Oct 25, 2024
The Cleveland Browns sued the City of Cleveland in federal court on Thursday, claiming an Ohio law—Revised Code 9.67, the so-called “Art Modell law”—is unconstitutional and can’t legally block the team from building and relocating to a domed stadium in nearby Brook Park.
The Browns’ complaint contains six counts, five of which are demands for declarations that the Modell Law violates the U.S. Constitution, with a sixth seeking a finding that even if the law is constitutional, the Browns have followed it.
The Browns’ lease with Cleveland to play at the publicly owned Huntington Bank Field will expire in 2029, after which the Browns say they will have “no right or obligation” to continue to play at HBF. The team is exploring a stadium project in Brook Park, a city about 15 miles from Cleveland. While HBF is used for major events 10 to 12 times per year, the Browns say the envisioned Brook Park stadium would host as many as 70 major events a year and “drive significant economic activity” in and around Cleveland.
Source: Sportico