Riverfront Stadium

Riverfront Stadium was a multi-purpose sports facility in downtown Cincinnati along the Ohio River, operating from 1970 until 2002. The round building held four tiers of brightly colored seats that surrounded an artificial turf field used for both baseball and football matches.

Construction began in February 1968 following the award of an American Football League franchise to Cincinnati, with the opening taking place on June 30, 1970. A partial teardown removed around 14,000 seats in 2001 to make room for the replacement venue before the building was fully demolished in December 2002.

After a successful public referendum funded its construction, the sports venue became a gathering point where residents followed both major teams under one roof. Families across generations attended games by the waterfront, connecting the structure closely to local identity and civic pride.

The complex featured a three-level parking garage holding 2,500 spaces and used a rail system to shift seating layouts between baseball and football events. Visitors could easily reach the grounds from downtown, as it sat close to the city center along the riverbank.

The playing surface rested on a movable foundation that could be reconfigured at the push of a button within a few hours to switch between both sports. This mechanical conversion allowed baseball and football to take place on the same weekend without major delays.

Location: Cincinnati

Inception: June 30, 1970

Architects: Heery International

Official opening: June 30, 1970

Capacity: 2000

GPS coordinates: 39.09667,-84.50833

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:31