This story has been updated with further comments.
Gov. Mike DeWine opened the door for the Browns to fulfill their move to a proposed new stadium in Brook Park when he signed into law Ohio’s two-year budget shortly before midnight June 30. That budget included $600 million to go to the funding of the $2.4 billion stadium project.
“We respect the firm commitment and leadership that Governor DeWine, and the Ohio Senate and House have shown in their collaborative work to find a responsible way to support such a transformative project, one that will create a generational impact for our region and the State,” Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said in a July 1 statement from the team. “Our fans deserve a world-class facility, and we are committed to building a state-of-the-art enclosed stadium that resonates with Cleveland, highlighting our loyal and passionate fans and the Dawg Pound, while also incorporating innovation, bold design, and an immersive experience. The new enclosed Huntington Bank Field will be completely fan-centric, a first-of-its-kind design in the NFL, and a dynamic venue that draws visitors from across Ohio and beyond, for concerts and significant sporting events throughout the year.
“This premiere facility will anchor a major lifestyle and entertainment development and be a catalyst for one of Northeast Ohio’s largest economic development projects ever and something our community will be proud of and can enjoy for years to come. We appreciate the support of State leaders and their belief in this transformative project.”
The Browns’ lease with the city of Cleveland for its current lakefront stadium, which was built in 1999 when the expansion team began playing, expires after the 2028 season. The team is planning to begin play at the new stadium in Brook Park in 2029.
Cleveland mayor Justin M. Bibb released a statement on social media.
“We are deeply disappointed that the final state budget includes both a $600 million public subsidy for a domed stadium in Brook Park and changes to Ohio’s Modell Law — provisions we strongly opposed and requested be removed,” Bibb’s statement said. “Relocating the Browns will divert economic activity from downtown, create a competing entertainment district, and disrupt the momentum of our lakefront redevelopment. It will also trigger substantial taxpayer-funded infrastructure upgrades — including highway reconfigurations and public safety enhancements — adding significant public costs on top of the stadium itself. We also remain firmly opposed to the changes in the Modell Law, which was enacted to protect communities that have made substantial public investments in their sports teams. Undermining this statute sets a troubling precedent and leaves cities like Cleveland with fewer tools to safeguard long-standing public assets.
“We are embarking on a transformative journey to revitalize our lakefront into a thriving, accessible destination that inspires and unites our community,” Bibb’s statement continued. “For decades, Clevelanders have dreamed about the opportunity at our lakefront, and we want to deliver on that shared vision for the future. With major public investment, including $150M in state and federal grants, the city will deliver on transformational infrastructure that will unlock redevelopment opportunities and strengthen the waterfront’s role in the region’s future. We will continue to protect taxpayer resources and pursue this once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine our shoreline. Clevelanders deserve a world class lakefront, and we will deliver on that promise.”
The state budget includes a provision, originally proposed by the Ohio Senate, that gave the legislature control of $1.7 billion in unclaimed funds. It was within those funds that the $600 million was reserved for the new Browns stadium, while another $400 million is set aside for other stadium projects, including the Cincinnati Bengals’ renovation of Paycor Stadium.
Those unclaimed funds come from a pool of $4.8 billion accumulated from abandoned paychecks and security deposits that haven’t been claimed after a decade or longer.
A legal challenge is still expected over the use of those funds. Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann and former state Rep. Jeff Crossman announced June 25 they would immediately file a lawsuit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court if the plan passes.
Haslam Sports Group chief operating officer David L. Jenkins offered up an explanation for the funds in a letter to the fans released on July 1.
“The state’s construct is a ‘performance grant’ towards the stadium that will be paid back with incremental revenue generated by the project above a current state revenue baseline,” Jenkins’ letter to the fans said of the funds. “There has been no ask by the Haslam Sports Group to pledge existing tax revenue streams that would take away from other pressing community needs to fund this project. This economic development project will not only pay back but also provide all stakeholders an additional return on their investment. The Haslam family is also providing the State additional protection in the form of significant up front private dollars that will be held in escrow to ensure the State is made whole on its investment in the unlikely event the project falls short of its projections.”
The budget also modified the Modell Law, the 1996 legislation passed after the original Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens. The city of Cleveland had sued the Browns using the Modell Law as an attempt to keep them in the city limits, while the team had sued in federal court to challenge the constitutionality of the law.
The law restricts the movement of professional sports teams that use facilities paid for with taxpayer money. The alteration to the law maintains those restrictions on moves beyond Ohio’s borders, while permitting it to other municipalities within the state.
The Haslam Sports Group on June 27 closed its $76 million purchase of the 176 acres of land where the new stadium and entertainment district will be built. The site, formerly a Ford Motor Co. plant, is bordered by Snow Road to the south, Engle Road to the east and state route 237 to the west, and sits across the street from the airport, which is inside Cleveland city limits.
The Browns are coming off a 3-14 season in 2024, their worst record since going 0-16 in 2017. Rookies report for training camp on July 18, with the veterans reporting on July 22 before the first full-squad practice on July 23.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Haslams grateful for ‘responsible way to support’ Browns stadium funding after budget signed
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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