CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Cleveland Browns plans to build in Brook Park took another step forward this week.
The Haslam Sports Group finalized the purchase of 176 acres of land bordering Brook Park and Snow Roads near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
In early 2024 the team secured a purchase option agreement for the property, which had a December 31 expiration date and cost $20 million. The team made another sizable payment on December 31.
“We have executed the clause and taken the necessary steps in our land purchase agreement with the current owners to solidify our future purchase of the 176-acre site in Brook Park for a new Huntington Bank Field enclosed stadium, along with an adjacent mixed-use development,” Haslam Sports Group chief operating officer Dave Jenkins said in a statement. “While work remains with our public partners on the project, this is a key step in our efforts to create a responsible long-term stadium solution that delivers a world-class experience for our fans, attracts more large-scale events for our region and positively impacts our local economy.”
The team announced in October they would pursue building a $2.4 billion 67,000 seat dome and $1 billion mixed use development on the land.
HKS architects is leading the design of the dome complex and Lincoln Property Company has been hired to spearhead the mixed-use development.
Phase one of the development, which is planned to be completed along with the dome in 2029, will include 450 hotel rooms; 575 apartments; 96,000 square feet of traditional retail, suited for unique food & beverage and shopping destinations; and 137,000 square feet of experiential retail, which will include a team store, and other experience-based retail concepts the team said.
Haslam Sports Group plans to privately finance the mixed-use development and has sought a 50-50 public private split to build the dome.
In October, following threats of legal action from the city of Cleveland that came a day before the team’s official announcement of their intention to pursue Brook Park, the Browns filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court seeking clarity on the boundaries of the ‘Modell Law,’ enacted in 1996 after former Browns owner Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore. That case is pending.
On Monday Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb emailed a letter to the Haslams in which he indicated the city will invoke the ‘Modell Law’ and seek remedies under it, which include a forced sale of the franchise to local investors, to prevent the team from moving to Brook Park.