On Wednesday, Ohio’s legislature voted to approve $600 million in public funding to construct the Cleveland Browns’ new stadium in Brook Park, a suburb of the city. The project includes plans for a 176-acre mixed-use development featuring lodging, housing, retail space, and restaurants surrounding the stadium. In total, the new stadium and development district are estimated to cost $2.4 billion.
The news comes as Cleveland officials and the franchise have been deadlocked over options for the Browns’ home venue. The city, hoping to keep the Browns downtown, promoted plans to renovate Huntington Bank Field, which opened in 1999. But Browns officials pushed back, claiming the city’s plans were only a short-term option for the team, and that a bigger, more comprehensive plan was needed. The Browns’ lease for Huntington Bank Field ends in 2028.
Cleveland versus the Browns hasn’t been pretty
Cleveland public officials haven’t been quiet in voicing their displeasure with the Browns wanting to relocate away from downtown. In January, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb referred to the Browns’ plan for a new stadium in Brook Park as “the Haslam scheme,” a reference to Browns’ owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam.
The city took steps to enforce the Modell Law, which prevents franchises that receive public funding from relocating without providing six months’ notice and allowing the city to purchase the franchise. The law was passed in response to the city losing the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore in 1995, when then-owner Art Modell devastated the city and its fans by relocating the franchise after failing to secure a stadium deal. However, just before the Ohio legislature approved the budget that included stadium funding, adjustments were made to the Modell Law that exempted relocations within the state. Cleveland officials were clearly angry about the change, but it seems there is little that they can do about it. As a result, the Modell Law is no longer an obstacle to the Browns moving forward with their plan.
Funding for the new stadium is unconventional – and may not get approved
To pay for the cost of the new stadium and development district, the state legislature approved the creation of a new fund that draws money from the state’s almost $5 billion in unclaimed consumer property Approximately $2 billion would be redirected, with $600 million going to the Browns for their new stadium, and $400 million going to the Bengals for renovations to Paycor Stadium.
To better explain this, when consumers don’t claim funds from things such as cashed-out insurance policies or dormant bank accounts, those funds are eventually turned over to the state. Consumers can still claim them at any time, but it’s typically the case that the majority of these funds are permanently unclaimed once they’ve been appropriated. Under this new bill, instead of holding those funds in perpetuity, the state would use them to establish a Sports and Culture Facility Fund, which would be used to invest in stadium projects across the state.
The move is controversial, and legal action to prevent the use of these funds will likely occur if the budget is signed by Governor Mike DeWine by June 30.
Bottom line
The chances of the Browns getting their new stadium have definitely improved with the approval of this legislation, but it’s not quite done yet. This bizarre funding strategy is sure to meet with some legal hurdles that could end up in court. But time is of the essence, since the Browns are going to need a new home by the 2029 season.
The Browns’ push for a domed stadium is among the latest moves by other NFL franchises that are trying to resolve stadium issues. In May, the Washington Commanders unveiled plans for a new stadium on the site of historic RFK Stadium. Pending approval by the D.C. City Council, the new stadium is expected to open in 2030. The Chicago Bears also continue to work on resolving their stadium issues, with a potential domed stadium in the Chicago suburbs being the likely solution. Meanwhile, the Bills will open their new stadium in 2026, and the Titans will open their new domed stadium in 2027.
