Cuyahoga County officials add voice against Browns' Brook Park stadium plan in letter

The letters and statements continue to go back and forth between government officials in the Greater Cleveland area and the Browns with regards to the ongoing issue of the team's stadium future.

The latest salvo came from Cuyahoga County executive Chris Ronayne and County council president Pernel Jones Jr. The two co-signed a letter Sunday addressed to Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam regarding the future of the team's gameday home.

In the latter, the pair made it clear their support would not be for what seems to be the Browns' preferred option, which is to build a new domed stadium in a currently-vacant parcel of land in Brook Park.

"The proposal to build a new stadium in Brook Park does not make fiscal sense for Cuyahoga County residents and taxpayers," the letter states. "Moreover, any proposal that would create an unacceptable risk to the County's general funds cannot be considered. We believe it our responsibility and in the best interests of our community to prioritize reinvestment in existing public assets."

The Browns' lease with the City of Cleveland for Cleveland Browns Stadium expires at the end of 2028. The Haslams have stated they have two options they're considering as a long-term solution to the stadium issue.

Option No. 1 is a renovation of the existing lakefront stadium, which has been projected to run in the neighborhood of $1 billion. Option No. 2 is the new domed stadium in Brook Park, a project which would cost at least $2.4 billion.

The Browns and the Haslam Sports Group issued a statement Sunday afternoon in response to the letter from Ronayne and Jones.

"A stadium project that could be a transformational opportunity for this region will take deep thought, objectivity, innovation, and patience," the Browns statemen said. "The process of renovating or building a new stadium is incredibly complex. We have been reminded many times that the issues with the current stadium resulted from a rushed process that was not thorough and don’t want that repeated. We have received the county’s response and are still in the process of gathering information and doing diligence on both paths.

"It would be short-sighted for Northeast Ohio to rule out any options at this point for a long-term decision of this magnitude," the statement continued. "We look forward to the City of Cleveland’s responses to our detailed questions regarding their proposal from last week and we remain committed to collaborating and communicating with all parties involved. Working together and keeping an open mind while thoroughly vetting this project is critical to achieving the goal of finding and executing the best long-term, sustainable stadium solution for this region."

The latest letter-writing skirmish comes just days after the Browns, through Chief Operating Officer Dave Jenkins, released their own letter to season ticketholders last Wednesday. The letter also was the first public statements on the Browns regarding their vision for what the Brook Park project would entail. It included both video and photographic renderings of both the new stadium, as well as the area around the stadium.

The letter maintained that no final decision had been made. It was asking for more information from the city regarding its Aug. 1 proposal to help renovate the current stadium.

"We know this is a topic that is important to our fans and the broader community," Jenkins' letter said. "With Mayor Bibb releasing the City’s latest proposal for a renovated stadium last week and the increased community dialogue around our stadium future, including the possibility of a dome stadium in Brook Park, we feel it is the appropriate time for us to communicate directly and share an update on our stadium process. We are currently evaluating the City’s proposal and have requested additional information from the City to enable us to comprehensively do so."

Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb had submitted a letter to the Haslams on Aug. 1 in which the city pledged $461 million to assist with the lakefront renovation. According to the city's proposal, terms include:

• "$367 million ($227 million from increases in admission tax revenues, $120 million from Cuyahoga County sin tax revenues, and $20 million in existing stadium capital reserves) over the 30-year lease term, with a five-year renewal option"
• "The city will turn the Willard Garage and the Muni Lot over to the Browns for their exclusive use on game days and event days. Parking revenues are expected to generate $94 million for capital repairs and improvements"
• "Under the current lease, the city covers $1.3 million in annual property taxes and insurance, while the Browns pay $250,000 in rent. Under the proposed new lease, rent will be waived for the Browns, but they will assume responsibility for the insurance and tax payments. This adjustment aligns with the lease agreements held by the Guardians and Cavs, making it consistent across sports franchises in Cleveland"

The land the Haslams have optioned in Brook Park, which was formerly the site of two Ford Motor plants, is situated in an area bordered on three sides by State Route 237 to the west, Snow Road to the south and I-71 to the east. The Norfolk Southern railroad tracks run between the property and Ohio 237.

The Browns have called the current lakefront site their permanent home since Cleveland Municipal Stadium sat at the location in 1946. The current stadium was opened in 1999 when the expansion franchise began play following a three-year hiatus when the original franchise moved to become the Baltimore Ravens.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cuyahoga County officials add voice against Browns' Brook Park stadium plan in letter