CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Ohio lawmakers have paved the way for the Browns to move forward with their proposed $3.2 billion enclosed stadium and development in Brook Park.
Cuyahoga County will also be permitted to seek an increase of the Sin Tax.
The Ohio house and senate both approved the final version of the state budget Wednesday afternoon in Columbus, and it is now headed to Governor Mike DeWine’s desk for his signature.
DeWine also has the power to line-item veto provisions within the budget but the governor is not expected to cross out the Brook Park funding.
Early Wednesday morning the final budget was completed by the conference committee, which married the budgets from DeWine, the house and senate and included $600 million in funding from the state for the Browns new $2.4 billion enclosed stadium by creating a new Sports and Culture Facility Fund through the escheatment of $1.7 billion from the state’s unclaimed property fund, which has grown to $4.8 billion in size.
The plan leaves an additional $1.1 billion for future stadium construction asks from Ohio’s other pro sports franchises, including the Cincinnati Bengals, who may seek around $400 million from the state for an overhaul of Paycor Stadium.
The Haslam Sports Group is scheduled to receive the funds from the state on February 1, 2026, shortly before the team is set to officially break ground on the project, which is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2029 NFL season.
Ohio plans to recoup its investment in the new Browns stadium through tax revenues generated by the complex to be built in Brook Park.
As an insurance policy, the Haslam Sports Group will be required to place $50 million in escrow to backstop any state tax revenue projection shortfalls over a 16-year period. Should those funds be depleted, they would have to place an additional $50 million in escrow. After 16 years, the Browns would recoup any unused funds from that escrow account.
Lawmakers have pledged that the ability to distribute unclaimed funds to those who file to receive owed money from it will not be affected.
The Browns originally sought a 50-50 public-private split to cover the cost of the 67,500-seat enclosed stadium to be built 80 feet into the ground adjacent to Hopkins International Airport, but Cuyahoga County executive Chris Ronayne, who has staunchly opposed the project along with Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb and downtown business leaders, has said the county will not participate.
Cuyahoga County was asked to contribute $178 million through bonds and serve as a backstop Brook Park’s $422 million bond package, but the team will seek a private solution to the county contribution, increasing their commitment to $1.378 billion plus cost overruns for the enclosed stadium and $800 million for the privately funded mixed-use development.
One of nearly 600 amendments added to the state budget was an updated version of the ‘Modell Law’ to allow Ohio professional sports teams who play in tax-supported facilities to move within the state at the end of their leases. The ‘Modell Law’ written and passed in 1996 following Art Modell’s relocation of the original Browns to Baltimore where they became the Ravens, was intended to keep teams from leaving the state and the amendment clarifies that.
Lawmakers believe the modified ‘Modell Law’ amendment effectively ends Cleveland’s ongoing lawsuit against the Browns and Haslam Sports Group in Cuyahoga County Court.
The Haslam Sports Group is expected to officially close on the 176 acres of land off Snow and Engle Roads that the team exercised a purchase option on last year by the end of the week. They had until June 30th to do so.