It’s official, the Cleveland Browns are leaving the city of Cleveland once again.
This time, however, they are not leaving Northeast Ohio, just moving to the suburb of Brook Park where they will be building a dome. As the Browns make the difficult decision, Browns’ owners, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, have released a statement.
Overall it was a lengthy statement that cannot all fit in this article. However, here is one paragraph from it that sums up what ownership hopes to convey to the fanbase in Northeast Ohio:
“We understand this is a complex process with more questions still to be answered and we will continue to communicate openly as our process evolves. We recognize our season on the field has not had the start we all hoped for and are working hard to improve each week to make our fans proud. At the same time, it is critical that we remain committed to the best long-term, sustainable solution for our stadium and to providing the world-class dome experience our fans deserve. We are confident that the Brook Park project will significantly benefit the Northeast Ohio region for generations to come.”
The lease on the downtown stadium currently runs through 2028. This means the move to the suburbs and into a dome will not happen until the 2029 season unless the Browns work out an agreement to break their current lease.