I-Team: Season ticket-holder starting petition to keep Browns downtown

CLEVELAND (WJW) — A longtime Cleveland Browns season ticket-holder said he wants the team to stay downtown and is taking action to help convince the team’s owners.

Rev. Jimmy Gates said he is going to start circulating petitions at the Browns game on Sunday.

“It’s frustrating they won’t say if they are staying here or moving to Brook Park,” Gates told the FOX 8 I-Team on Thursday. “I am tired of waiting. I felt I had to do something.”

The Browns are still trying to decide if they should make massive renovations to the current stadium, or move to Brook Park and build a stadium with a dome.

Browns owners have not said when they will make a final decision.

“I just thought, let’s start a petition drive,” Gates said. “I would rather be proactive than reactive. After I get enough signatures, I will start dropping them off at the Browns headquarters. And we are going to keep dropping them off to make sure our voices are heard.”

Gates said he believes the stadium belongs downtown. The Brook Park mayor said a dome stadium would help bring in more money with concerts and events year round.

If anyone wants to sign the petition, Gates says then can shoot him a text at 216-777-9325.

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