CLEVELAND — A new era is in store for the Cleveland Browns, one that will take them away from their longtime home on the shores of Lake Erie.
During a press conference on Thursday, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb announced that the Haslam Sports Group, the owners of the Browns, have decided to move ahead on building a new domed stadium for the team to play in Brook Park. Jimmy and Dee Haslam confirmed the news in a statement later in the afternoon.
"A solution like this will be transformative not only for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, but also the entire state of Ohio from the resulting events, tourism, and job creation. Additionally, moving the current stadium will allow the city and region’s collective vision for the Cleveland lakefront to be optimally realized, and downtown will benefit from the major events the Brook Park dome brings to the region," the Haslams wrote.
"Cleveland and Northeast Ohio are the fabric of the Browns and that will always be the case. Our community commitment to Cleveland and efforts to improve the lives of its residents will not change."
Bibb said he was informed of the Haslams' decision during a meeting with the pair on Wednesday night.
"The Haslams' choice to move the team away from this progress is frustrating and profoundly disheartening," Bibb said, pointing to recent successes in the downtown area including the groundbreaking of the Cavaliers' new training center and the awarding of $60 million in federal funds for the North Coast Connector.
Despite his frustration, Bibb left the door open for the Browns to remain downtown if the Brook Park stadium plan falls through.
"My team and I stand ready to re-engage with the Haslams if the Brook Park option does not prove viable. And should the Haslams reconsider, we are ready to return to the table and continue working towards a solution that keeps the Browns in the city that has stood by them for decades, and decades, and decades -- Cleveland, Ohio," Bibb added.
After Bibb finished his remarks, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne released the following statement: Executive Ronayne has made his position clear: the Browns stadium should remain Downtown. Today he is focused on the business of Cuyahoga County and cheering for a Guardians win tonight.
You can watch Thursday's briefing by Bibb in the player below.
THE BACKGROUND
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."
Two Cleveland City Councilmembers told Signal Cleveland's Nick Castele that during a round of meetings last October, the Browns proposed a 50-50 split on a billion-dollar stadium renovation project, with state and local governments picking up upwards of $500 million. The presentation by the Browns included a video rendering of a refurbished stadium reachable by a land bridge that connected the grassy malls to the lakefront.
On Aug. 1, in what the city called "a competitive deal to retain the Cleveland Browns at their current stadium site," Mayor Justin Bibb put forth a $461 million financing proposal to the Haslams to renovate the 25-year-old facility. The plan included a 30-year lease arrangement and was highlighted by the following:
- $367 million ($227 million from increases in admission tax revenues, $120 million from Cuyahoga County sin tax revenues, and $20 million in existing stadium capital reserves) over the 30-year lease term, with a five-year renewal option.
- The city will turn the Willard Garage and the Muni Lot over to the Browns for their exclusive use on game days and event days. Parking revenues are expected to generate $94 million for capital repairs and improvements.
- Under the current lease, the city covers $1.3 million in annual property taxes and insurance, while the Browns pay $250,000 in rent. Under the proposed new lease, rent will be waived for the Browns, but they will assume responsibility for the insurance and tax payments. This adjustment aligns with the lease agreements held by the Guardians and Cavs, making it consistent across sports franchises in Cleveland.
Bibb said the $461 million investment by the city would not impact its services and does not include "pending County and State commitment."
In a letter to the Haslams sent on Aug. 1, Bibb said his administration has "worked earnestly" with the Browns owners to "support their vision for a world-class home."
The mayor repeated those sentiments during Thursday's news conference.
"Over the past two years, this administration made relentless efforts to craft solutions that advance both HSG objectives and the long-term interests of our residents and the broader community," Bibb said at the briefing. "We put forth a financially responsible, yet aggressive financial package larger than any other financial package offered for a sports facility in Cleveland to renovate the existing stadium."
THE VISION IN BROOK PARK
On Aug. 7, the Haslam Sports Group unveiled renderings and video showcasing what a domed stadium complex in Brook Park would look like.
In a letter, Haslam Sports Group Chief Operating Officer Dave Jenkins referred to the idea of building $2.4 billion dome in Brook Park as a "transformational option" that will create "a modern, dynamic, world-class venue that would greatly enhance the fan experience and enable the State of Ohio and our region to compete for some of the biggest events in the world 365 days a year. Similar to other markets in the Midwest, this proposed domed stadium would catalyze our region in a major way."
