On the Morning of December 10th ,2024, the Cleveland Browns announced the development company hired to build the dome stadium and entertainment complex in Brookpark Ohio. In a press release the Cleveland Browns announced the partnership with the Lincoln Property Company to develop and build the new stadium and complex on the 176-acre lot located directly across the street from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Construction is expected to start in the spring of 2025 and the project completion is due in 2029. The Browns current lease on the lakefront stadium expires at the end of the 2028 season. The dome stadium is projected to open in August in 2029 for the Browns 2029 preseason. The issue of new stadium in northeast Ohio has still come with much controversy.

https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/lincoln-property-company-announced-as-cleveland-browns-development-partner-for-enclosed-stadium-anchored-entertainment-district

To better understand the current situation with Huntington Bank Field, we must look at how we got here today. It started back in 1973 when then Browns owner Art Modell took over the Cleveland Municipal Stadium to prevent the Cleveland Indians from relocating. Modell had the Indians as tenants and received concession revenue from baseball games. In 1989 Cuyahoga County voted for a Cin TAX to build a new ballpark for the Indians and arena for the Cavaliers. The Browns were not considered in the project. In 1994 the Indians moved to Jacobs Field and the Browns lost out on revenue and was left with 60-year-old stadium that was falling apart. In an attempt to keep the Browns, an extension of the Cin TAX was on the ballot in 1995 to remodel the stadium. But it was too little too late, the deal for Modell to move to Baltimore was done. To get the expansion franchise in 1999, the city of Cleveland had to rush to build the current Huntington Bank Field. It was poorly built, outdated, and inadequate for a good fan experience.

Here we are today with a multi billionaire owner that has a new stadium project that is 2/3 privately funded. The final 1/3 is believed to be a bond or loan from the state of Ohio. In the meantime, bureaucrats and local politicians are posturing and playing politics. The Browns are moving forward with new stadium and the politicians are being politicians until the end. One side gets things done and the other continues to squawk and make noise. When all is said and done with this Cleveland Browns fans will have a new stadium, and politicians will still only care about getting reelected.