Browns Break Ground on $2.4B Domed Stadium in Brook Park

BROOK PARK, Ohio — Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and his family joined local and state officials Thursday for the groundbreaking of a new domed stadium set to open in 2029, marking a key step in the team's relocation from downtown Cleveland.

The 67,500-seat facility, located next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and about 15 miles south of downtown, represents a roughly $2.4 billion project. The Haslam Sports Group, founded by Haslam, his wife Dee and their daughter and son-in-law, is funding $1.76 billion along with any cost overruns. Ohio has pledged $600 million, though that contribution remains on hold amid a class-action lawsuit challenging the state's use of $1 billion from its Unclaimed Funds Account for sports facilities. Brook Park has yet to approve its planned $245 million share.

Construction proceeds despite the uncertainties. Governor Mike DeWine, who leaves office in January after two terms, expressed frustration with the litigation but optimism about its outcome. "This is clearly going to go on for a while and so I'm not happy about that," DeWine said after the ceremony. "I think that we're going to win this case in court. ... If we do not win, if...