$2.6bn NFL stadium fraught with drama finally makes breakthrough as Super Bowl dream teased

The Cleveland Browns hit a major milestone on Thursday, with a groundbreaking ceremony held in Brook Park for their new domed stadium.

A state-of-the-art, 67,500-capacity facility is proposed for the site in the suburbs, which is next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and around 15 miles south of downtown Cleveland, where the team has played since 1999.

Cleveland Browns

Construction is already under way, and the cost of the build has already ballooned to $2.6 billion, with question marks still surrounding $600 million in public money that the state of Ohio has committed to the project.

The Browns first began discussions over a new stadium way back in 2018, and originally planned to renovate Huntington Bank Field, which sits on the shores of Lake Erie.

Around three years later, attentions turned to building a brand new facility away from downtown, in a move that has faced much backlash.

But despite the battle to get to this point, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is confident that his team will be ready to move into their new home for the 2029 NFL season.

“It was a bumpy road to get here, but we’re excited we’re here,” he said at Thursday’s groundbreaking.

“I think everybody is finally beginning to sense that this is reality.”

What features does the $2.6bn Browns stadium boast?

The new building will feature a transparent roof, which will allow plenty of sunlight to come in, while shielding fans from the frigid conditions that are a late-season trademark of Browns home games.

A ‘Dawg Pound’ stand will draw inspiration from one of Europe’s most iconic soccer stadiums, and will house 6,500 spectators in 60 steep rows that bring them closer to the field than any other seats.

The area, below one of the giant video scoreboards, takes its cue from the ‘Yellow Wall’ section at Borussia Dortmund’s legendary Signal Iduna Park in Germany.

It’s designed to be free standing, but seats can also be folded out if fans want to sit.

A revolutionized seating bowl design will bring all fans closer to the on-field action, with the front row just 16 feet from the turf, and the last only 248 feet away.

Designers envision a flexible capacity ‘Super Theater’ stadium, that can accommodate events for up to 75,000 attendees away from Browns games.

The new facility is expected to be in the running to host NCAA Final Four tournaments, music concerts and soccer games.

NFL commissioner opens door to Cleveland Super Bowl

It could also be in line to host the NFL’s biggest annual event in future, too.

At Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony, league commissioner Roger Goodell discussed the possibility of the Super Bowl landing in Ohio for the first time ever.

“The stadium is clearly going to be suitable for a Super Bowl,” he said, via Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot.

Cleveland Browns

“I think the real challenge is going to be how transformational this is here. The airport is important for us. Hotels are important for us.

“All of the facilities are the biggest challenge for hosting a Super Bowl now.

“We have probably close to 200,000 people coming in for a Super Bowl. It’s great for economic impact, but it’s hard for cities to be able to meet some of those requirements on the facilities.

“So that’s the biggest challenge.”

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The Browns have never played in a Super Bowl, but could soon host the biggest game in football — if they ensure the infrastructure around their new stadium matches the building itself.

“Our family is deeply committed to Northeast Ohio and we know our community deserves this stadium and transformative project,” Jimmy and Dee Haslam said Thursday.

“The new Huntington Bank Field will be an economic catalyst for our region, delivering best-in-class fan experiences and exciting events throughout the year.

“Today’s groundbreaking is a historic milestone, and we appreciate our partner’s efforts to help make this possible.”

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