The Browns have overcome several hurdles in their quest to leave downtown Cleveland for a new stadium in suburban Brook Park. They now have another.
Via multiple reports, and as first reported by NEOtrans blog, the Ohio Department of Transportation has rejected a building permit, explaining that the structure is too tall.
“The purpose of this letter is to notify you that your permit application concerning the proposed construction of a commercial building at the above submitted location and height has been denied for the following reason: the proposed structure has been determined to be an obstruction to air navigation,” the August 1, 2025 letter states.
The stadium, per the ODOT, exceeds the maximum height for the location by 58 feet.
The Browns have issued a statement to multiple outlets containing their position on the issue.
“Our aviation consultants were surprised by ODOT’s letter from two weeks ago, which is flatly at odds with the FAA’s careful analyses and determinations resulting from well over a year of in-depth work, that found our proposed stadium poses no airspace hazards,” a Haslam Sports Group spokesperson said. “They’ve also noted several other existing structures in Ohio that exceed the height ODOT apparently now finds objectionable. . . . We’ve already begun working collaboratively with ODOT to explain the stadium’s heights and the detailed work we’ve done more fully, which shows no safety or efficiency issues to Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport. We look forward to resolving this matter expeditiously and continuing our work to bring this transformative project to Northeast Ohio.”
The Browns hope to commence construction in early 2026, with the goal of christening the stadium in 2029.
Concerns regarding football stadiums and flying aren’t new. Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara has been the subject of complaints from pilots, due to the bright lights in the venue. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood was buried 100 feet into the ground, in order to accommodate flight paths at nearby LAX.
The new Browns stadium, as planned, will have a playing surface 80 feet deep. Apparently, they may need to dig a little deeper.