CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Cleveland Browns are in the process of finalizing a purchase agreement for 176 acres of land near Hopkins International Airport a source familiar with the agreement tells 92.3 The Fan.
The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that the agreement was simply part of the team's "work and diligence around this stadium project."
NEOtrans.blog first reported the sale agreement with the Haslam Sports Group Thursday.
"We've been clear on how complex future stadium planning can be. One certainty is our commitment to greatly improving our fan experience while also creating a transformative and lasting impact to benefit all of Northeast Ohio," Cleveland Browns/Haslam Sports Group spokesperson Peter John-Baptiste said in a statement. "We understand the magnitude of opportunity with a stadium project intent on driving more large-scale events to our region and are methodically looking at every possibility. We appreciate the collaborative process with the City of Cleveland and the leadership of Mayor Bibb in analyzing the landbridge and renovating the current stadium. At the same time, as part of our comprehensive planning efforts, we are also studying other potential stadium options in Northeast Ohio at various additional sites. There is still plenty of work to do and diligence to process before a long-term stadium solution is determined and will share further updates at the appropriate time."
The land, located in Brook Park south of I-480, west of I-71 and east of State Route 237 and the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks, could be used to build a new state of the art domed stadium for the team.
Although no land has been purchased yet, the move sends a shot across the bow to the city of Cleveland with the Browns lease set to expire at the end of the 2028 season while talks concerning a renovation of the current stadium are ongoing.
The Browns had been pursuing a renovation to Cleveland Browns Stadium priced out between $1-1.2 billion, but multiple sources have indicated to 92.3 The Fan that conversations with Mayor Justin Bibb and the city of Cleveland haven't been as productive as hoped, contrary to comments made by Bibb to 92.3 The Fan two weeks ago.
"Well, as you know, the city, the county and the state will be hopefully, will be key critical partners for us as we think about the future of Cleveland Browns Stadium," Bibb told 92.3 The Fan following the Billy Joel and Rod Stewart concert announcement. "It is a regional asset and we want to make sure we keep the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, Ohio, right on Lake Erie. That's my goal as mayor."
Cleveland Browns Stadium is owned by the city of Cleveland, which has been exploring possibilities of lakefront development around the stadium to coincide with an extensive overhaul of the building that opened in 1999 and was renovated in 2014-2015.
The Haslams, who put forth a plan for lakefront development in 2021, remain willing to renovate the current stadium, but the Browns' ownership group is open to the possibility of pursuing a new stadium – outside the city of Cleveland limits.
A new domed stadium could cost more than $2 billion and could skyrocket as high as $3.5 billion for a retractable roof facility, but it would provide the region with a unique opportunity to recruit additional major concerts, the men's NCAA Final Four and possibly a Super Bowl.
Cleveland is the only NFL market to have neither played in or hosted a Super Bowl. The Lions, Texans and Jaguars have also never appeared in a Super Bowl but Detroit, Houston and Jacksonville have hosted on Super Sunday.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who helped craft the return of the Browns in 1999 as an expansion team after former owner Art Modell relocated the original franchise to Baltimore in 1996, attended the Browns-Bears game at Browns Stadium on December 17.
Ohio governor Mike DeWine and other public officials were in attendance for the game as well.
"The Governor and First Lady did meet with Jimmy and Dee Haslam in December prior to the Browns vs. Bears game," a spokesperson for the DeWine told 92.3 The Fan Thursday. "Commissioner Goodell was also there. Among the topics the Governor, the Haslams, and the Commissioner discussed were different potential options in regards to renovating Cleveland Browns Stadium versus building a new stadium."
The overarching desire of the Haslams, Bibb and other public officials is to have the stadium cost be split between the state, county, city and the team.
Similar to the process the Cavaliers, Guardians and Columbus Crew went through with their projects, the state of Ohio can't consider any assistance with funding until a plan with hard costs is in place.
The potential of a new Browns stadium across from Hopkins International Airport coincides with another massive regional development campaign.
The city of Cleveland is exploring a possible $3 billion overhaul of Hopkins International Airport, which would include a reconfiguration of State Route 237 serving the airport. A potential new stadium across from the airport could add another element to that specific project.
In addition to the stadium project, the Haslams are also finalizing expansion and development plans to expand their existing training and administration complex in Berea. Over the past few years, the team has been acquiring land adjacent to the facility on Pearl Street, Lou Groza Blvd. and Front Street for the multimillion-dollar project.
