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<v Speaker 1>All right, Billy cunning in the Great American Welcome. This

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<v Speaker 1>floor is Tuesday afternoon in the Tri State Reds Baseball

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<v Speaker 1>believe it or not. Off today they have a three

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<v Speaker 1>game set against the Houston but it's Monday, and then

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<v Speaker 1>off today they're still in town and then Wednesday Thursday

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<v Speaker 1>Business Special and Bengals of course starred on Sunday Jamar Chase.

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<v Speaker 1>As of this a moment is not signed. We'll see

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<v Speaker 1>what happens down the road. But the person more or

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<v Speaker 1>less in charge of the Bengals new stadium as far

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<v Speaker 1>as the taxpayer contribution is Alisha Reese and she's joining

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<v Speaker 1>you and I now this Tuesday afternoon. Alisha, welcome again

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<v Speaker 1>to the Bill Cunningham Show. And there's been some reporting

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<v Speaker 1>that you had a meeting with Governor Mike Dwine on

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<v Speaker 1>Friday afternoon, and I would imagine this subject came up

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<v Speaker 1>of the state funding of the Bengals stadium. Can you

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<v Speaker 1>tell the American people the results of that and where

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<v Speaker 1>we go from here?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, well, Willie, thanks for having me back on. It

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<v Speaker 2>was started off as a rough day.

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<v Speaker 3>My Facebook page has been hacked and so I was

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<v Speaker 3>dealing with that trying to get Mark Zuckerberg to shut

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<v Speaker 3>this mess down. But then I said I had to

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<v Speaker 3>go because I had to get to a meeting with

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<v Speaker 3>the governor. And he came and met with myself. Jeff

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<v Speaker 3>Aluno was in the meeting, our attorneys as well as

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<v Speaker 3>his top folks from around the state that deals with

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<v Speaker 3>the budget and financing. And it was very important to

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<v Speaker 3>us to have a meeting with the governor because you know,

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<v Speaker 3>as you well know Cleveland, they had headlines saying Cleveland

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<v Speaker 3>ownership and Cleveland folks were meeting elected officials as well.

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<v Speaker 3>They're county folks meeting about the stadium in Cleveland. And

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<v Speaker 3>coming from the state legislature where I serve for eight

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<v Speaker 3>and a half years, I know that a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>the money always goes up north and we get the crops.

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<v Speaker 3>And I said, wait a minute, we've got to get

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<v Speaker 3>a meeting we're the governor, so that we can get

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<v Speaker 3>to the table early and not be stuck with the crumbs.

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<v Speaker 3>So anyway, I had a meeting with him on Friday.

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<v Speaker 3>Of course, so what are the first things I talked

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<v Speaker 3>to him about. I said, wait a minute, we've got

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<v Speaker 3>to get these property taxes down. As you know, I've

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<v Speaker 3>been trying to get him to put a freeze on

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<v Speaker 3>property taxes so they can get it the reevaluation mess

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<v Speaker 3>put together in the legislature. But I did tell them,

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<v Speaker 3>I said, I've been calling you. I've got to get

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<v Speaker 3>these property taxes down. So that was the first thing

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<v Speaker 3>I said. But then we talked about the Bengals Stadium

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<v Speaker 3>belief that's going to be up in twenty twenty six.

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<v Speaker 3>We're the first lease in the state that will be

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<v Speaker 3>up before the Browns. But then also letting them know

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<v Speaker 3>that we also have the RADS lease will be ten

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<v Speaker 3>years right after that, and so we need to come

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<v Speaker 3>with some type of funding model. We're the only deal

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<v Speaker 3>in the.

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<v Speaker 2>Entire country that has a lease that is at.

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<v Speaker 3>Ninety five percent all the costs on the local taxpayers

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<v Speaker 3>and only five percent on the ownership. There's no other

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<v Speaker 3>deal in the country, and I don't even think they're

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<v Speaker 3>offering those type of deals from what I've seen, and

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<v Speaker 3>told them that we really got to work out of

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<v Speaker 3>this because the average cost is about thirty three percent

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<v Speaker 3>of local taxpayer money and the other that's what other

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<v Speaker 3>states are doing.

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<v Speaker 2>But when you get to Cincinnati, where.

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<v Speaker 3>At ninety five percent, and we got a stadium that's

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<v Speaker 3>that's in good shape, but as it gets older, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>it's like an old car when you don't have the warranty.

