**Previous Report: Last year, Browns owners revealed they’d been working with city of Cleveland on a plan to enhance the area around FirstEnergy Stadium.”
CLEVLAND (WJW) — The owners of the Cleveland Browns are responding to a report they are looking into a new stadium, possibly at a new location.
Last week, Ken Prendergast with NEOtrans blog reported two sources close to the team said the Browns were leaning toward building a new stadium, instead of renovating the current FirstEnergy Stadium.
The report went on to speculate where two of those considered locations could be: The main post office, and another spot near East 13th Street.
Pendergast did not name his sources, but said the proposed project would cost more than a billion dollars, some of which would likely include taxpayer money.
Monday, a representative for the Haslam Sports Group shared a statement with FOX 8 news, clarifying the team’s moves.
“Contrary to recent speculation, a recent feasibility study we launched does not contemplate a new stadium or showcase new stadium sites,” said Peter John-Baptiste, senior vice president of communications with Haslam Sports Group.
Instead, they said they were looking into renovating the current site, while focusing on rehabbing the area around the stadium, as already outlined in a plan shared last year.
Read the full statement below:
“As we have consistently communicated, along with the City of Cleveland, the Greater Cleveland Partnership and other prominent local organizations, we have been immersed in discussing ways to best approach the lakefront’s future and the stadium naturally is a critical piece to the long-term execution of such a project. Contrary to recent speculation, a recent feasibility study we launched does not contemplate a new stadium or showcase new stadium sites. A significant stadium renovation at our current site is the premise of the study as well as a focus on how to provide accessibility to the lakefront, drive density and create 365-destination major development opportunities that would include new public parks, retail, office, experiential and residential spaces. The vision, as many in our community have already seen, is centered on an extensive land bridge. As we are just beginning the study, we certainly do not have enough information to determine the cost of renovating the stadium or what the aesthetics of such a renovation would entail. We believe our study will help answer those questions and should be completed in 2023. The future of the stadium is one of several important pieces to the long-term execution of the lakefront project, and our organization looks forward to continuing to work with our community partners and leaders to identify next steps and our role in helping advance this initiative.”
Peter John-Baptiste, Haslam Sports Group
