The Cleveland Browns have officially announced that they are moving forward with plans to build a new $2.4 billion domed stadium outside the city. The new stadium would be the centerpiece of a shopping and entertainment district in Brook Park, a suburb about 15 miles southwest of Cleveland.
In a statement, the team said that after extensive negotiations with Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, it believes the benefits of a brand new domed building outweigh those of another renovation of the current stadium, which was completed in 1999. built. new stadium in multiple locations, both in and outside of Cleveland,” the Browns said. “We have learned through our extensive work that renovating our current stadium simply will not solve many operational issues and would be a short-term approach.”
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Prior to the team’s announcement, Bibb himself said the team had informed him of its intentions. “We must be practical about our many needs and resources,” Bibb said during a news conference at City Hall. “The City’s approach has always been rooted in fiscal responsibility and long-term value for all members of our community. As such, I am deeply disappointed that our exhaustive efforts have resulted in Haslam Sports Group choosing to relocate to Brook Park.
The lease on Huntington Bank Field expires after the 2028 NFL season.
In early April, Bibb released a letter he sent to team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam stating that the city would spend $461 million on a $1 billion renovation of Huntington Bank Field, which is located in Cleveland’s revitalized downtown. The wallet had a deadline of April 12, ideally to force the Jimmy and Dee Haslam to take the money and start rebuilding.
Still, in August the team announced its plans for a new domed stadium, which it said would be “a modern, dynamic, world-class venue that would vastly enhance the fan experience and allow Ohio State and our region to compete for a number of players. of the biggest events in the world, 365 days a year.”
The open Huntington Bank Field overlooks Lake Erie and is often exposed to the harsh elements of Ohio winters. The Browns have maintained that Huntington Bank Field requires “major infrastructure changes to improve our operational and fan experience challenges.” The stadium previously underwent a $120 million renovation in 2014–15, shortly after the Haslams purchased the team from the Lerner family.
The Browns said construction of the dome would not use existing taxpayer funding streams that would take away from other public needs. “Instead, the private investments of more than $2 billion, together with the public investments, will create a major economic development project that will stimulate the activity needed to pay the national debt service through future project and Browns-generated revenues,” the team said. said.
The public negotiations from both sides will fuel calls to invoke the revised Code 9.67, popularly known as the ‘Art Modell Law’; a decision that could be risky for the city, Brook Park and the Haslams. The code states that professional teams that “use a tax-supported facility for most home games” and “receive government assistance” cannot play their home games elsewhere. The solution would be for the affected local government to be given six months’ notice and the team to be put up for sale to local buyers.
The revised Code 9.67 came about after Modell, the owner of the original incarnation of the Browns, moved the team to Baltimore in 1995. The city retained the history and image of the Browns, which were given to the expansion franchise granted to the city by the city. NFL for the 1999 season.
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