Cuyahoga County officials speak out against Browns’ Brook Park stadium project in letter

Letters and statements continue to flow between Greater Cleveland government officials and the Browns regarding the ongoing issue of the future of the team’s stadium.

The latest salvo came from Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne and County Board Chairman Pernel Jones Jr. The two co-signed a letter Sunday to Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam regarding the future of the team’s game-day home.

In the latter, both men made clear that their support would not extend to what appears to be the Browns’ preferred option, which is to build a new domed stadium on a currently vacant plot of land in Brook Park.

“The proposal to build a new stadium at Brook Park makes no sense for the residents and taxpayers of Cuyahoga County,” the letter states. “Furthermore, 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 interest of our community to prioritize reinvestment in existing public assets.”

The Browns’ lease with the city of Cleveland for Cleveland Browns Stadium expires at the end of 2028. The Haslams said they have two options they are considering as a long-term solution to the stadium problem.

Option No. 1 is to renovate the existing lakefront stadium, which is expected to cost about $1 billion. Option No. 2 is the new domed stadium at Brook Park, a project that would cost at least $2.4 billion.

The Browns and Haslam Sports Group released a statement Sunday afternoon in response to Ronayne and Jones’ letter.

“A stadium project that could be a transformational opportunity for this region will require careful thought, objectivity, innovation and patience,” Browns spokesmen said. “The process of renovating or building a new stadium is incredibly complex. We have been reminded time and time again that the problems with the current stadium were the result of a rushed process that was not thorough, and we do not want that to happen again. We have received the county’s response and are still gathering information and doing due diligence back and forth.”

“It would be unwise for Northeast Ohio to rule out any options for a long-term decision of this magnitude at this time,” the statement continued. “We look forward to hearing from the City of Cleveland about our detailed questions regarding its proposal last week and remain committed to collaboration and communication with all parties involved. Working together and keeping an open mind as we carefully review this project is essential to achieving the goal of finding and executing the best long-term sustainable stadium solution for this region.”

The latest letter skirmish comes just days after the Browns, through COO Dave Jenkins, issued their own letter to season-ticket holders last Wednesday. The letter was also the Browns’ first public statement about their vision for what the Brook Park project would entail. It included both video and photographic renderings of the new stadium, as well as the area surrounding the stadium.

The letter said no final decision had been made. It asked the city to provide more information regarding its Aug. 1 proposal to help renovate the current stadium.

“We know this is an important topic for our fans and the community at large,” Jenkins said in his letter. “With Mayor Bibb’s release last week of the City’s latest proposal for a renovated stadium and the increased community dialogue around the future of our stadium, including the possibility of a domed stadium at Brook Park, we feel the time is right for us to communicate directly and share an update on our stadium process. We are currently evaluating the City’s proposal and have requested additional information from the City to allow us to do so comprehensively.”

Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb sent a letter to the Haslams on Aug. 1, in which the city committed to providing $461 million to help renovate the lakefront. Under the city’s proposal, conditions include:

• “$367 million ($227 million from increased gate tax revenues, $120 million from Cuyahoga County sin tax revenues and $20 million from existing stadium capital reserves) over the 30-year lease term, with a five-year renewal option.”

• “The city will turn over the Willard Garage and Muni Parking Lot to the Browns for their exclusive use on game days and event days. Parking revenue is expected to generate $94 million for repairs and capital 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 insurance and tax payments. This adjustment aligns with the leases held by the Guardians and Cavs, making it consistent across all Cleveland sports franchises.”

The land the Haslams acquired in Brook Park, once the site of two Ford Motor plants, is located in an area bordered on three sides by State Route 237 to the west, Snow Road to the south and I-71 to the east. Norfolk Southern railroad tracks run between the property and Ohio 237.

The Browns have made the current lakefront site their permanent home since Cleveland Municipal Stadium moved there in 1946. The current stadium opened in 1999 when the expansion franchise began play after a three-year hiatus when the original franchise became the Baltimore Ravens.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. For more on the Browns, visit www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article was originally published on Akron Beacon Journal: Cuyahoga County officials write to Browns rejecting Brook Park plan