Cleveland Browns stadium decision made as $100 million deal triggers next steps with city demands revealed
The Cleveland Browns will no longer call the shores of Lake Erie home.
The Northeast Ohio franchise is on the move, from downtown Cleveland to the suburbs of Brook Park.
In an ongoing game of tug-of-war between the city of Cleveland and the Browns, the dust has finally settled, and the franchise has been officially cleared to move to the suburbs, where its $2.4 billion stadium is being built.
The Cleveland City Council approved the $100 million settlement offered by the Browns and team owner Jimmy Haslam this week, clearing the final hurdle for the move to Brook Park.
The move will not come cheap. The $100 million settlement will cover the estimated $30 million cost to demolish the current stadium and leave the city with a build-ready plot of land on the lakefront.
Huntington Bank Field was built in 1999, making it just 26 years old, but in today’s era of NFL stadiums, that may as well be 260 years ago.
The team will also be permitted to sell stadium memorabilia and souvenirs from the demolition.
The city will receive a total of $70 million in cash from the agreement. That includes a $25 million upfront payment, followed by $5 million annually from 2029 through 2033 for a total of $25 million.
An additional $20 million will be directed toward community projects, paid out in $2 million installments between 2029 and 2038.
The city will formally acknowledge the team’s donations where applicable and will cooperate with plans for the Browns’ Brook Park stadium and related development tied to the Hopkins Airport overhaul.
As part of the deal, City Council will also redirect $5 million of the settlement revenue, previously earmarked for the lakefront, into neighborhood-focused initiatives.
In the end, $45 million will go toward lakefront improvement efforts, with $25 million designated for broader community benefit projects.
The Browns are expected to be in their new home by the start of the 2029 season, giving the franchise three more seasons to play downtown.
The mayor of Cleveland, Justin Bibb, is pleased with the conclusion of the stadium relocation saga.
“Cleveland took a decisive step forward,” Bibb said in a statement.
“I applaud City Council for passing the Browns settlement agreement – a historic and transformational agreement my administration worked tirelessly to negotiate with discipline, transparency, and a firm commitment to protecting our residents and our taxpayers.
“From day one, I made it clear that any deal involving our city’s assets must protect the city’s general revenue fund and deliver real value for Cleveland. This agreement does exactly that.
“It resolves longstanding issues, safeguards the city’s financial interests, and positions us to move ahead with clarity and purpose…”
talkSPORT reacts... Cleveland’s new stadium will bring more opportunities to both the city and the franchise
A Super Bowl in Cleveland was never realistic, a pipe dream at best. Fast forward to the 2030s, and it could soon become a reality.
With its new state-of-the-art $2.4 billion stadium on the way, the Browns and the city of Cleveland will have ample opportunity to host major events, including the Super Bowl, paving the way for economic growth.
Sure, the Browns playing in a domed stadium will feel strange at first and may lose some of the AFC North luster and grit that the franchise is known for, but eventually it will feel like the norm.
The Browns’ move from downtown to the suburbs is roughly 20 miles, less than a 30-minute drive.
While it is always a bit sad to see a team leave a stadium it has called home for years, Huntington Bank Field hasn’t exactly been the site of many great memories, even though it was built on the hallowed grounds of Cleveland Stadium.
Here’s to a new chapter for the Browns.
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The Dawg Pound and Browns fans alike will have a couple more seasons to cherish their downtown memories before calling the suburbs home.
Whether it’s watching Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, or even Arch Manning close out this chapter of the franchise, who knows.
But a new era is about to begin for the Cleveland Browns, and judging by the last couple of decades, that is a good thing.
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