CLEVELAND — The city of Cleveland has given the Browns a proposal to renovate their stadium in hopes of keeping the NFL team downtown rather than seeing it move to a new dome in suburban Brook Park.
Cleveland’s submission includes $461 million from the city, $227 million of which would come from a tax increase on tickets. The city also offered a 30-year extension of the team’s lease, which expires after the 2028 season.
Mayor Justin Bibb has asked the Browns to respond to his offer by Aug. 12.
“We are unified in our belief that transforming the current facility is unquestionably in the best interests of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County,” Bibb wrote in a letter to owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam. “We do not believe any public financial support should responsibly be made available for development of a stadium outside of the City of Cleveland.
“We look forward to cementing the team’s future here at home in the City of Cleveland.”
The Browns have played on the shores of Lake Erie since their inception in 1946.
Their new stadium was built in 1999 when they returned as an expansion franchise. While it has been upgraded, there are major traffic issues and a parking shortage due to its lakefront location.
Bibb said the Browns staying downtown is “crucial to many downtown businesses and jobs.”
The Browns are trying to decide between a massive renovation of the existing stadium that would cost more than $1 billion or building a dome about 14 miles south of Cleveland. That project would cost $2.4 billion or more, and the Haslams are hoping to fund it with city, state and county tax money.
Last week, the Haslams said no decision has been made and that they remain open-minded.
The stressed their intent is do what’s in the best interest of Browns fans. On Monday, general manager Andrew Berry said he would prefer the team playing in a dome.
“As we have said consistently throughout this process, we continue to communicate and collaborate with the cities of Cleveland and Brook Park, Cuyahoga County, and the state of Ohio on a long-term stadium solution that creates a world-class experience for our fans and positively impacts Northeast Ohio,” Haslam Sports Group CEO Dave Jenkins said in a statement.
“We are working diligently to comprehensively examine all options to identify the best path for not only our fans, but also greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Our region deserves to be thought of as evolving, forward-thinking, and innovative, so we need to think boldly and creatively in this process.”
Scary injury
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP) — Cleveland Browns running back D’Onta Foreman was expected to be released from a hospital Thursday after sustaining a neck injury during a kickoff drill in practice.
Foreman was immobilized on the field Thursday morning and flown by helicopter from the Browns’ training camp at The Greenbrier Resort to Carilion Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia. The team said X-rays and other imaging tests were negative and the 28-year-old will return to the team.
That was the news the Browns had hoped to hear after a scary scene hours earlier.
The team said Foreman took a “direct blow to the head that resulted in neck pain.” Foreman had movement in all of his extremities.
Foreman, who was wearing a protective, padded Guardian Cap over his helmet, was treated on the field by medical staff before being strapped to a backboard. He was driven a short distance from the facility in an ambulance and transferred to the helicopter for the fight to the hospital.
The Browns continued practice after Foreman was taken away. When it ended, head trainer Joe Sheehan addressed the team and players and coaches took a knee in prayer.
“It’s tough,” linebacker Jordan Hicks said. “It’s part of football. It’s probably the worst part of football, but we’ve got a great medical team and praying and hoping for the best.”
Foreman signed with the Browns as a free agent in March. He gives Cleveland some depth at the position as Nick Chubb works his way back from a season-ending knee injury and two surgeries.
Foreman is entering his seventh season. He was drafted by Houston in the third round in 2017 after playing at Texas.
Foreman played two seasons with the Texans, two with Tennessee and one each with Carolina and Chicago. He’s rushed for 2,326 career years and 14 touchdowns.
Last season, Foreman rushed for 425 yards and four TDs in nine games with the Bears.
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