BROOK PARK, Ohio — On Thursday, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb announced that the Haslam Sports Group has opted to build a new domed stadium for the Browns in Brook Park, rather than renovate the existing downtown facility.
While Bibb called the move "frustrating and profoundly disheartening," Brook Park Mayor Edward Orcutt had a much different perspective during a one-on-one interview with 3News' Mitti Hicks.
"We're excited," Orcutt stated. "We've been excited for this project for a long time now. It's something that we think is going to be great for the region. We believe we have the perfect location and infrastructure to put a dome stadium here."
With the lease on Huntington Bank Field set to expire in 2028, team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam announced earlier this year that they were down to two options when it comes to their future stadium site: a $1 billion renovation to the existing downtown stadium, or a domed stadium outside of the city at double the cost.
The Haslams said they had an option to purchase 176 acres of land in Brook Park near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. In the weeks that followed, Brook Park City Council gave its support to a proposed domed stadium, believing the land, once the property of Ford, can also become a "mixed-use entertainment district, potentially attracting visitors from across the region and the nation."
"I've heard nothing but positive things (about the idea of a dome in Brook Park). I've heard people say, 'hey, Mayor, I really hope that comes there.' And it's because there's more events we can do here. It's not just about football, we can have e-sports events here, we can have more concerts here. We have parking that will be right around the stadium. It will be more convenient. So I don't know if it will be a terrible experience that a few are talking about," Orcutt said.
On Thursday, the Haslams affirmed that no "existing taxpayer-funded streams" would be used to pay for the Brook Park dome.
"With the funding mechanisms we continue to work on, this stadium will not use existing taxpayer-funded streams that would divert resources from other more pressing needs," they stated. "Instead, the over $2 billion private investment, together with the public investment, will create a major economic development project that will drive the activity necessary to pay the public bond debt service through future project-generated and Browns-generated revenue."
You can watch the full interview with Mitti Hicks and Brook Park Mayor Edward Orcutt below: