The Cleveland Browns are set to kick off their regular season against the Dallas Cowboys on September 8, a crucial year ahead for quarterback Deshaun Watson and the team. However, in Ohio, the buzz isn’t about the upcoming games but rather the Browns’ ambitious $2.4 billion plan to build a dome stadium in Brook Park, with stunning renderings already unveiled.
Whether this plan will materialize is still uncertain.
The Browns have been playing at their current downtown Cleveland stadium for 25 years, after previously calling the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium home from 1946-1995. Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam are pushing for a modern venue instead of renovating their existing lakefront, open-air stadium, but Cuyahoga County officials are not on board.
In a letter to the Browns, city officials stated, “Today we are writing to affirm our united commitment to keep the Browns in Downtown Cleveland for generations to come. The proposal to build a new stadium in Brook Park does not make fiscal sense for Cuyahoga County residents and taxpayers. Moreover, any proposal that would create an unacceptable risk to the County’s general fund cannot be considered. We believe it is our responsibility and in the best interests of our community to prioritize reinvestment in existing public assets.”
This type of controversy, where teams seek public funding and cities resist, is a recurring theme in the sports world. A recent example is the Las Vegas Raiders’ move from Oakland in 2020, which highlighted the contentious issue of public financing.
In response, the Haslams acknowledged the county’s concerns but emphasized the complexity and significance of the stadium project, stating, “A stadium project that could be a transformational opportunity for this region will take deep thought, objectivity, innovation, and patience. The process of renovating or building a new stadium is incredibly complex. We have been reminded many times that the issues with the current stadium resulted from a rushed process that was not thorough and don’t want that repeated. We have received the county’s response and are still in the process of gathering information and doing diligence on both paths.”
The Haslams also urged that no options should be ruled out prematurely for such a long-term decision, expressing their commitment to collaborating with all parties involved and awaiting the City of Cleveland’s responses to their questions about the stadium renovation proposal.
For now, it’s clear that the Browns and the city of Cleveland are not in agreement on the stadium issue.
Despite the financial debate, it’s worth noting that Jimmy Haslam is reportedly worth $8 billion, making it possible for him to fund the venue himself.
