The American football team Cleveland Browns proposal to relocate to a new dome stadium hits a roadblock due to opposition from the local governing body. The NFL team recently revealed the $2.4 billion design for the state-of-the-art stadium and entertainment complex in Ohio, designed by HSK Architects, that could host year-long events.
However, the Cuyahoga County governing body expressed a different opinion on the proposal. In a letter addressed to Haslams, the officials backed a $1.2 billion renovation plan for the Browns’ current stadium but stated that the stadium proposal “does not make fiscal sense” for Cuyahoga’s residents and taxpayers.
The letter emphasized, “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 reinvestment in the existing public assets.”
Brown’s proposal came after the city’s offer of $461 million toward a massive renovation of the current 65,000-seater stadium and the redevelopment of the surrounding property.
Haslams acknowledged the complexity of the decision while stating that they are currently gathering information about the renovation and new stadium options to make the decision.
“We have been reminded many times that the issues with the current stadium resulted from a rushed process that was not thorough and don’t want that repeated. We have received the county’s response and are still in the process of gathering information and doing diligence on both paths. It would be short-sighted for Northeast Ohio to rule out any options at this point for a long-term decision of this magnitude,” Haslams stated in response.
The team’s current stadium lease is extended till 2028 season, while the vision for the Brown’s transformative stadium faces a major hurdle, the situation remains fluid between both parties to explore the best opportunities for the team’s future.
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