James Pilcher

jpilcher@enquirer.com

Does something about your community have you puzzled? Email needtoknow@enquirer.com and we’ll do our best to track down answers.

QUESTION: At the corner of Central Ave. and Mehring Way, in front of the Paul Brown Stadium entrance gate, there is a statue of a piece of macaroni. Why is it there and what is the meaning of it?

- Judi Graves

ANSWER: Judi, if you look closely, you will also see that it says “you know you love it” on the side. And yes, it is basically a physical advertisement for macaroni, in this case, Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Cincinnati Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan acknowledged the sculpture is part of the NFL’s “sponsorship with Kraft.”

The noodle structures have popped up at several other sports stadiums around the country, including outside Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, as well as Arrowhead Stadium, home ot the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. In fact, while the noodle is new to Paul Brown, one was installed outside Wrigley more than four years ago.

Not that there hasn’t been some controversy about the unusual ad elsewhere. There were several protests over the large metal macaroni outside Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan after it was installed at the stadium entrance.

University of Michigan officials removed the sculpture, although they said it was already planned to have it taken away from the entrance.

A similar ad was also seen outside King’s Island amusement park this summer, as well as Cedar Point amusement park in northern Ohio.■