The Cincinnati Bengals organization scored a victory after the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed that the anti-trust lawsuit filed against the team and NFL was outside the four-year statute of limitations. The case was essentially thrown out because the city/county filed well after the vote passed to increase sales tax to finance two new stadiums.
I haven't been a fan of either county or city leadership in the past 10 years; politically positioning themselves for reelection or grander legacies by fabricating issues that pale in comparison with the many cultural challenges this city still faces. Both city and county councils failed to make a case that the NFL or the team "pushed" anyone to vote for the half-cent sales tax years ago. And it's awfully hypocritical from those that say the team "bullied" themselves in favor of a sales tax increase when many of the same voters bullied everyone else with a ridiculous anti-smoking law that has small businesses (read: bars) suddenly stricken with anti-growth experiencing 20-30% loss of business revenue.
Fact is: this city needs both the Reds and Bengals. Fact is, the city/county leadership acts like juvenile hypocrites. First off, they're trying to repeal an act voted upon and passed by their own citizens. Secondly, it goes to show you how misguided our city/county leaders (read: Mayor and County Commissioners) are when they run off to other metropolitans outside Ohio boarders to protest foreign policy (Iraq war).
At this point, it doesn't matter what or how they convinced voters to agree to finance two new stadiums. That window of political benefit has long passed. Their constant inability to do that, is what makes us laugh at the so called leadership stagnating Cincinnati. If you're not from Cincinnati, let me simply things. As much as the Bengals embarrass the city, the county and city leadership are twenty times as embarrassing.
Appeals court upholds rejection of Cincinnati Bengals' stadium lawsuit [CBC Sports]Court Upholds Rejection of Bengals Suit [The Sentinel Online]
Bengals statement [Bengals.com]