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<v Speaker 3>You certainly don't want the engine to go out, and

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<v Speaker 3>you're stuck with repairing the engine, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>So we were able to.

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<v Speaker 3>Articulate that to him and also talk about like we're

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<v Speaker 3>cut ahead of of what Cleveland's trying to do or

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<v Speaker 3>what they potentially are proposing they're to propose.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, he said, well could you could you, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>do a.

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<v Speaker 3>Tiff in the area. Well, they're going to the area

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<v Speaker 3>they're looking at moving and going to an area that

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<v Speaker 3>is underdeveloped. We're we're developing, have developed the banks, and

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<v Speaker 3>we're using tiff dollars we've used on the.

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<v Speaker 2>Parking we also used.

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<v Speaker 3>Unfortunately, and I was not in favor of this, we

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<v Speaker 3>took one of our tools off the table by giving

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<v Speaker 3>away our hotel, motel tax, all of that going to

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<v Speaker 3>uh the convention center face list. I was against that

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<v Speaker 3>because that's a tool the Tennessee used and we needed

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<v Speaker 3>we needed to keep that on the table as well.

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<v Speaker 2>So I thought it was a good meeting.

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<v Speaker 3>I thought it was very important because he said I

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<v Speaker 3>had not heard from Cincinnati. I said, well, you hear

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<v Speaker 3>it from us now, because we can't let Cleveland get

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<v Speaker 3>all the all the funds and where where with the crumbs.

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<v Speaker 2>So I thought it was a very good meeting and.

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<v Speaker 3>We were able to show the we've got a master

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<v Speaker 3>plan that mister Ludo said will have showed to the

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<v Speaker 3>public in the next two weeks. We're looking at two

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<v Speaker 3>weeks to be able to show that and what this

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<v Speaker 3>thing is really going to cost. Well, we got to

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<v Speaker 3>get to the exits and o's and we've got to

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<v Speaker 3>come with something that will be both Cincinnati and Cleveland.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't think we'll be able to do any type

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<v Speaker 3>of deal that will be a loaner deal, but we

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<v Speaker 3>got to dig out of.

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<v Speaker 2>As hole, and it's a pretty big hole.

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<v Speaker 3>It's because the tax players have spoken that you know,

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<v Speaker 3>we've got we can't have this type of deal with

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<v Speaker 3>we Well.

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<v Speaker 1>Alisha rees I met with John Baron on other issues

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<v Speaker 1>on Friday. He pointed out to me the chairman CEO

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<v Speaker 1>of Western Southern that you see, for example, has eighty

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<v Speaker 1>percent of the attendance of Ohio State, but gets twenty

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<v Speaker 1>percent of the money that Ohio State gets so Cincinnati

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<v Speaker 1>and Covington wall. If you're Covington deals with Frankfurt and

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<v Speaker 1>Cincinnati deals with Columbus. Both of them are short at

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<v Speaker 1>repeatedly from Columbus, don't have the steams, don't have the power.

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<v Speaker 1>The money goes to Columbus and Cleveland. Now, according to

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<v Speaker 1>the Gensler report, the report that put together the stadium

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<v Speaker 1>means about four hundred and ninety five, say, five hundred

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<v Speaker 1>million dollars in improvements, and the Bengals have already put

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<v Speaker 1>up about one hundred and twenty million. Do you have

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<v Speaker 1>a sense that the Bengals lease, which is up in

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<v Speaker 1>twenty twenty six, have they extended the lease yet for

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<v Speaker 1>another five years?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes? Or no?

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<v Speaker 3>Have they not? At this point that is an option

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<v Speaker 3>under this old deal. And as I talked to you before,

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<v Speaker 3>you know that old deal was a really good deal

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<v Speaker 3>for the Bengals because you know, lew else in the

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<v Speaker 3>country's got a ninety five percent of the local taxpayers

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<v Speaker 3>paying all the Beals and then they get all the revenue,

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<v Speaker 3>and nobody else has those kind of deals. So you

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<v Speaker 3>know that is a very I mean, if you're the Bengals,

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<v Speaker 3>that's you know that's a good deal for you you're.

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<v Speaker 2>The ownership of the Bengals.

