BROOK PARK, Ohio (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team can now give you the first look at how the Cleveland Browns hope to use tax money to help build a domed stadium in Brook Park.
That plan had been a big mystery until now.
Thursday afternoon, Browns officials spoke out about paying for a new dome and development around it.
The team insists it won’t take tax money away from government services to you.
But, it could lead to a new Cuyahoga County bed tax for hotels and a new rental car fee.
The team owners say they’ll pay for half of the $2.4 billion cost of the project. They say half would come from public money.
But, the chief operating officer stressed that would not involve taxes used for, say, streets or schools.
“What I would say is there’s not one penny of existing taxes from the county, Brook Park or state budgets. Solely, the income generated by this project,” Dave Jenkins said.
The Browns believe the project will pump billions of dollars into the region through football games, concerts and special events.
The Browns hope for $600 million through state bonds, money borrowed. The Browns say that would be paid back over 25 years, and it would be paid back with income taxes and sales taxes generated by the dome and complex around it.
Another $600 million would come from borrowing through Brook Park and Cuyahoga County. That money would be paid back through taxes on tickets, parking and income.
Plus, the Browns say the local money would come from a 1% bed tax for hotels and a rental car fee.
“What happens if all of this falls apart? The state doesn’t come through? The county doesn’t come through?” the I-Team asked.
“That’s probably a bad omen. That’s probably not good for the project,” Jenkins said.
“Very interesting late pitch to us,” Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne said.
The county executive told us, what the Browns just revealed is all new to him. He still supports the team staying on the lakefront.
“This is essentially a private development in Brook Park. It’s being asked of the public to float bonds at our risk for their reward,” he said.
Meanwhile, we went back to activist Bob Render. He remains concerned about needs on the streets even as the Browns promise no impact on government services.
“We need more police, affordable housing. Probably go down the list of 10 things before talking about funding for the stadium,” he said.
What are the chances the dome project isn’t as successful as the Browns expect? Then what?
The Browns say none of this is based on wild calculations. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam told the I-Team there is a “reasonable amount of cushion in the team’s projections.”
So, the Browns will continue to play in the current stadium on the lakefront. The team is not planning to leave until its lease expires at the end of the 2028 season.
Don’t forget there are legal battles behind this. The city of Cleveland is fighting in Cuyahoga County Court and federal court to keep the Browns from moving. The Browns say they’re having “continuing dialogue” with the city.
We reached out to the c for comment on this story, and as of late Thursday, we did not hear back.
“There’s a lot of responsibility for getting this project done right for the community,” Jenkins said.
Days ago, the governor proposed increasing taxes on sports gambling to help pay for stadium projects statewide. The Browns say that could be an option to help, but at this point they aren’t able to count on it.
We also reached out to the governor’s office for this story. A spokesman simply referred us back to the governor’s proposal.
Browns officials also told us they did consider other sites for a dome in and around downtown Cleveland, including Burke Lakefront Airport, but they did not find any of those sites viable.
