Since returning to Cleveland in 1999, the Browns have played at FirstEnergy Stadium.
That might be changing, according to a new report from neo-trans.blog, which cites two sources saying the franchise’s ownership group is leaning toward building a new stadium rather than renovating the current one.
Haslam Sports Group is “not happy with the condition of the existing stadium and how poorly it is aging,” per the neo-trans.blog report. Additionally, the article’s sources claim that “the stadium was poorly built and the expense necessary to rebuild and add a roof to it approaches the cost of a new stadium.”
“And since the underutilized, open-air stadium occupies prime lakefront land whose development can create revenues to support a new stadium, moving the stadium and developing more lakefront land would increase the Haslams’ capacity to afford a new stadium,” the report reads.
The Haslams reportedly have two potential sites in mind and want the new stadium to have either a permanent or retractable roof in order to host other events year-round.
For what it’s worth, Browns spokesman Peter John-Baptiste told neo-trans.blog that it is “a little too far out in front of the story” right now.
The team’s lease on its current stadium runs through 2028.