PX: Thanks, Lindners, but we don't owe you stadium funds

Thank you, Lindner family.

For the soccer franchise.

For the ice cream.

For fighting poverty.

For the schools, churches, athletic facilities and community centers.

For the thousands of jobs.

For Ken Griffey Jr. (uh, sort of)

And for all the wonderful things you do that don’t make headlines.

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But let's make this clear: The great People of Greater Cincinnati don’t owe you a thing. We’re the ones who've helped put so much money in the family's pocket.

In a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Carl H. Lindner III – son of a billionaire – invoked his family's name in such a way that it came off like the People owe his family $75 million for infrastructure in support of building a new stadium. The Lindners and other private donors will cover the other $200 million for the stadium itself, all in an effort to get FC Cincinnati an invitation to Major League Soccer.

"We've invested millions of dollars in the city, philanthropically and for many things that the city's held as priorities," Lindner said.

Thing is, no one asked him about his family. But Lindner wasn't done letting us know about what his dad, Carl H. Lindner Jr. – God rest his soul – and family have done.

"The infrastructure for potentially covering the Fort Washington Way at some point, that was my father that gave the money to give the city the option long-term to do something great there," Lindner III said. "So doing something good for the ci …"

Lindner caught himself, before continuing. "You know, investing in our city’s not something new. Our family's been doing it for our whole lives."

And again, we thank them.

For months, Politics Extra suspected this was an underlying message Lindner was trying to send to Hamilton County commissioners and the community.

There it was on full display Tuesday. You owe us came out as the club's frustration grows with the commissioners, who've held the line on giving $0.00 in public money to support the stadium.

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The press conference was designed to put pressure on Todd Portune, president of the board of commissioners. Lindner and club President Jeff Berding say they want $70 million to $75 million in hotel tax money over the next 30 years. It'd be used for parking facilities, roads, sidewalks and sewers, without which the stadium cannot exist.

Portune isn't talking until Wednesday, when he plans to roll out his idea for a soccer stadium. He's expected to present the Bengals' Paul Brown Stadium as the new home of FC Cincinnati. It's what the People expect Portune to present. Perhaps if we didn't already have two taxpayer-funded sports stadiums sucking up our money until the 2030s, then Lindner might get a pass on you owe us.

Maybe.

The soccer club insists it has to have a new stadium in order to be accepted into Major League Soccer, which will make its decision next month on expansion teams.

The $200 million the Lindners and their rich buddies plan to invest in a stadium is a great gesture. It's pretty much unheard of in the greedy world of pro sports for an owner to pony up even half the cost of a stadium. This sounds like a good deal.

Thank you, Lindner family. But we still owe you nothing.

Politics Extra is a column looking inside Greater Cincinnati and Ohio politics. Follow Enquirer political columnist Jason Williams on Twitter @jwilliamscincy and send email to jwilliams@enquirer.com.