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The City of Cleveland has filed a lawsuit against the Cleveland Browns over the NFL team’s proposed move to a new stadium in Brook Park.
The lawsuit alleges that the Browns are violating state law and their contract agreements with the city. Cleveland is aiming to enforce the so-called ‘Modell Law’, which was enacted in 1996 and is named after former Browns owner Art Modell, who moved the team to Baltimore that year.
The law requires sports teams to give their respective cities six months’ notice before relocating and to grant the city or area residents the opportunity to buy the team first. The lawsuit filed by the City of Cleveland claims that, after accepting more than $350m (£287m/€340m) in taxpayer money to improve the team’s current stadium, the Browns are violating the Modell Law by attempting to relocate.
The Browns currently play at Huntington Bank Field in Downtown Cleveland, but the team is planning on building a new stadium in Brook Park, some 15 miles away. Earlier this month, the Browns stepped up efforts to relocate to a new domed stadium in Brook Park by advancing a land purchase agreement.
The Browns are planning on building a mixed-use development next to the new stadium, which would be located adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The Browns signalled their intention to pursue a move to Brook Park back in October, with Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb slamming the decision as “driven by a desire to maximise profits rather than positive impact”.
The Browns have been exploring the prospect of building a new stadium or renovating Huntington Bank Field since 2017, with the team’s lease at the venue expiring in 2028. At the end of October, the Browns took legal action against the City of Cleveland with a view to having the Modell Law ruled unconstitutional.
Bibb subsequently quoted the Modell Law while threatening to sue in a letter to Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam on December 30, and a lawsuit has now been filed.
In a statement released this week, the City of Cleveland claimed that the Browns’ ownership, led by Haslam Sports Group, is attempting to circumvent the law through a “hastily filed” federal lawsuit aimed at evading compliance with the Modell Law. The statement claims that the Browns are arguing the law does not apply to the team’s potential relocation plans.
Mark Griffin, law director and chief legal counsel for the City of Cleveland, said: “The Modell Law is clear: if you take taxpayer money to fund your stadium, you have obligations to the community that made that investment possible. The Haslam Group’s circumvention of these requirements not only undermines the trust of Cleveland’s residents but also violates a law designed to protect all Ohioans.”
Griffin added: “It is ironic that the Haslams, who are currently not complying with Ohio’s Modell Law, previously relied on the same law to acquire the Columbus Crew soccer team. Their use of the law to secure the Crew underscores the importance of these protections for communities and taxpayers, making their current sidestepping of the Modell Law even more glaring.”
The city’s lawsuit has been filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. It aims to enforce the Modell Law by alleging the Browns ownership violated obligations by failing to notify or offer Cleveland a chance to purchase the team.
In August, the Browns issued a first look at their potential future home in Brook Park. It came just days after the City of Cleveland made its first official move over the Browns’ stadium future by outlining a $461m funding contribution towards a redevelopment of Huntington Bank Field.
Lincoln Property Company has been announced as the development partner for the Browns’ planned mixed-use entertainment district in Brook Park. The development is set to be designed by architecture firm HKS and will be anchored by the new domed stadium.
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