The Cleveland Browns are thrilled to be going ahead with their plans for a new stadium. They plan to build a major entertainment complex in Brook Park, just 15 miles south of Cleveland. Last October, officials announced new plans. This is happening just as the Browns’ existing lease with the city of Cleveland is set to expire at the end of the 2028 NFL season. That proposed move has touched off some of the country’s most intense local debate. This drama peaked when the city of Cleveland took legal action to trigger the “Art Modell Law,” created in 1996.
The so-called “Art Modell Law” was born after former Browns owner Art Modell relocated the franchise to Baltimore. Specifically, this law is meant to stop similar moves by forcing professional sports franchises in tax-supported Ohio stadiums to negotiate with their home city before being able to relocate. The law requires a six-month notice period and gives cities the right of first refusal to buy the team. Recent modifications to the state’s two-year budget were just signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine shortly before the midnight cutoff this past Monday. These legislative amendments narrow the law’s application to scenarios in which a local team tries to relocate outside Ohio.
With the new budget in place, the Browns expressed their satisfaction, calling it a “tremendous milestone for our organization.” They emphasized the importance of collaboration between Governor DeWine and the Legislature to “find a responsible way to support such a transformative project.”
Democratic lawmakers from Cleveland and the surrounding area are raising the alarm against the funding proposal. Critics have condemned it as a huge financial handout to the team’s millionaire owners. Critics claim that it erodes the public’s trust and establishes a scary precedent for upcoming funding initiatives.
Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb articulated his discontent regarding the budget approval, stating, “We are deeply disappointed that the final state budget includes both a $600 million public subsidy for a domed stadium in Brook Park and changes to Ohio’s Modell Law — provisions we strongly opposed and requested be removed.” He raised concerns that relocating the Browns would divert economic activity away from downtown Cleveland, threaten local entertainment districts, and disrupt ongoing lakefront redevelopment efforts.
Democratic leaders outside the Legislature have voiced their opposition, threatening legal action against Governor DeWine for what they deem an unconstitutional raid on unclaimed funds without due process. They claim there is already an ill-defined 10-year clock running before these dollars default back to the state. They warn that eroding this important statute might create substantial new obstacles to future spending and other public finance determinations.
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