The Cleveland Browns are looking to relocate their stadium to Brook Park, a suburb just 14 miles away from downtown Cleveland. The team’s owners, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, have kicked off a significant step in this process by involving the Brook Park City Council in the discussions. To help with negotiations, the council has brought in Bricker Graydon, a Cleveland-based law firm with experience in similar projects. Notably, this law firm previously worked on the deal to build a soccer stadium for the Columbus Crew, where the Haslams were also part of the ownership group.

One of the biggest questions surrounding this potential new stadium is how it will be funded. The current plan is estimated to cost an eye-popping $2.4 billion. The Haslams are asking Ohio taxpayers to cover half of that—$1.2 billion. However, this has sparked some tension among local and state leaders. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine mentioned in December 2024 that he’s still trying to gather all the facts before making any decisions. Meanwhile, some Cleveland city and county officials have outright dismissed the idea of using public money for the project.

Brook Park, with a population of just 19,000, doesn’t have the resources to chip in hundreds of millions of dollars either. At the same time, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb has expressed willingness to invest over $500 million in public funds to renovate the Browns’ current stadium downtown. Despite this, the Haslams seem more interested in building a new facility in Brook Park, believing it could generate more revenue through additional developments like shops and restaurants.

Time is ticking on this decision. The Browns’ lease on their current stadium expires after the 2028 season, meaning they’ll need to finalize plans soon. For now, the future of the team’s home remains uncertain as discussions—and debates—continue.