CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Let’s give Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb his due.
He has stood taller against the Haslams than any Cleveland mayor before him — frankly, taller than most people expected. For months, while the billionaire owners of the Browns stomped their feet and waved around their $2.4 billion stadium plans in Brook Park, Bibb has kept his footing. He’s refused to roll over, refused to dangle more Cleveland tax dollars in front of Jimmy and Dee Haslam or mortgage the city’s financial future for a football team.
It’s been refreshing. For once, the people getting played aren’t Cleveland taxpayers.
For decades, the Browns have treated Cleveland like an ATM — a place to withdraw money when the team needed a new scoreboard or luxury suites. Other mayors played along. They said it was for civic pride. They said it was for jobs. They said the Browns were too valuable to lose.
Bibb said no. And for the past year, it felt heroic. And politically, Bibb’s position couldn’t be more advantageous. With a re-election campaign likely on the horizon, standing up to the Haslams plays well with his core voters — residents who have long viewed the stadium as a boondoggle and have little interest in subsidizing a team they can’t afford to watch in person.
Bibb had issued the Browns a final offer that made sense and seemed more than generous — $367 million to upgrade the current stadium, plus $93 million for future maintenance. In three years, Bibb raised $150 million in state and federal commitments for the lakefront, finalized a master plan and created a waterfront development authority to potentially unlock millions more. This was serious work. Bibb even put together the economic development tools to make it real.
And yet, here we are.
The Haslams have walked away from that deal, taking their ball — and about $1.2 billion of their own money — to Brook Park. They’ve made it crystal clear they’re leaving Cleveland. Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne continues to balk at the Browns’ request for $600 million in county-issued bonds for the Brook Park project. But the Haslams are lobbying Gov. Mike DeWine and the legislature to cough up the state’s share. DeWine has proposed jacking up the sports betting tax to pay for it, though the Haslams would prefer $600 million in bonds from the state, and they’re pushing hard to get it. They’ve even offered to put millions in escrow to cover the state bond payments, should the stadium and surrounding development fail to generate enough tax revenue.
In short, whether or not you believe the overall plan is viable, the pieces are falling into place for a stadium in Brook Park.
And what is Bibb doing? Remarkably, he’s still swinging away.
It’s easy to understand why. He’s mad. Who wouldn’t be? Just last week, the Haslams accused his administration of dragging its feet on lakefront development. They claimed Cleveland doesn’t have a competitive plan. And Bibb fired back with a blistering statement.
“The Haslam scheme pays for itself on the backs of fans,” Bibb said. He pointed out that their Brook Park fantasy depends on inflated ticket prices, expensive parking spots and hotel taxes that could make Cleveland less competitive for conventions. He said the Haslams “need to ... make it more expensive for you to attend games, and steal events away from downtown Cleveland to pay for their stadium.”
He called it “disingenuous and insulting” for the Haslams to pretend Cleveland hasn’t worked in good faith. And he’s not wrong.
Then came his next move: Bibb called for Browns Chief Operating Officer Dave Jenkins to be kicked off the North Coast Waterfront Development Corp. board — a board Jenkins had served on since October 2023. Bibb said it was inappropriate for Jenkins to stay after the Haslam Sports Group publicly trashed the city’s lakefront efforts, saying there was “no actionable plan.”
Fair point. But still, you start to wonder what the endgame is.
Because here’s the thing about winning a standoff: You need to know when it’s over.
Bibb did right by his constituents. He safeguarded the city’s resources, and he never capitulated. But he’s starting to look less like a savvy negotiator these days and more like someone still shadowboxing after the opponent has left the ring.
At this point, the smart play isn’t another sharp-tongued press release or round of name-calling. It’s figuring out how to walk away from the table with something — anything — that makes the pain of losing the Browns a little less raw for Cleveland.
What’s the severance package look like? Could the Haslams still chip in to help fix up the lakefront they’re leaving behind? Could they help fund the transformation of the old stadium site into something that truly benefits Clevelanders — perhaps a world-class waterfront park that draws people and investment? Could they offer financial support for redeveloping the lakefront, finally delivering on the potential of one of the city’s greatest assets?
These are real conversations worth having. And rumor has it the Haslams are – or at least, were – willing to discuss a substantial consolation prize for the city. But Bibb risks walking away empty-handed if he keeps throwing punches.
Justin Bibb has already shown he’s not afraid to stand up to the NFL’s billionaire bullies. He’s already done something no Cleveland mayor has ever done: said no. And in the annals of Cleveland’s political history, few acts of leadership will ever stand as tall. Now it’s time to show he knows how to close a deal, too.
Because Cleveland deserves something in return for everything it’s given the Browns. And right now, Bibb is the only one in the room who can make sure his city gets it.
Leila Atassi is the editor of the Public Interest and Advocacy team at cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. She writes a weekly opinion column on state and local issues. You can reach her atlatassi@cleveland.com.