General
Why a Dome in Brook Park?
The New Huntington Bank Field enclosed stadium will be transformative for our fans, Northeast Ohio and our state. A world-class venue with a reimagined fan experience and the ability to attract large-scale events and concerts 365 days a year is a game-changer for our region. The connected vibrant lifestyle and entertainment district will also attract visitors and create engagement throughout the year. We are developing 176 acres that are currently vacant with great proximity to downtown and the airport.
How will the fan experience be improved?
A new enclosed stadium will provide a much-improved fan experience that our fans and this region deserve. The New Huntington Bank Field enclosed stadium will be modern and dynamic with so many world-class amenities. There will be more parking in close proximity to the stadium, a better variety of offerings, from food and beverage to seating, a more efficient ingress and egress experience for all stadium events, wider concourses, and weather protection. Seating within the bowl will be closer to the action than any other NFL stadium.
What are some of the innovations in the new stadium?
The translucent roof will provide natural light throughout the stadium, creating an outdoor feel yet the comfort of being inside. Modern technology and resolution will be evident in the enormous videoboards placed within the seating bowl.
How many seats will the new stadium have?
We’ve designed a building with an extremely flexible seating bowl to accommodate many different-sized events. For football, the seating capacity is 67,500, with an additional 2,500 spaces for standing room. The building can scale from 6,000 to 75,000 for concerts and other events.
Would the playing surface be grass or turf?
Likely the latest and most advanced version of artificial turf. Many factors are at play, and we will keep an open mind before making a final decision.
Will there be tailgating?
Yes. We know how important tailgating is to our fans. The ample surface parking surrounding the stadium enables tailgating. We envision a new and modern version of the Muni Lot coming to the New Huntington Bank Field enclosed stadium parking lot in Brook Park.
What type of FAA approval do you need to build a dome that is close to the airport?
We’ve done the diligence to receive preliminary approval for design and construction. The stadium will be built 80 feet below surface level to keep the roof structure well below any height restrictions.
The Cleveland Airport director has expressed vehicular traffic concerns about a stadium being so close to the airport with the current roadways. How will that be addressed?
A traffic study is underway, and we believe a new enclosed stadium with an adjacent lifestyle and entertainment district development would serve as an iconic gateway to Cleveland and the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport modernization project. We also feel there are synergies between our projects that can create traffic solutions for the airport and a much better traffic flow than our fans currently experience at our lakefront stadium.
What are the plans for the project that will expand your footprint in Berea? How would that project and a Brook Park stadium project relate?
Expanding the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus and the Browns practice facility in Berea is a separate $150M+ mixed-use development project. The Browns Berea expansion plans include a community field, The Barker Hotel, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel by Marriott, University Hospitals sports medicine center, retail, office space, and apartments. For more information, visit CrossCountryMortgageCampus.com.
Lakefront & Downtown
What are the challenges to the lakefront that made you consider another destination?
The fan experience and long-term economic impact opportunity for our region drove much of our process. Renovating the current stadium would only create a short-term fix and would not solve many of our current existing issues. The challenges on the lakefront of ingress and egress, parking, and limited use of the stadium throughout the year due to inclement weather proved prohibitive. At the same time, the opportunity to reimagine the Cleveland lakefront without the stadium will be transformative for our region.
Have you had any discussions about building an enclosed stadium downtown?
We did, but it was cost prohibitive with a very uncertain timeline.
Could you put a dome on the existing stadium?
It would be cost-prohibitive and not structurally feasible. Our expert advisors have informed us that with the current height of Huntington Bank Field, we’d run into issues with the FAA because of the proximity and flight path related to Burke Airport.
What would moving the stadium do to downtown's current economy?
The year-round opportunity for significant events at a new Huntington Bank Field enclosed stadium in Brook Park will have a positive economic impact on downtown. With the many more large-scale events that will come to Northeast Ohio, visitors will stay in downtown hotels, eat at local restaurants and populate the area. Developing the lakefront without the stadium may also be the best way to truly reimagine the Cleveland lakefront.
What will happen to the old Huntington Bank Field on the lakefront?
The stadium is owned by the city, and it is up to Cleveland to decide how to move forward with its lakefront vision. We will remain supportive and will continue to advocate for a reimagined lakefront that better connects downtown to Cleveland’s greatest asset.
Funding & Economic Impact
How much will an enclosed stadium in Brook Park cost?
The total cost of the stadium is projected to be $2.4 billion.
What are you asking of taxpayers to get the new stadium built?
The overall project ($2.4B – stadium and $1B – lifestyle and entertainment district) is estimated to cost $3.4B, to be paid for by a private-public partnership that includes $2B+ from the private sector ($1.2B+ from the Haslam Sports Group), $600M from a “performance grant” towards the stadium from the State that will be paid back with incremental revenue generated by the project. The most efficient way to cover the remaining $600M in stadium construction cost would be local support coming from a commitment from Brook Park and Cuyahoga County of the use of future tax revenue generated by the project itself that is only enabled by the private investment. On top of paying for itself, the project will provide all stakeholders with an additional return on investment. There has been no request by the Haslam Sport Group to pledge existing tax revenue streams that would take away from other pressing community needs to fund this project.
Who would own the stadium?
As has been the case with other stadium projects like Lower.com Field for the Columbus Crew, a Neighborhood Community Authority would be set up as the official owners of the New Huntington Bank Field enclosed stadium.
Who would be responsible for maintaining and upkeep of the stadium?
Future tax revenue generated by the project will be set aside in advance to cover capital repairs along with sin tax, which has always been a source for capital repairs for professional sports facilities in Cuyahoga County. Our intent is to create a capital repairs solution that is well-thought-out and will extend the life cycle of this building well beyond the typical 30-year lifespan of stadium and arena facilities. We want this building to be a 50-year solution.
How many jobs will be created?
The $2.4B new enclosed stadium and $1B adjacent private development project combined would be Northeast Ohio’s largest economic development project and the fourth largest in Ohio. This project is expected to create over 5,400 full-time jobs and 6,000 construction jobs.