolphins, Thursday, September 29, 2022) [2] |
Surface | Kentucky Bluegrass (2000–2003) FieldTurf (2004–2011) Act Global synthetic turf (2012–2017) Shaw Sports Momentum Pro (2018–present) [3] |
Construction | |
Broke ground | April 25, 1998 [4] |
Opened | August 19, 2000 24 years ago |
Construction cost | $455 million ($805 million in 2023 dollars [5] ) |
Architect | NBBJ [6] Glaser Associates Inc. [6] Moody Nolan [6] Stallworth Architecture Inc. [6] |
Project manager | Getz Ventures [7] |
Structural engineer | Ove Arup/Graham, Obermeyer [6] |
Services engineer | Flack & Kurtz, Inc. [6] |
General contractor | TBMD Joint Venture (Turner/Barton Malow/D.A.G.) [6] |
Tenants | |
Cincinnati Bengals (NFL) (2000–present) Cincinnati Bearcats (NCAA) (2014) |
Paycor Stadium, previously known as Paul Brown Stadium, is an outdoor football stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL) and opened on August 19, 2000.
Originally named after the Bengals' founder, Paul Brown, the stadium is currently sponsored by Paycor, is located on approximately 22 acres (8.9 ha) of land, and has a listed seating capacity of 65,515. The stadium is nicknamed "The Jungle"; [8] the Guns N' Roses song "Welcome to the Jungle", is the team's unofficial anthem due in part to the nickname. [9]
The construction of the stadium was funded by taxpayers to tune of $555 million, the largest public subsidy for an NFL stadium at the time. [10] The Bengals had threatened to leave Cincinnati unless the city agreed to subsidize the stadium. [10] In 2011, The Wall Street Journal described the stadium deal as "unusually lopsided in favor of the team and risky for taxpayers." [10] Since then, additional costs have been imposed on taxpayers related to the stadium. [11] By one estimate, taxpayers will have paid $1.1 billion by 2026, the year in which the 26-year deal expires. [11]
In 1996, Hamilton County voters passed a one-half percent sales tax increase to fund the building of two new home venues for both the Bengals and MLB's Cincinnati Reds. [12] The Bengals and the Reds previously shared tenancy of Riverfront Stadium, later known as Cinergy Field, but both teams complained that the aging multipurpose facility lacked modern amenities and other things necessary for small-market teams to thrive and survive. Construction of the replacements for Cinergy Field began with the groundbreaking for the then-Paul Brown Stadium in 1998; the stadium was completed in time for the 2000 NFL season and opened in August of that year. Cinergy Field would then spend two seasons as a partially-demolished, baseball-only facility (the construction of Great American Ball Park necessitating this) before what was left of it was imploded in December 2002.
For its first four years, the field was natural Kentucky Bluegrass, but maintenance problems arose, and at one point it was rated as the third worst field in the league. [13] Hamilton County explored other options and chose the synthetic FieldTurf system. [14] The infilled artificial turf looks and feels like real grass and, since the field markings are sewn into the fabric, repainting between games is unnecessary. The reduced maintenance saved the county approximately US$100,000 annually.[ citation needed ] Additionally, it opens Paycor Stadium to other uses without worry of damage to the turf. The FieldTurf was installed for the 2004 season. The field is one of only two stadiums in the NFL to have "five miles of piping" running under the field to keep the rubber inlays heated. [15] In April 2012, the stadium chose to update the playing surface with an installation of Act Global synthetic turf. In 2018, the stadium was equipped with a new top-of-the-line synthetic turf system. Manufactured by Shaw Sports Turf, the product includes Strenexe XD slit-film fibers that are supported by synthetic turf backing, UltraLoc. [16] In response to player safety concerns, the Cincinnati Bengals announced in February 2024 that the stadium would be returning to the FieldTurf system, but upgrading to the newer FieldTurf CORE version, becoming the 8th NFL franchise to do so. [17]
Two LED video displays at either end zone, installed in 2000, provide a good view of the on-field action for every spectator. Over 200 feet (61 m) of ribbon display were installed along the fascia of the stadium. [18] The scoreboards and ribbons were later upgraded after the 2014 off-season to larger HD models. [19]
On August 9, 2022, the stadium entered a naming rights agreement with Paycor HCM Inc., a Cincinnati-based company founded by Robert J. Coughlin, expanding the company's sponsorship deal with the Bengals that saw the stadium renamed Paycor Stadium, with the company paying an undisclosed sum for 16 years of naming rights. This made Lambeau Field the only stadium named after a person in the league, and made it, along with Chicago's Soldier Field and Cleveland's Cleveland Browns Stadium, the only three stadiums without a naming rights partner in the NFL. [20] [21] [22]
