CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered more delays getting millions of dollars in repairs made to Cleveland Browns Stadium.
We’ve found some of the work dates back years.
We recently revealed the city was not getting projects done. Now, new records show more maintenance projects haven’t been completed, or have been put off — even as the team talks about major renovations.
The I-Team first showed you the city had not done $10.5 million in emergency repairs and other projects approved a year ago.
Now, a 2021 project to repair fire alarms is still labelled as “under construction.”
We noticed a bunch of other projects from last year were kicked to this year. We also saw this year’s emergency repairs are still under construction. Records show more work labelled as “proposed.”
Stadium projects include everything from concrete work to electrical work to gutters.
Many projects have been completed. But, season ticketholders have told us they expect the city to stay on top of it all.
The I-Team has a lot of questions about this. We tried getting answers over parts of two days. But at the mayor’s office, we were first told Mayor Justin Bibb would not be talking to us. Later, the mayor’s office told us no one else would be talking to us, either.
After the FOX 8 deadline, the city sent a statement, saying, “Certain repairs are necessary to maintain the facility. Two-thirds of the projects are completed or being worked on. … Projects across the city, not just those at Browns stadium, vary based on complexity and issues that arise. They are completed at the pace to which resources and personnel allow. Some take longer than others.”
The I-Team’s spotlight on city maintenance delays comes as the Browns talk about major stadium renovations.
The team’s owners have said they prefer to remodel the stadium and develop the area around it.
“Our preference is to be on the lakefront,” Jimmy Haslam told reporters last month. “But you have to see how things play out. It will be fluid and there will be bumps on the road.”
In the meantime, fans will come back soon for another season, and the I-Team is keeping score on stadium repairs and what’s not getting done.