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<v Speaker 3>If you're the taxpayers, it's a terrible deal what we've

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<v Speaker 3>been trying to do if you're looking at getting a

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<v Speaker 3>new lease. I wasn't there for the original deal, and

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<v Speaker 3>there were some other commissioners that were there and signed

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<v Speaker 3>off and signed away the money of the taxpayers and

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<v Speaker 3>handcuffed future county commissions. So when I show up, I

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<v Speaker 3>got an old lease that I'm tied to and we're

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<v Speaker 3>trying to get out of it, and we've got to

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<v Speaker 3>get a new lease. And i'd like to see if

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<v Speaker 3>you're what you're saying around the country is fifty to

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<v Speaker 3>fifty partnerships and you're seeing the upkeep off the backs

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<v Speaker 3>of the taxpayers.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, we like to see.

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<v Speaker 3>Something like that. But you know, also, as you know,

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<v Speaker 3>the NFL allowed for an equity component. Had our team

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<v Speaker 3>voted no, our team ownership voted no. They don't want

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<v Speaker 3>equity because they saw that as a way because the

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<v Speaker 3>NFL is also having requirements for stadiums to to you know,

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<v Speaker 3>look a certain way.

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<v Speaker 2>And so you know, when they come in.

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<v Speaker 3>With this this deal, this this one hundred and twenty million. Uh,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, my my questions that I'm going to pass

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<v Speaker 3>those questions in public in a public forum. That one

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<v Speaker 3>hundred and twenty million that's being mentioned, is.

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<v Speaker 2>That on ticket sales?

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<v Speaker 3>Is that on season ticket holders? Is that only six

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<v Speaker 3>how much is coming from the NFL? You know because

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<v Speaker 3>or is it only sixty million coming from the NFL

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<v Speaker 3>and sixty million from you know, season ticket holders? You know.

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<v Speaker 3>So we've got we've got to get down to the

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<v Speaker 3>to the nitty gritty. You could throw numbers around all

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<v Speaker 3>day long. That's what happened with the taxpayers. They went

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<v Speaker 3>to the polls, voted for two stadiums, right, but then

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<v Speaker 3>they got screwed behind the They got screwed in all

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<v Speaker 3>the fine print in the least well, Mike.

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<v Speaker 1>Mike Brown beats the irs and tax score. Mike Mike

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<v Speaker 1>Brown knows that going back thirty some years you were

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<v Speaker 1>probably too young at the time, but there was such

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<v Speaker 1>a feeling in nineteen ninety four, nineteen ninety five, Mike

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<v Speaker 1>Brown goes to Baltimore, comes back here. Okay, we voted,

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<v Speaker 1>but the devil's in the details, the devils and actually

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<v Speaker 1>who pays the upkeep? Here we are now, and do

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<v Speaker 1>you have a sense that Bengals. I guess you're dealing

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<v Speaker 1>more with Katie Blackburn than you're dealing with Mike Brown.

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<v Speaker 1>He's almost ninety years old, for God's sakes. But do

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<v Speaker 1>you have a sense that the Bengals are going to

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<v Speaker 1>be willing to have like a fifty to fifty split,

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<v Speaker 1>much less thirty three sixty seven? Do you have a

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<v Speaker 1>sense that they're going to agree to have the Bengals

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<v Speaker 1>and the county I have a fifty to fifty split

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<v Speaker 1>or is that a pipe dream?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I think coming out of a ninety five percent

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<v Speaker 3>five percent deal that would be tough, that.

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<v Speaker 2>Would be ideal.

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<v Speaker 3>But that doesn't mean that we don't go to the table.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, when you start negotiating, you never come in

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<v Speaker 3>negotiating from the compromising position. You've got to go in

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<v Speaker 3>and our client is the tax Now, let me say this.

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<v Speaker 2>I am a huge Bengal fan. People know I love sports.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm pushing for a youth amateur sports facility that would

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<v Speaker 3>be privately owned, but would be something that we can

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<v Speaker 3>bring in amateur youth sports ninety three billion dollar industry.

