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 Jungle" | |
 | |
 The stadium in June 2017 | |
  Paycor Stadium Location in Ohio  Paycor Stadium Location in the United States | |
| Former names | Paul Brown Stadium (2000–2021) |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 Paycor Stadium USA[1] |
| Location | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Coordinates | 39°05′42″N 84°30′58″W / 39.095°N 84.516°W |
| Public transit |  Connector at The Banks |
| 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 23 years ago |
| Construction cost | $455 million ($773 million in 2022 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 | |
History Edit
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.[10] 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.[11] Hamilton County explored other options and chose the synthetic FieldTurf system.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14]
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.[15] The scoreboards and ribbons were later upgraded after the 2014 off-season to larger HD models.[16]
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 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.[17][18][19]
Notable events Edit
College football Edit
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.[20] On September 5, 2009, the Kentucky Wildcats and the Miami Redhawks played their opening games there.[21] 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.[22] In 2011 the Bearcats played Big East Conference opponents Louisville Cardinals and West Virginia Mountaineers at the stadium.[23] 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.[24]
| 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) | ||
Concerts Edit
The Cincinnati Music Festival (formerly the Cincinnati Jazz Festival) is held there every year.[25]
| 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.[26] |
| July 27, 2013 | Fantasia | – | Side Effects of You Tour | – | – | This concert was a part of the Macy's Music Festival.[27] |
| July 25, 2014 | Robin Thicke | – | Blurred Lines Tour | – | – | This concert was a part of the Macy's Music Festival.[28] |
| July 11, 2015 | Demi Lovato | Rixton | Demi World Tour | – | – | This concert was part of the MLB All-Star Game Concert.[29] |
| 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.[30][31] |
| 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. [32] |
| July 1, 2023 | ||||||
| August 2, 2024 | Luke Combs | Growin’ Up And Gettin’ Old Tour | ||||
| August 3, 2024 |
Other events Edit
Unusual for a venue of its size, Paycor Stadium hosts the annual Queen City Classic Chess Tournament in the spring.[33]
Features Edit
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]
Architecture Edit
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.[34][35][36]
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][36]
References Edit
- ^ "Paul Brown Stadium".
- ^ a b c d e "Paul Brown Stadium - Facts and Stats". Archived from the original on 2017-05-03. Retrieved 2012-05-28.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals - Paul Brown Stadium - Shaw Sports Turf".
- ^ "Bengals Break Ground on New Stadium". Portsmouth Daily Times. April 26, 1998.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved May 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g Architects, Contractors and Subcontractors of Current Big Five Facility Projects
- ^ Cincy Stadium Contracts Awarded for Architects/Management
- ^ "Bengals Fans, It's Time to Rule The Jungle!". Bengals.com.
- ^ "Guns N' Roses is about to make more money in Cincinnati: Creating a Bengals music playlist". Cincinnati.com.
- ^ As Revenue Plunges, Stadium Boom Adds to Municipal Woes The New York Times. December 25, 2009.
- ^ Still the one: Vet NFL's worst field
- ^ Darian's Diary: Bengals opt for FieldTurf installation for Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium
- ^ Hobson, Geoff (January 7, 2010). "Thursday update: Weather check; Canned heat; Tabloid warring with Rex; Bengals top 5 in NFL TV". Bengals.com. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
- ^ New Turf Being Installed at Paul Brown Stadium 2 May 2017. Bengals.com. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
- ^ "Daktronics Photo Gallery: Cincinnati Bengals, Paul Brown Stadium". Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
- ^ Marcum, Jason (13 August 2015). "Paul Brown Stadium updates and scoreboard upgrades: everything you need to know". Cincy Jungle. SB Nation. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- ^ "Cincinnati Bengals and Paycor Announce Stadium Naming Rights Partnership". bengals.com. The Cincinnati Bengals. August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ "Bengals sell stadium name rights to Paycor: Why only two NFL stadiums remain without corporate sponsor". sportingnews.com. The Sporting News. August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ "Paycor signs on as first naming-rights partner of Paul Brown Stadium". www.thestadiumbusiness.com. The Stadium Business. August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ Koch, Bill (October 10, 2007). "Stadium Switch All Right With Kelly". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
- ^ Schmetzer, Mark (April 14, 2009). "Miami-UK Matchup About History". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
- ^ Emig, Guerin (September 26, 2010). "OU Reserve Pryce Macon Pitches in, Slows Bearcats' Rally". Tulsa World. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
- ^ Koch, Bill (November 7, 2011). "Jones: 'We Haven't Played a Home Game Since Sept. 22′". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
- ^ Clark, Dave (11 September 2017). "UC Bearcats, Miami RedHawks extend rivalry through 2029". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ Cincinnati Music Festival
- ^ Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw Reunite Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ WCPO Digital Staff (13 March 2013). "Macy's Music Festival announces 2013 performers". WCPO-TV. E. W. Scripps Company. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
- ^ Knueven-Brownleee, Amy (July 25, 2014). "This Weekend: Macy's Music Festival". Cincinnati. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
- ^ Lipshutz, Jason (July 8, 2015). "Demi Lovato to Replace Ariana Grande at MLB All-Star Game Concert". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil. "Steven Adler Reunites With Guns N' Roses at Cincinnati Gig". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
- ^ "Steven Adler reunites with Guns N' Roses in Cincinnati". July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
- ^ "Paycor Stadium Concert History". January 5, 2023. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
- ^ 9th Annual Queen City Classic Chess Tournament Cincinnati - 9th Annual Queen City Classic Chess Tournament at Paycor Stadium (Football) | Eventful
- ^ "- Meis Architects". Archived from the original on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
- ^ "Paul Brown Stadium".
- ^ a b "The Official Site of the Cincinnati Bengals".
External links Edit