The Cincinnati Bearcats from the University of Cincinnati and the Ohio State Buckeyes from Ohio State University played the first college football game at the stadium on September 21, 2002, before a sold-out crowd of 66,319. [23] On September 5, 2009, the Kentucky Wildcats and the Miami Redhawks played their opening games there. [24] The University of Cincinnati also played Oklahoma in 2010 at the stadium. The Sooners won the game 31–29 with 58,253 fans in attendance. [25] In 2011 the Bearcats played Big East Conference opponents Louisville Cardinals and West Virginia Mountaineers at the stadium. [26] The Bearcats returned to the stadium for the 2014 football season due to renovations of Nippert Stadium, with the largest attendance being Miami (OH) at 41,926. The average attendance was 28,840 for the year. On September 8, 2018, Miami (OH) hosted the Bearcats at the stadium for their annual Victory Bell rivalry, which will also feature games at Paycor Stadium in 2022 and 2026. [27]
List of college football games at the stadium | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Home Team | Opponent | Score | Attendance |
September 21, 2002 | Cincinnati | Ohio State | 19–23 | 66,319 |
September 5, 2009 | Miami (OH) | Kentucky | 0–42 | 41,037 |
September 25, 2010 | Cincinnati | Oklahoma | 29–31 | 58,253 |
October 15, 2011 | Cincinnati | Louisville | 25–16 | 40,971 |
November 12, 2011 | Cincinnati | West Virginia | 21–24 | 48,152 |
September 12, 2014 | Cincinnati | Toledo | 58–34 | 31,912 |
September 20, 2014 | Cincinnati | Miami (OH) | 31–24 | 41,926 |
October 4, 2014 | Cincinnati | Memphis | 14–41 | 25,456 |
October 24, 2014 | Cincinnati | South Florida | 34–17 | 30,024 |
November 13, 2014 | Cincinnati | East Carolina | 54–46 | 19,113 |
December 6, 2014 | Cincinnati | Houston | 38–31 | 24,606 |
September 8, 2018 | Miami (OH) | Cincinnati | 0–21 | 16,062 |
September 17, 2022 | Miami (OH) | Cincinnati | 17–38 | 30,109 |
September 19, 2026 | Cincinnati | Miami (OH) | ||
The Cincinnati Music Festival (formerly the Cincinnati Jazz Festival) is held there every year. [28]
Date | Artist | Opening act(s) | Tour / Concert name | Attendance | Revenue | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
July 1, 2012 | Kenny Chesney Tim McGraw | Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Jake Owen | Brothers of the Sun Tour | 42,716 / 45,764 | $3,495,146 | The first major concert at the stadium. [29] |
July 27, 2013 | Fantasia | – | Side Effects of You Tour | – | – | This concert was a part of the Macy's Music Festival. [30] |
July 25, 2014 | Robin Thicke | – | Blurred Lines Tour | – | – | This concert was a part of the Macy's Music Festival. [31] |
July 11, 2015 | Demi Lovato | Rixton | Demi World Tour | – | – | This concert was part of the MLB All-Star Game Concert. [32] |
July 18, 2015 | Luke Bryan | Florida Georgia Line Randy Houser Thomas Rhett Dustin Lynch DJ Rock | Kick the Dust Up Tour | 52,019 / 52,019 | $3,103,468 | |
July 6, 2016 | Guns N' Roses | Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown | Not in This Lifetime... Tour | 32,516 / 33,845 | $2,857,336 | Former GNR drummer Steven Adler was the special guest. [33] [34] |
May 13, 2022 | Garth Brooks | Mitch Rossell | Stadium Tour | — | — | The concert on May 14, 2022, was originally scheduled to take place on September 18, 2021, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
May 14, 2022 | Ghost Hounds | |||||
June 30, 2023 | Taylor Swift | Muna Gracie Abrams | The Eras Tour | - | - | Swift's first Cincinnati show since 2010's Fearless Tour. First female act in stadium history to sell out a show and first female act in history to sell out two shows on a single tour. [35] |
July 1, 2023 | ||||||
August 2, 2024 | Luke Combs | Growin’ Up And Gettin’ Old Tour | ||||
August 3, 2024 | ||||||
Unusual for a venue of its size, Paycor Stadium hosts the annual Queen City Classic Chess Tournament in the spring. [36]
Paycor Stadium also houses the Bengals' administrative offices and training and practice facilities. The game field at Paycor Stadium is Momentum Pro, manufactured by Show Sports Turf. There are three smaller practice fields nearby. Two are sodded with natural grass, while the third is equipped with AstroTurf. [2]
Several local busing companies offer round trip transportation to Paycor Stadium from designated locations throughout the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. One such example is the Cincinnati Metro's Jungle-to-Jungle Express, which originates at Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, a suburb of Cincinnati.
