The Cleveland Browns’ plan to move out of the city and play in a proposed domed stadium has run into a new obstacle.
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb sent a letter to owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam, saying the city plans to use the “Modell Law” to stop the team from leaving its current lakefront stadium. The lease for the stadium expires in 2028.
Bibb asked the Browns to respond by January 9 and either comply or face “appropriate legal action,” according to the letter.
The Modell Law was created in 1996 after former Browns owner Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore. It states that any professional sports team in Ohio that plays in a tax-supported stadium cannot move without an agreement with the city or must give six months’ notice and offer the city a chance to buy the team.
The Browns had previously filed a federal lawsuit to get “clarity” on the law, and that case is still ongoing.
In response to Bibb’s letter, the Browns said, “the statute and the city’s actions create uncertainty and do not serve the interest of Greater Cleveland.”
The city’s threat to use the Modell Law is the latest move in the ongoing back-and-forth between the Browns and the city.
The Haslams, who have owned the team since 2012, want to build a $2.4 billion domed stadium and entertainment complex in Brook Park, about 10 miles south of Cleveland. They want to share the cost of the stadium with the city and county in a public/private partnership.
The city has suggested paying half of the renovation costs for the current 65,000-seat stadium, which opened in 1999 when Cleveland received an expansion franchise.
The Haslams argue that fixing the current stadium won’t address bigger issues like parking and access. They believe a dome would help regional growth by attracting major sporting events and concerts.
