Brook Park wants the Browns stadium but it’s a long process

The Haslams want to build a stadium in Brook Park, Ohio.

The ambitious plan to build a 21st-century NFL stadium for the Cleveland Browns in Brook Park, Ohio is facing mounting legal and political challenges. Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam are spearheading a transformative development that includes a domed stadium, office space, residential units, and retail outlets on a 176-acre site formerly occupied by a Ford Motor Company plant.

Stadium Development Highlights

• Location: Brook Park, ~15 miles from downtown Cleveland
• Site: Rezoned from industrial to Planned Unit Development (PUD)
• Project Scope: Stadium + mixed-use entertainment district
• State Funding: $600 million pledged by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
• Total Investment: Estimated at $2.4 billion for the stadium and up to $1 billion for surrounding development2

Legal Challenge Over Unclaimed Funds

The funding plan hit a major roadblock when former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann and former State Rep. Jeffrey Crossman filed a lawsuit in Franklin County Court. The suit argues that using money from the Ohio Unclaimed Funds Account—which holds $4.8 billion from dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, and insurance policies—violates:

• Constitutional protections against government seizure of private property
• Due process rights of Ohio residents whose funds are held by the state

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has expressed uncertainty about the legality of the funding and urged Governor DeWine to veto the aid bill2.

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