The vision presented in the video includes the dome hosting blockbuster concerts, wrestling events (think WWE WrestleMania), the Final Four, and more. Outside of the dome, planners envision a community around the stadium with restaurants, shopping, hotels, and a Public Square-like space that can be used for everything from outdoor concerts to holiday festivals.
PHOTOS: Renderings of proposed Cleveland Browns domed stadium in Brook Park
According to the letter, the Haslams would pay for $1.2 billion of the $2.4 billion estimated price tag for the facility. That figure would not include the "approximately $1 billion privately funded phased development we are envisioning, which would also be tremendously impactful for our region."
"As demonstrated in other markets, a project of this magnitude only realistically works through a public-private partnership. We have approached this as a 50-50 partnership on the stadium, excluding cost overruns, which we would cover," Jenkins explained, adding that the "proposed $1.2 billion+ private investment in the stadium is unprecedented and would be the largest private per capita stadium investment ever in this country."
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. 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," they stated.
BURKE LAKEFRONT AIRPORT OPTION?
The Haslam Sports Group said in August it considered other locations for a future dome stadium, including Burke Lakefront Airport, "which we have determined with the City of Cleveland is not feasible."
Due to both economic constraints and FAA restrictions, the Haslam Sports Group said it cannot put a dome on the existing lakefront stadium.
"When the Haslams shifted course and abandoned the renovation plans, we pivoted to explore options for a new stadium and offered to make a portion of Burke Lakefront Airport available to the team for redevelopment to include a new domed stadium and adjacent development -- comparable, arguably better than the vision the Haslams have proposed for Brook Park -- however, the organization was not interested in pursuing this option," Bibb said on Thursday.
The Haslams responded to Bibb's comment about Burke in their statement.
"In the spirit of exhausting all downtown options and continuing to work in good faith with the Mayor, when he announced his efforts to potentially make Burke available for development last month, we engaged in further diligence with the city and County Executive Ronayne’s staff regarding a potential dome stadium on Burke. The significant design, construction, geotechnical and environmental challenges were again apparent. Our work reinforced that despite the City, County and our team doing their best to make the economics work, building a stadium on the Burke property is cost prohibitive and not feasible, especially with no certainty regarding potential timing of closure of the Airport," the Haslams stated.
RESPONSE TO THE INITIAL RENDERINGS
After the Haslam Sports Group presented their renderings and video on Aug. 7, Cuyahoga County leaders responded days later with a letter to the Browns' owners and a press conference calling for the team to remain downtown.
"The proposal to build a new stadium in Brook Park does not make fiscal sense for Cuyahoga County residents and taxpayers," wrote County Executive Chris Ronayne and Council President Pernel Jones. "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 investment in existing public assets."
Shortly after Ronayne and Jones released their letter, Cleveland City Council President Blaine A. Griffin released a statement saying he agreed with the duo's assessment.
"Maintaining the Browns' stadium at the core of our central business district is absolutely critical — not merely for sports, but for the economic vitality and communal spirit of our city," Griffin said. "A downtown stadium is a powerhouse for local businesses, a catalyst for job creation, and a significant boost to our city's energy and appeal. The Browns are an integral part of Cleveland's identity, drawing both visitors and residents to our downtown, and their presence is indispensable for the growth and vibrancy of our community. I look forward to working with our partners at the County, here at City Hall, and the Browns front office to keep the Browns where they belong — right here in Cleveland.”
Dee and Jimmy Haslam responded to the thoughts of the city and county leaders with a statement of their own, reminding that "the process of renovating or building a new stadium is incredibly complex." They added that "issues with the current stadium resulted from a rushed process that was not thorough and we don't want that repeated."
"It would be short-sighted for Northeast Ohio to rule out any options at this point for a long term decision of this magnitude," the Haslams added.
Previous Reporting:
- 'Does not make fiscal sense': Cuyahoga County executive, council president reject Cleveland Browns' Brook Park stadium proposal in letter
- Haslam Sports Group makes pitch to Cleveland Browns fans for domed stadium in Brook Park with letter, renderings, video
- City of Cleveland announces $461 million funding plan to renovate Browns Stadium, asks team owners to respond by Aug. 12