To understand why the Cleveland Browns’ campus expansion matters so much to Berea, you have to see it the way Cyril Kleem does — through the eyes of a boy who grew up on Front Street, about a block from the team’s headquarters.
“Back in the day, there were dozens of businesses on Front Street,” said Kleem, who is now in his fifth term as Berea’s mayor. “The Berea auto mile. Several car dealerships. There were restaurants. A Dairy Queen, a putt-putt course, office buildings.
“None of those businesses are here today.”
That’s because two things happened in quick succession in the late 1990s: the Browns left town, and the trains started showing up — in force. After a federal merger of major railroads, freight traffic was rerouted through Berea, sending up to 150 trains a day through the city.
Some would sit for hours, blocking streets and access. People stopped coming. Businesses left.
By the time Kleem was elected mayor, the Browns had returned and so had Berea's long-term vision. The city built a bridge over the tracks to reconnect the neighborhood, acquired nearby land for future development and laid the groundwork for a comeback.
That vision took a significant step forward on Thursday, June 4, when the Browns’ leadership and their regional partners broke ground on a 16-acre project dubbed the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus Expansion, scheduled to open in early 2027.
While the team continues to wait on the state's decision regarding funding for its Brook Park stadium plan, this development is full speed ahead.
The privately-funded project will cost between $150 million and $200 million and feature a blend of community, residential and commercial amenities.
Plans include:
A 7,000-seat, multi-sport community field designed for youth, high school and adult recreational use. It will be the new home football field for Berea-Midpark High School.
The 140-room Barker Hotel, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel by Marriott, developed in partnership with Crawford Hoying and operated by the Shaner Hotel Group.
A sports medicine and wellness facility operated by University Hospitals, the Browns’ official healthcare partner. It is expected to be completed in one year.
Two apartment buildings totaling 150 units, 45,000 square feet of office space, and 15,000 square feet of retail to serve a walkable, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.
The project is a joint effort among the City of Berea, CrossCountry Mortgage, DiGeronimo Companies, Haslam Sports Group and University Hospitals.
“This is going to be a catalyst for the entire transformation of the north end of Berea,” Kleem said. “The Browns have been part of Berea for nearly 60 years. They’re part of the fabric of our community, and with this project, they will be a part of the fabric for many, many years to come.”
The Browns initially planned for 30,000 square feet of retail space when they announced the expansion in October, but scaled it back to 15,000 to accommodate a larger locker room for the community field — a change required to meet Ohio High School Athletic Association standards.
The price tag, meanwhile, was scaled up from an original estimate of $150 million.
“You have (rising) costs, you have tariffs,” Haslam Sports Group COO David Jenkins said. “You could do more and you could do less with the project. So, we’re putting a range on it. But I think we’ve always said $150 (million) to $175 (million). Now, it could be more.”
The Browns built their current practice facility in Berea in 1990, and their lease with the city runs through 2039. The expansion comes as the Browns are planning to build a new domed stadium in Brook Park that would open in 2029. That project would also be flanked by mixed-use development.
For the Berea expansion, the Browns purchased between 40 and 50 parcels of land owned by the city and of its residents, with Kleem estimating that 70 different people had to sign off on selling their property to the team. The Browns purchased the former home of Mount Zion Baptist and spent more than $1 million building the congregation a new, 7,000-square-foot church.
“I can say without a doubt that they are the best example of a corporate partner you could ask for,” Kleem said. “From their investments in fighting chronic student absenteeism through the ‘Stay in the Game’ network, to paying for local playgrounds and football fields — the Haslam family has always done what’s best for our community.”