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<v Speaker 3>We're losing out. I love sports. However, when I am elected.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm elected on behalf of the taxpayers of Hamilton County,

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<v Speaker 3>and we've got to be very we've got to understand it.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't think the people who were in office during

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<v Speaker 3>that time as county commissioners, no one was there on

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<v Speaker 3>behalf of the taxpayers. Everybody was at the table, and

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<v Speaker 3>it was a lump sided situation. And I'm saying that

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<v Speaker 3>as we know to the table, I'm going as here's

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<v Speaker 3>what the taxpayers. You know, what's the best deal for

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<v Speaker 3>the taxpayers? How do we come out of there with

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<v Speaker 3>a win win?

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<v Speaker 2>And I'm willing.

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<v Speaker 3>If people say, well, this is not what the people want,

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<v Speaker 3>I'm willing to take it to the ballot and hear

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<v Speaker 3>directly from the peace.

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<v Speaker 1>Now without happening in Kansas City, you might you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the Chiefs went to the went to the people in

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<v Speaker 1>Kansas City. Is the dominant franchise not just in Missouri

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<v Speaker 1>or Kansas, but maybe in the entire nation. When the

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<v Speaker 1>Kansas City Chiefs taxpayers after they won two consecutive Super Bowls,

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<v Speaker 1>went to the ballot a few months ago, how what

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<v Speaker 1>the taxpayers say in Kansas City.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, the taxpayer said no, they had to go back

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<v Speaker 3>to the drawing board.

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<v Speaker 1>And now they might move but.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, we'll we'll see what happens with with that situation.

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<v Speaker 2>But I my goal is we like to keep our

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<v Speaker 2>teams here. We want to get a better deal. And

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<v Speaker 2>there are.

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<v Speaker 3>More tools that weren't available then that are available now.

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<v Speaker 3>The NFL's got to put a lot more skin in

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<v Speaker 3>the game like they're doing around in other other other areas. Uh,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, and we just can't do the ninety five

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<v Speaker 3>five percent now on the same lease. They have an extension.

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<v Speaker 3>They have not indicated whether.

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<v Speaker 2>Or not they're going to utilize it.

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<v Speaker 3>But I think we're preparing just to try to go

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<v Speaker 3>to the table and see if we're going to do

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<v Speaker 3>a new lease, then we've got to get some we've

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<v Speaker 3>got to get some things changed or be able to taxpayers.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, will these people are out here trying to

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<v Speaker 3>hang on to their homes right now, right you know,

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<v Speaker 3>they're getting killed out of here.

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<v Speaker 2>They're trying to hang on to their homes.

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<v Speaker 3>They're trying to be able to buy eggs and bacon,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, if they want to be able to hold

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<v Speaker 3>on to the stadium, but they also want to be

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<v Speaker 3>able to hold on to their homes, and as you know,

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<v Speaker 3>one of the things they advertised.

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<v Speaker 2>But never put in the lease. They never put it.

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<v Speaker 3>In writing, but they advertised that the people were supposed

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<v Speaker 3>to get a thirty percent privaby tax rebate. They were

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<v Speaker 3>supposed to be a win for the homeowners and a

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<v Speaker 3>win for the team as well, and the homeowners got

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<v Speaker 3>the taxpayers and homeowners got screwed.

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<v Speaker 2>It never happened, but three times in twenty plus years.

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<v Speaker 3>I was elected twenty twenty, came in in twenty twenty one.

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<v Speaker 2>I was able to get in twenty twenty one.

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<v Speaker 3>But every year it's a struggle because we have to

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<v Speaker 3>vote on it every year. It's a struggle, and you know,

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<v Speaker 3>the taxpayers are not getting what they were promised. Everything

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<v Speaker 3>else was in writing, and I'm trying to get the

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<v Speaker 3>taxpayers to get their stuff in writing, so now everybody

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<v Speaker 3>has a fair deal. So that's what we're trying to do.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm hopeful. I've asked the administrator and I think two

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<v Speaker 3>weeks we'll get to the master plan that was asked

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<v Speaker 3>before I got elected. They started on this master plan

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<v Speaker 3>and they're supposed to give it to us. But my

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<v Speaker 3>thing is to the administrator. There is a proposal that

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<v Speaker 3>you know, they've talked about an executive session, so I

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<v Speaker 3>can't talk about it. But I'm trying to get stuff

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<v Speaker 3>out of executive session, out into the open, get a

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<v Speaker 3>timeline for the taxpayers, so we don't have what happened

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<v Speaker 3>last time, where a lot of meetings behind the closed doors,

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<v Speaker 3>behind the curtains, and the taxpayers got screwed for I

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<v Speaker 3>wanted out O.

