CLEVELAND — For the better part of the past year, the Cleveland Browns' future at FirstEnergy Stadium has been a hotly debated topic.
But while that conversation has largely focused on the possibility of the Browns building a new stadium -- possibly with a dome -- Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam told reporters at the NFL Owners Meeting in Arizona on Monday that their focus remains on renovating their current stadium.
"Cleveland would benefit tremendously from the development of the waterfront," Jimmy Haslam told reporters, according to The Akron Beacon Journal. "Having the stadium down there seems to be in everybody's best interest. So we're committed to redoing the stadium. In all likelihood, it's not going to have a dome, but it'll be a substantial remodel of the existing facility and we're probably 3, 4, 5 years away from that happening."
Haslam's comments stand in stark contrast to a report by NEOtrans blog's Ken Prendergast that stated the Browns were focused on building a new stadium, possibly with a roof. Prendergast also reported that the city of Cleveland had rejected the team's offers to purchase land to build such a stadium Mayor Justin M. Bibb and his administration haven't been as eager to move forward with plans for a new stadium, preferring to first seek input from the community.
As for the location of a potential new stadium, Prendergast reported that it was in the vicinity of Lakeside Avenue, roughly between East 13th and East 17th streets. At the time of the report, the Browns denied that they were eyeing a new stadium and maintained that they were focused on renovating FirstEnergy Stadium.
With talks between the team and city continuing, speculation will likely remain until a concrete plan is announced. It also remains to be seen how such a renovation -- or new stadium -- will be financed between Cleveland and the Browns.
Asked how he'd respond if Mayor Bibb told him that a new stadium with a roof was the best option, Haslam told reporters: "Depends on how much he wants to fund. Listen, construction costs have gotten very high lately."