Premium seating options are available in 114 private suites and 7,600 club seats. Amenities include in-seat food and beverage service and access to the club lounges for fine dining options. [2]
On-site retail merchandise sales are available in the Bengals pro shop, located on the plaza level on the north end of the stadium. There are 56 concession stands and eight stores. [2]
The stadium was designed by architectural firm NBBJ, led by Dan Meis. It was the first NFL facility to win an AIA design award, and one of only two sports venues to be honored. The open corners allow for views into the stadium, while stadium fans can view the downtown skyline and bridges crossing the Ohio River. [37] [38] [39]
Paycor Stadium is the only football stadium to make a list of "America's favorite 150 buildings and structures", according to a Harris Interactive survey. It ranked 101st on the list, whose range included all manner of major structures — skyscrapers, museums, churches, hotels, bridges, national memorials and more. No other football stadium was voted among the top 150, and among all sports venues, only Wrigley Field (31) and Yankee Stadium (84) ranked higher. [2] [39]
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The club's home games are held in downtown Cincinnati at Paycor Stadium.
Great American Ball Park is a baseball stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, and opened on March 31, 2003, replacing Cinergy Field, the Reds' former ballpark from 1970 to 2002. Great American Insurance bought the naming rights to the new stadium at US$75 million for 30 years.
Riverfront Stadium, also known as Cinergy Field from 1996 to 2002, was a multi-purpose stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1970 through 2002 and the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1970 to 1999. Located on the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, the stadium was best known as the home of "The Big Red Machine", as the Reds were often called in the 1970s.
James Gamble Nippert Memorial Stadium is an outdoor stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Primarily used for American football, it is the home field of the Cincinnati Bearcats football team. The stadium has also been used as a soccer venue, serving as the home of FC Cincinnati of Major League Soccer from their inaugural 2016 USL season through the 2020 MLS season, following which they moved to TQL Stadium. Nippert Stadium has a current seating capacity of 40,124 following the expansion and renovation performed in 2014, and the 2017 removal of corner seats to accommodate FC Cincinnati during their transition to the MLS. The stadium began in 1901 with a rudimentary for and field surface, with permanent concrete stands built along each sideline for the 1915 season and a complete horseshoe stadium completed in 1924, making it the fourth-oldest playing site and fifth-oldest stadium in college football, respectively.
Zachary William Taylor is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Beginning his NFL career as an offensive assistant, Taylor was the quarterbacks coach for the Los Angeles Rams when they appeared in Super Bowl LIII. Taylor was named Cincinnati's head coach the following season in 2019, where he went 6–25–1 in his first two years. In 2021, Taylor led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990, ending the longest active drought in the four major North American sports, en route to an appearance in Super Bowl LVI. Taylor followed this up with 12 wins and a trip to the AFC Championship Game in 2022. During his time with the Bengals, Taylor has won five postseason games, matching the franchise win total prior to his hiring as head coach.
Cincinnati is the home of three major league teams, one women's major league team, three minor league teams, five college institutions with sports teams, and numerous top level amateur teams.
UC Baseball Stadium is a baseball stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. It is the home field of the Cincinnati Bearcats. The stadium holds 3,085 people and opened in 2004. The stadium was named after late Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott from 2006 to 2020, when her name was taken off due to renewed controversy over her racist remarks.
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football franchise in the National Football League. Since starting off as an expansion franchise in the American Football League in 1968, they have appeared in three Super Bowls, but lost all three times, twice to the San Francisco 49ers and once to the Los Angeles Rams.
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Gene Raynard "Geno" Atkins Jr. is an American former football defensive tackle. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft. Atkins was twice selected as a first-team All-Pro, once selected as a second-team, and is also an eight-time Pro Bowler.
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big 12 Conference. They have played their home games in historic and renovated Nippert Stadium since 1924. The Bearcats have an all-time record of over .500, having reached their 600th program victory in 2017. The program has had a resurgence in recent years. After joining the Big East for the 2005 season, the Bearcats have gone 155–75, along with 14 bowl game appearances, 7 conference titles, 4 BCS/NY6 Bowl berths and 38 NFL Draft selections, as of the 2022 season.
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The 2016 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 47th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 49th overall and the fourteenth under head coach Marvin Lewis. The Bengals regressed from their 12–4 record from 2015, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010, finishing 6–9–1, and finishing in 3rd place in their division. This season would see the Bengals play in London for the first time ever, where they tied the Washington Redskins 27–27.
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Ivan Pace Jr. is an American football linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami RedHawks before transferring to the Cincinnati Bearcats in 2022, where he was named a unanimous All-American and the AAC Defensive Player of the Year.
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