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<v Speaker 1>At least you're Race County Commissioner. Are you ready for

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<v Speaker 1>the big question?

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<v Speaker 2>Uh? Oh, what is it? Willy?

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<v Speaker 1>Are you willing to let the Bengals leave Cincinnati if

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<v Speaker 1>the taxpayer doesn't get a good deal.

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<v Speaker 3>I always start a negotiation in a pot of light.

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<v Speaker 2>We want to.

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<v Speaker 3>Keep the Bengals.

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<v Speaker 2>We would love to keep them here at any costs,

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<v Speaker 2>at any cost.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, you keep them at any cost?

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<v Speaker 2>Well I would. I don't think. I don't think. I

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<v Speaker 2>don't go in thinking at any costs.

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<v Speaker 3>Everybody has a part where we've got to say that

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<v Speaker 3>this is this is the max.

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<v Speaker 2>But we ain't.

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<v Speaker 3>We haven't gotten there yet. But at the same time,

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<v Speaker 3>don't want the people are able to keep their homes, so.

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<v Speaker 2>We've got to we haven't gone to the.

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<v Speaker 3>Table, so I can't really say what we would do

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<v Speaker 3>because we haven't gone to the table. I haven't had

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<v Speaker 3>a meeting at the table with their lawyers and our lawyers.

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<v Speaker 3>We had a meeting with the governor to try to

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<v Speaker 3>see if we can get some additional funds at.

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<v Speaker 2>The state level, but I haven't met with I haven't

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<v Speaker 2>met with Roger Goodell.

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<v Speaker 3>I'd like to meet with Roger Goodell before we get

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<v Speaker 3>to that point and find out.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, why is the NFL not given more to us?

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<v Speaker 3>They told us we couldn't have a watch party in

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<v Speaker 3>our own stadium, so he's got to put in some

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<v Speaker 3>more skin in the game.

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<v Speaker 1>Here's a big question here. We are Tuesday afternoon. Are

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<v Speaker 1>you saying that you and your lawyers have not sat

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<v Speaker 1>down at the table yet with Kadie Blackburn and their

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<v Speaker 1>lawyers to hammer out a deal. You haven't got to

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<v Speaker 1>the point of even having a meeting yet in person.

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<v Speaker 1>Is that fair to say?

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<v Speaker 2>It's fair to.

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<v Speaker 3>Say that I am not, as the president of the

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<v Speaker 3>County Commission, been in a meeting with their lawyers and

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<v Speaker 3>our lawyers. I don't know if they've been tiptoeing behind

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<v Speaker 3>the scenes, but as far as from my perspective. I'd

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<v Speaker 3>like to have the same meeting I had with the governor, right,

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<v Speaker 3>you're eyeball to eyeball, and then find out also what's

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<v Speaker 3>going on with this NFL piece. But I'm saying, you

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<v Speaker 3>know the deal we got right now, if I had

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<v Speaker 3>to go and vote on it, the voters would not

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<v Speaker 3>want me to vote on this particular lease. Now they

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<v Speaker 3>have more options to keep it going.

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<v Speaker 2>And I don't know where they where.

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<v Speaker 3>They are on that.

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<v Speaker 1>It begins with a meeting. It begins with to sit

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<v Speaker 1>down with the power brokers at one table, sitting and

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<v Speaker 1>working out the deal. And you're saying, that has not

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<v Speaker 1>happened yet. And the time you know, they're going to

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<v Speaker 1>push up to the water the last minute, and then

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<v Speaker 1>here's the deal, take it or leave it at Leasta Reese,

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<v Speaker 1>thank you, you're like the taxpayer watchdog. Once again, thank

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<v Speaker 1>you for coming on the Bill Cunningham Show. Good luck

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<v Speaker 1>and try to get to mar Chase signed by Sunday

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<v Speaker 1>at one o'clock. Alisia Reese, thank you very much. Get

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<v Speaker 1>them signed all right, Thank you, Alicia, thank you. Let's

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<v Speaker 1>continue with more. There it is Alisha rees the present

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<v Speaker 1>into the commission, says any deal will be approved by

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<v Speaker 1>the taxpayer, and that makes the Bengals very very very unhappy.

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<v Speaker 1>Bill Cunningham News Radio seven hundred ww