Browns Show Off Proposed $2.4B Stadium, Entertainment District in New Video

The Cleveland Browns showed off a new video with renderings for the planned Huntington Bank Field in Brook Park, a new enclosed stadium that will cost a projected $2.4 billion.

The team wrote in a letter to fans on Tuesday that "a new enclosed stadium with an adjacent mixed-used development is the most viable long-term solution. The enclosed stadium will draw millions of visitors to the region throughout the year for premier large-scale events which will drive the fiscal and economic impact necessary to pay for the public portion of the funding model. Second, the location is of great importance. The new stadium will sit less than a mile from Cleveland city limits, and is easily accessible from two major highways, which is particularly important since 85% of our home game attendees live outside of the city limits."

One of the interesting features of the proposed project is the dome setup. When you think of AFC North games, you often envision bitter cold, physical showdowns in the winter months between hated rivals, where you can see the players' breaths steam through their facemasks and a dusting of snow has settled upon the stadium.

A dome would offer a much different vibe for the Dawg Pound, though some will argue that sitting in the freezing cold for December and early January football isn't the best experience.

The idea is to have an "innovative transparent roof, maximizing natural light to provide the feel of the outdoors while amplifying the sounds of gameday or a live concert," the team wrote in its letter to fans, alongside a "seating bowl with the closest seats to the action for the most intimate feel of any NFL stadium, and an NFL first-of-its-kind 'Fan Wall' to celebrate our team's most ardent fans and intimidate opponents."

The Haslam Sports Group, alongside its developmental partners, will contribute $2 billion to the project, which will also include the mixed-use development zone near the stadium.

Cleveland, however, has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the Browns from leaving city limits.

The city has cited the "Modell Law," which according to the Associated Press states that "any professional sports team that uses state funding for its facility for home games can't leave without permission or providing advance notice. The law, passed in 1996, also gives residents a chance to buy the team or find a new buyer. In the lawsuit, the city claims the Browns violated the law by not doing either."

The "Modell Law" was created in response to the late Art Modell relocating the Browns to Baltimore in 1995. The Browns have claimed that the city is "misguiding Clevelanders by inaccurately conflating the Brook Park project with Modell breaking a lease and moving a team to an entirely different state."