Report: Browns to forgo stadium renovation, pursue new domed stadium near airport

The Browns have decided where they'd like to play their future home games — and it's not on the shores of Lake Erie.

Per Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan, the Browns have elected to forgo a renovation of their current stadium to pursue a dome near Cleveland Hopkins airport in Brook Park.

The franchise revealed its plans for the domed stadium in August, though at that time, the club noted renovating the current downtown stadium was a possibility. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb had offered the Browns $461 million in funding for a renovation of the venue now known as Huntington Bank Field. But Ruiter reports that funding plan would not be enough to cover the stadium’s renovation needs over a 30-year lease.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and chief operating officer David Jenkins informed Bibb of the team’s decision to pursue a dome on Sept. 9.

Cleveland City Hall is expected to make an official announcement regarding the team’s stadium plans on Thursday afternoon.

The Browns have played downtown on the lakefront for their entire history — first at Cleveland Municipal Stadium from 1946-1995 and then at Huntington Bank Field since the franchise’s return in 1999.

But building a dome would allow Cleveland to pursue more marquee events such as concert tours, an NCAA Men’s Final Four, and the Big Ten championship game — if not a Super Bowl.

The Browns’ dome proposal includes $1.2 billion plus cost overruns to be paid by the Haslam Sports Group, with the remaining $1.2 billion to be covered by state, county, and local municipalities.