CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns continue to have a losing season — they have won one game and been defeated six times.
That's on the field. Off of it, City Council is sounding off about the team's desired move to Brook Park.
"You do anything to assist in taking this team out of the city of Cleveland, all bets are off," a defiant Councilman Michael Polensek declared at Monday night's meeting.
Councilman Brian Kazy says he will fight owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam as well as City Hall to keep the Browns' stadium right on the Cleveland lakefront where he and others believe it belongs.
"Nobody should have the right to come into Cleveland — I don't care if it's the Cleveland Browns, Sherwin Williams, the Cleveland Clinic, or any organization that we support — that could just be able to turn around and walk away," Kazy remarked.
The Haslams say they are committed to a "fan experience" they don't believe can happen downtown. Their proposed Brook Park Stadium would feature their own parking next door and a dome where more than just football could take place.
"I strongly don't believe the last conversation has been had," Council President Blaine Griffin said.
Indeed, the fight over the stadium is just beginning, especially when it comes to who will pay for the multi-billion dollar facility.
Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne has said repeatedly the county will not provide taxpayer funds to a new stadium outside of Cleveland, voicing his belief again last week that the field "should remain downtown." Meanwhile, a source within City Hall tells 3News the Haslams met with several big name business leaders Monday night, and while we don't know all the details, they were presenting their case for the Browns' future in Brook Park and their vision for the stadium.
The Haslams say in Brook Park, at the site of the former Ford plant, there will be shopping, businesses, and restaurants to all add to that "fan experience."
The elephant in the room? Since 2012, when the Haslams took over the team, the Browns have played more than 200 games and won just 71 of them. Kazy says that's an indication they should be putting their money elsewhere.
"If the Haslam Sports Group wants to provide a 'fan experience,' put a damn winning team on the field."