Ohio county adopts do-it-yourself approach to fix Reds stadium seats that are falling apart

Ohio's Hamilton County has adopted a do-it-yourself approach to fix stadium seats in the Great American Ball Park that are unexpectedly falling apart.

Facing costs as high as $5 million, the county hired a local firm to design new seat molds, found a plastics company to make the backs and bottoms and is paying ex-jail inmates and others about $10 an hour to install them in the Cincinnati Reds' stadium.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports Tuesday (http://cin.ci/16pnh69 ) the cost to taxpayers will be about $1.3 million. The county's lease with the team requires it to maintain the seats.

About 17,000 of the new seats already are in place, and county officials say they're stronger, better looking, more durable and less expensive than the originals.

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Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com