BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Berea city council approved $4.935 million in additional bond sales to fund improvements to the Browns training complex, Cross Country Mortgage Campus, Monday night while the city of Cleveland is on the hook for over $10 million in repairs to FirstEnergy Stadium.
The bonds are being used by the city of Berea essentially as a refinance mechanism for past improvements to the complex and not new construction city council president Jim Maxwell said prior to the vote.
The city of Berea owns the Browns complex, which includes the administrative offices, training facilities and surrounding grounds, which are leased to the team through 2038 league year.
This offseason a new heating and drainage system was installed on the two front practice fields closest to the administrative building. New sod as well as pavement around the entire practice fields were also installed.
A new roof covering is currently being installed on the Casey Coleman Field House and a media platform, approved last fall by council, is under construction across the street from 76 Lou Groza Blvd.
The Browns continue their work to acquire properties adjacent to the facility on Pearl Street, Second Avenue and Beech Street for future expansion. The team recently razed two more homes they purchased and regraded the land.
In May, the team requested a fence height variance from the city for the properties they acquired.
Under terms of the Browns lease with the city of Cleveland, a stadium audit must be conducted every five years. With the last audit completed in 2018, a series of necessary repairs to FirstEnergy Stadium must be made following the most recent audit conducted earlier this year.
According to legislation introduced to Cleveland city council, the audit found $4.977 million in “emergency repairs” is required including pedestrian ramp, transfer switch, heater, surge protection and luminary replacement.
Over $5.056 million in “capital repairs” were also found and included fire pump replacement, gutter replacement, door, frame and hardware replacement, plaza light fixture replacement, VAV box replacement, raker beam painting, hot water pump replacement, joint repairs, concrete repairs and restroom stall replacement.
The legislation allows the Browns to prepare the plans and specifications for the projects and be reimbursed by the city for their cost or the team is able to “donate” the plans, otherwise the director of public works or the director of capital projects is authorized to have them drawn up and facilitate the repairs.
The final price tag, including a $500,000 allocation for the audit, comes out to $10,533,150.00 which will be paid out of the stadium capital repair fund.
