Mayor Justin Bibb blasted Cleveland Browns ownership after he said the team informed him they will be walking away from downtown for a new stadium in Brook Park.
In a news conference at City Hall on Thursday, the mayor said he was “deeply, deeply disappointed” by the move, which he said would hurt downtown and the county at large. In recent weeks, the city had even floated the idea of building the team a new stadium on the site now occupied by Burke Lakefront Airport, Bibb said.
“It’s the wrong time not to choose Cleveland and the wrong time not to choose our lakefront and downtown,” the mayor said.
Bibb cast the city’s offer as one that would allow the team to invest in Cleveland while staying “highly profitable.” He said that the Browns’ position changed partway through negotiations when they began considering a domed stadium in the suburbs.
By moving to Brook Park, the team would create an entertainment venue that would compete with downtown businesses and publicly subsidized sports and convention venues.
“The Haslam Sports Group’s proposal to build a new domed stadium in Brook Park will undoubtedly damage the city, county and region in a multitude of ways.”
Despite the strong words, Bibb said the city would welcome the Browns back to the negotiating table should the Brook Park idea not bear fruit. Having three major sports teams centered in downtown Cleveland is a benefit to the city, he said.
Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam have not yet responded to the mayor’s news conference.
Bibb’s administration had made a very public $461 million pitch to keep the stadium on the lakefront.
In August, the city released its proposal, which included $367 million to renovate the current lakefront stadium, and proposing to set aside another $94 for repairs. The money would come from admission tax proceeds, revenue from the Cuyahoga County sin tax on alcohol and cigarettes, existing reserves and game and event day parking revenue.
That fell short of what the team wanted, which was for taxpayers to pay for $500 million to $600 million of a renovation that could cost $1 billion to $1.2 billion.
Following the city’s proposal, the Browns released a promotional video showing the public what it had shopped to public officials and civic leaders, a new $2.4 billion stadium in Brook Park with a roof.
At the time, the team said it was still exploring both new and renovated stadium options.
County Executive Chris Ronayne and Council President Pernel Jones Jr. had
encouraged the Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam to keep the team’s stadium in downtown Cleveland. They argued it didn’t make fiscal sense for residents or taxpayers.
This is a breaking news post and will be updated.
