Browns Share with Lawmakers Plans to Move Stadium from Lakefront to Airport

Representatives of the Cleveland Browns have shown state lawmakers the team’s proposal for a new multipurpose stadium in Brook Park near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport — plans that include a major entertainment and redevelopment of the area.

As reported by Signal Cleveland, the team sat down last week with a bipartisan group of lawmakers organized by state Reps. Bride Rose Sweeney and Tom Patton.

"It’s not hard to imagine why the Browns would want Columbus on their side," wrote Nick Castele and Mark Naymik of Signal Cleveland. "The team, which is owned by Dee and Jimmy Haslam, will need help from the state — plus others — to build a domed stadium costing multiple billions of dollars.

Sweeney told Signal Cleveland she had to leave the meeting before the conversation turned to the numbers. But it was “clear Brook Park would be substantial,” she said — meaning substantially expensive. 

Earlier this month, Sweeney and other lawmakers were briefed on Mayor Justin Bibb’s offer to keep the Browns near Lake Erie. Sweeney said City Hall had what it believed was a competitive proposal that still protected Cleveland’s budget.

The team is expected to start circulating the Brook Park plans more widely in the near future, sources told Signal Cleveland. Drawings shown to lawmakers depicted a multipurpose stadium that appeared built deep into the ground and with room for development around it, according to sources. 

The project was sold as an unprecedented economic development effort that includes a domed stadium and entertainment and lifestyle district that would be mostly privately funded — but would likely cost taxpayers significantly, too. The public portion of the stadium was pitched as drawing on revenue generated by the project. (The renovation of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, for instance, relied in part on admission and sales tax from the arena.)

The Chicago Bears recently unveiled plans for a multipurpose stadium replacing their longtime home, Soldier Field. The stadium is expected to cost $3.2 billion, plus another $1.5 billion in infrastructure. The Bears ownership said it will contribute $2 billion toward the project.