Browns leaving Downtown Cleveland for Brook Park

CLEVELAND — The City of Cleveland ended months of speculation about where the Cleveland Browns will play in the future, announcing that the franchise has made the decision to leave Downtown Cleveland, the team's home since 1946. Browns ownership informed Mayor Justin Bibb of the decision last night.

Browns leaving Downtown for Brook Park

Bibb expressed frustration with the Haslams as he broke the news to the city.

"We can see and feel that our Downtown is thriving. Our vision of redeveloping the lakefront is becoming a reality. And more and more businesses are choosing to invest in our great city," Bibb said. "The Haslams' choice to move the team away from this progress is frustrating and profoundly disheartening."

While Bibb made the announcement, owner Jimmy Haslam attended practice, where he was seen checking his phone.

Bibb said he is willing to return to the table if the Haslams' deal in Brook Park falls apart.

"If the Browns don't see a viable path to ink the deal in Brook Park we stand ready with open arms to find a way to get the deal done in Cleveland—but in a competitive and responsible way for our residents and taxpayers," said Bibb.

Bibb said the city's offer — a 50/50 split — was fiscally responsible yet aggressive, larger than any other financial package for a sports facility in Cleveland, to renovate the existing stadium.

Bibb then revealed that when the Haslams declined a renovation option, the city also offered options for a new domed stadium plus some adjacent development in a deal that would have granted a portion of Burke Lakefront Airport to the team. Bibb said the alternate deal fell through because the Haslams asked for too much public money upfront.

"I am deeply, deeply disappointed that the Haslam Sports Group has chosen to pursue a move to Brook Park," Bibb said.

The mayor said the Browns did not express a desire for a new domed stadium when they began meeting in 2022, and the team's desire for the type of dome the team is pursuing in Brook Park was a surprise.

When asked about the possibility of the Browns using "sin tax" money in Brook Park, Bibb said it belongs in the City of Cleveland, a belief shared by County Executive Chris Ronayne.

As for whether the city will invoke the Modell Law , which requires Ohio team owners to seek permission to move, the mayor said that's a question for city council.

What the Haslams had to say

Dee and Jimmy Haslam said stadium planning started in 2017 and initially focused on renovating the current stadium. However, as time passed, it changed to the possibility of building a new stadium at an alternative location.

Read their full statement below:

As we have previously said, we understand this is a complex process with more questions still to be answered and we will continue to communicate openly as our process evolves. We recognize our season on the field has not had the start we all hoped for and are working hard to improve each week to make our fans proud. At the same time, it is critical that we remain committed to the best long-term, sustainable solution for our stadium and to providing the world-class dome experience our fans deserve. We are confident that the Brook Park project will significantly benefit the Northeast Ohio region for generations to come."

Officials react to the move

Destination Cleveland's president and CEO, David Gilbert, made the following statement about the team's departure from Downtown to the suburbs:

"Destination Cleveland promotes Greater Cleveland as a place to visit; that means our job is to help attract people to Cleveland for Browns games – no matter where the stadium is located."

Cleveland Ward 16 Councilman Brian Kazy wasn't pleased with the announcement, issuing the following statement:

"The multi-billionaire Haslams' decision to leave Cleveland for Brook Park is disappointing and reflects a troubling mindset. With the Haslams, it's all about feeding at the public trough. The ownership is not from Cleveland and clearly does not understand the tradition of the team they own or the needs of one of the poorest cities in America. If they did, they would not be asking this community to commit hundreds of millions, if not billions, to build a stadium when we have a functioning stadium and so many other needs. It's disappointing that the Haslams are looking to pit City against City to fleece taxpayers out of money to build a shiny new fortress. This move demonstrates a lack of genuine commitment to Cleveland and the region. It has always been clear, and this decision further proves that the Haslams' only focus is their financial gain. Their lack of investment in the city is frankly embarrassing. Cleveland deserves an ownership team that prioritizes the well-being of its community rather than just their profits. The city made a generous offer using non-taxpayer dollars, and I would encourage the County and State not to contribute a single taxpayer dollar to building a new stadium in Brook Park."

The Cuyahoga County Executive's Office said, "Executive Ronayne has made his position clear: the Browns stadium should remain Downtown. Today he is focused on the business of Cuyahoga County and cheering for a Guardians win tonight."

Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), who represents the entire Downtown area, said, "I'm not ready for the Brook Park Browns, nor should anyone else be."

Gov. Mike DeWine's Office said it was "monitoring the developments in Cleveland and Brook Park," but didn't have a new comment regarding the move.

Downtown Cleveland President and CEO Michael Deemer said, "While we are disappointed to hear of the Cleveland Browns' decision to relocate to Brook Park, Downtown Cleveland, Inc. remains committed to the continued growth and development of our city center. This departure presents both challenges and opportunities, and we are not the first city to find ourselves in this position. The future is yet to be determined. We will continue to work closely with Mayor Justin Bibb, the City of Cleveland, local businesses, and community leaders to transform downtown into a vibrant 18-hour, 15-minute neighborhood that seamlessly connects and integrates surrounding districts."

Scott Skinner, the executive director of the North Coast Waterfront Development Corp., said the agency's goal is to continue to turn the city's lakefront into a "world-class destination," and the Browns move hasn't changed that goal. Read his full statement below:

Fans react

Some fans were for the move, others weren't pleased.

"It's actually a pain to get to the stadium in town," fan Tom Schrader said. "You can't park anywhere. It's hard to get in and out. Hopefully, it will be a little less congested near the airport."

"It's taking away from the fact that when you come to Cleveland, you think of the Cleveland Browns, not the Brook Park Browns," said fan Ruth Bubba of Warren. "The whole idea of coming to a game in Northeastern Ohio is the fact you know you're going to be sitting in crappy weather. It's called a home field advantage, not a domed field advantage."

How we got here

Talks about the future of the stadium – stay or go, renovate or build new – have been taking place behind closed doors for months.

City of Cleveland pitches $461 million deal to keep Browns stadium on lakefront

Days later, Cuyahoga County's top two officials said they were not willing to invest in a proposal to build a new stadium in the suburbs.

'This dog doesn't hunt.' Cuyahoga County leaders say they won't back a new Browns stadium in Brook Park

But the team has been leaning in the direction of a dome for months.

Cleveland Browns release first images of Brook Park stadium proposal

The Browns and Haslam Sports Group haven't said much publicly about the details of their financing plans. But they're focused on using future tax dollars – revenues created by the new stadium and surrounding development in Brook Park – to help pay for construction.

Browns leaving Downtown Cleveland for Brook Park

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