Cleveland mayor confirms that Browns will leave their current stadium

The team will build a new stadium on the outskirts of the city, at a cost of 2.4 billion dollars

CLEVELAND (AP) — Los Cleveland Browns They intend to leave their lakefront house.

The mayor of Cleveland Justin Bibb confirmed on Thursday he met with the owners of the Browns Jimmy y Dee Haslemwho announced their intention to move the team to the suburb of Brook Park despite the city’s efforts to keep the team in Cleveland.

Los Browns considered the city’s $1.1 billion plan to renovate the 25-year-old stadium, but instead opted for the option of building a $2.4 billion dome in Brook Park, 12 miles south of Cleveland.

“As mayor, I will always prioritize the needs of residents and businesses,” Bibb said in a statement. “The Haslem Sports Group will want a roof over their heads, but my responsibility is to ensure that the residents of Cleveland have a roof over theirs.”

Bibb added that balancing priorities “requires care and precision” and that the city must be “practical with all needs and finite resources.”

The team’s contract with the stadium expires after the 2028 season.

Last month, the city proposed a $461 million fund — sharing the costs with Browns— to improve the current stadium and redesign the surrounding property on Lake Erie.

Go Browns began playing at this stadium in 1999 when they returned as an expansion team after owner Art Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore four years.

Officials believe the current stadium needs “substantial improvements” for sustainability. The Browns have cited traffic and parking issues as reasons to consider moving.

“The Brook Park site is an attractive option for a dome for several reasons: it is centrally located for our fans, it is close to downtown, RTA and the airport and it has strong existing infrastructure,” David Jenkins, head of operations of Haslam Sports Group.

But financing remains an obstacle. The Browns They are seeking a shared public/private partnership for the 2.4 billion project.