The Cleveland Browns claim they’re “willing to work with the city” on financing issues related to their proposed move to Brook Park, but the hosts of Today in Ohio aren’t buying it. In fact, they’re throwing a flag on what they see as a disingenuous stalling tactic from the team’s ownership.
Laura Johnston opened the discussion by relaying the Browns’ official statement that they’re “just waiting to hear from the mayor” and want details before proceeding on any contribution to demolishing the existing stadium. The team claims they’ve “always been willing to continue to invest in Cleveland and our region, but it requires collaboration from all parties to arrive at the optimal solution.”
That response triggered an forceful reaction from Chris Quinn: “I’m blowing the whistle and I’m throwing the flag, which is appropriate on this story. We are so deep into this, so deep into this that it’s nonsense for the Browns to say we’re waiting to hear from Bibb.”
The podcast highlighted the frustrating lack of transparency surrounding the stadium proposal, particularly regarding who would actually own the facility. “Who’s going to own it? Because the Haslams are acting like they will not be the owners. The county’s not going to own it. Brook Park can’t maintain a football stadium,” Quinn pointed out. “We’re this deep into this thing, and we have no details on the ownership structure of it.”
This information vacuum creates a power imbalance between the team and the city. While Mayor Justin Bibb has clearly stated he’s looking for help with demolition costs for the existing stadium, the Browns continue to withhold their financial commitment. Quinn’s theory? “I don’t think they’re serious about making a contribution.”
The podcast hosts also discussed potential leverage the city might have, including a possible lease violation. “They violated their lease by negotiating to move to Brook Park while the lease was still in existence, and that’s a contract violation. He’s (Bibb) going to be able to get them for damages,” Quinn suggested.
What makes the situation particularly frustrating is how it represents a common dynamic between professional sports franchises and the cities that host them. Teams often leverage their cultural importance to extract favorable financial terms while providing minimal transparency about their own contributions.
Quinn summarized the entire situation with a single, biting description: “The whole thing is skeezy. And at this point, Ronayne and Bibb are right to be stomping your feet because it’s inexcusable at this point to not know the entire financing plan.”
To hear the complete, unfiltered take on the Browns’ stadium situation and other major Cleveland news stories, don’t miss the full episode of Today in Ohio from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
Listen to full “Today in Ohio” episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston.
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