The Browns Are Talking About a New Stadium...

[TexasTowelie]

"We're excited for the opportunity to be part of the conversation about downtown re-development," Browns co-owner Dee Haslam told ESPN a few weeks ago, confirming rumors that the team has begun initial discussions about a new stadium at a new downtown site or major renovations on the current facility. "We should be part of the conversation in a bigger way, and I think we will be. I have no idea at this point what's even feasible. Don't you think it's a good idea for us to learn and figure that out?"

Haslam said a lot without saying much at all during the interview, talking in circles while avoiding any specifics except noting that, yes, the Browns current lease at FirstEnergy Stadium runs out in 2029 and they felt now was the time to begin planning.

But planning for what? Deciphering what Haslam actually meant when she said the team wanted to get in on the urban development game means looking at what's going on among other professional sports owners in various American cities in the last few years. Because things have changed.


It used to be fairly simple for sports teams and their public subsidy handouts: get a new stadium, have most if not all of it paid for by taxpayers, and then sell luxury suites, sponsorships, tickets, hot dogs and beer to make their nut. But in the past few years, NFL teams have upped the ante on what they "need," mainly 100 or more acres of land around the stadium fit for parking lots and development.

Read more: https://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/the-browns-are-talking-about-a-new-stadium/Content?oid=18496853

[Fullduplexxx]

1. This hostage taking by the ball players is what drove me out of cleveland

Well one of the reasons

[liberalhistorian]

7. Same for me. South Dakota may have plenty of its

own annoying quirks and issues, but at least I don't have to deal with any zealous obsession with sports to the exclusion of everything else, the fawning over owners no matter what they do or how bad the team is, the blatant hypocrisy of refusing to pay for anything of real importance in the city and surrounding area while falling all over themselves to pay for whatever the owners want. And then being made to feel like worthless shit if I don't join in the relentless teams obsession.

[marble falls]

2. Have the fauxbrowns even gotten the last new field at Lakefront paid for, yet???

I miss Muni, the mistake on the lake. The late lamented real Browns used to fill it regularly. Screw Art Modell wherever in Hell he is.

[Soxfan58]

3. Even with a new stadium

They will still suck! But to your point, this is another example of billionaire welfare

[marble falls]

4. Good article from the "best music scene magaizine in NE Ohio!".

[ladym55]

5. It might be handy if the Browns fielded a pro football team before asking about a new stadium

I am really tired of corporate welfare for the billionaire team owners. And I'm tired about the little local TV bimbos squealing about how good these corporate tax grabs are for the city. It would be so nice to see tax dollars go to developing the city and its neighborhoods.

[Ohiya]

6. They could probably use a stadium...

with a lot fewer seats.