Browns officials, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and “about 500 others gathered under a tent” on the edge of the team’s new Brook Park stadium site Thursday afternoon “for a ceremonial groundbreaking.” Foundation work is “scheduled to begin in late May,” with the stadium “opening in time for the 2029 NFL season.” The design by architect firm HKS includes “the latest innovations,” including a roof that “will be more translucent than others now in use, providing clearer views of the sky.” In addition, the “configuration of the roof and seats will make for greater crowd noise.” Capacity for football games is “anticipated at 67,500,” but the stadium is “being built so it can be reconfigured for events from 6,000 to 75,000 people.” Much of the focus during Thursday’s event “was on the new Dawg Pound being built at a steep, 34-degree angle to almost form a wall at one side of the field” (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 4/30).
There are “still a couple of questions to be answered,” even as construction commences. The $600M that the state of Ohio has committed to the project is “on hold” due to a class-action lawsuit, which argues that the provision the state budget that took $1B from the state’s Unclaimed Funds Account to help fund sports facilities in Ohio violates “constitutional prohibitions against taking people’s private property for government use.” DeWine “did not know if the litigation would be settled by the time he leaves office in January after two terms.” The city of Brook Park also “still has not approved” its $245M funding plan for the stadium. Haslam Sports Group is “covering most of the costs” at $1.76B along with any cost overruns (AP, 4/30).
As to “whether or not a Super Bowl would ever find its way to Cleveland,” Goodell was “clear on what he thought of the new facility being built.” Goodell: “This stadium is certainly Super Bowl-quality.” But while Goodell was “diplomatic, he seemed less committal, citing an issue that’s previously come up when discussing Cleveland’s readiness to host the big game” -- the number of hotel rooms (CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS, 4/30).
