Latest news with #CuyahogaCounty
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Cleveland Browns clash with city over plan to move stadium to the suburbs
For Ryan James, co-owner of the Flat Iron Cafe, Cleveland's oldest Irish pub, National Football League game days are a lifeline in an increasingly difficult business climate. 'We open up at 9am, and within a few hours, both floors are full of supporters,' he says. The pub bought a bus to shuttle fans the one-mile drive to the Browns' stadium on the Lake Erie waterfront. 'We carry 150 people on that alone.' He estimates that the eight or nine days a year that the Cleveland Browns play at home account for up to 10% of his annual revenue – a critical amount in a business with such tight margins. But now, James and hundreds of other local businesses in downtown Cleveland are faced with the prospect of taking a major financial hit. Except for a brief spell in the 1990s, fans have thronged downtown Cleveland on Sundays in fall and winter to cheer on their NFL team, the Cleveland Browns, for 80 years. The stadium and team have served as an economic linchpin for the downtown area in good times and bad. In parking and hotel taxes alone, the city is thought to earn about $1m per game. But now, the team wants to move to Brook Park, a suburb south-west of Cleveland, and build a new, $2.4bn domed stadium – half of which its owners are asking to be paid by Cuyahoga county and Ohio taxpayers. It's an issue that communities across the country are facing as major sports franchises move to build or update facilities to make them usable for a range of events, all while asking taxpayers to kick in billions of dollars. The Browns' billionaire owners, Jimmy Haslam and his wife, Dee, maintain that the city of Cleveland has dragged its feet on committing to funding updates to the current stadium, and that the new stadium would drive investment to another part of the region. The city, which owns the stadium, had offered to commit $500m to efforts to renovate the stadium at its current location. 'I don't want to see our taxpayers get fleeced in a deal that socializes the risk back to them and puts the profits in the pockets of a few,' says Chris Ronayne, the Cuyahoga county executive. 'We're talking about something bigger than these teams; we're talking about community vibrancy. The move away is counter to our strategy of keeping the downtown robust.' The Browns and the city have filed lawsuits against each other. Currently, the city of Cleveland pays $1.3m in property taxes and insurance for the stadium annually, with the Browns contributing $250,000 in rent. The team is believed to be worth about $5.15bn, and earns about $100m a year in gate receipts alone. The use of public funds to pay for sports facilities used by billionaire owners is a growing source of contention for cities and their residents around the US. In Kansas City, the Royals (Major League Baseball) and Chiefs (NFL) franchises had teamed up to attempt to persuade local authorities to pay up to $1.7bn through a 40-year sales tax that, in part, would pay for new stadium suites and parking facilities. But last year, voters in Jackson county, Missouri, rejected the proposal. In Chicago, the city's storied Bears (NFL) franchise has been vacillating between building a new facility in the city – a move backed by the city's mayor that would see $2.4bn of public spending – and out of town to a location 25 miles from the city center. In places such as Jacksonville, Florida, and Nashville, Tennessee, taxpayers are contributing billions of dollars to finance facility renovations or entire new stadiums. Dozens of NFL teams, whose average value has doubled in recent years, argue that improving their facilities is only possible with the help of public money. In Los Angeles, however, the owner of the Rams, Stan Kroenke, paid all $5bn for the cost of the SoFi Stadium, which opened in 2020. In Cleveland, county authorities say they are not explicitly opposed to supporting the Browns' stadium needs at its current location. 'We can make a renovation, and you can have a conversation in the future about a new dome stadium downtown,' says Ronayne. '[But] this is the youngest of the three [professional sports facilities] downtown. This mad rush to Brook Park is just a boondoggle.' The state of Ohio, whose legislature has a Republican supermajority, has said it plans to kick in $600m of taxpayer money through bonds, meaning that residents hundreds of miles from Cleveland with no interest in the team or the sport, could find themselves paying for this new stadium, and any interest accrued on those bonds. The state budget that would include hundreds of millions of dollars of funding must be signed into law by Ohio's governor, Mike DeWine, by 30 June. DeWine, a Republican, has previously expressed his opposition to the funding proposal and can veto bills that have cleared Ohio's legislature, though he regularly follows the party line. An investigation by the Ohio Capital Journal recently found that politicians who have voiced support for the new Browns stadium have received tens of thousands of dollars in donations from the Haslams, who also own the Columbus Crew Major League Soccer team and hold a stake in the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, and are thought to be worth about $8.5bn. This is happening at a time that Ohio politicians are proposing cuts to the state's education budget that would result in a financial hole several hundreds of millions of dollars in size. But some believe that using the Browns' current home, a valuable, visible space in downtown Cleveland just eight or nine times a year for football games, with a few concerts thrown in, is a waste. The Greater Cleveland Partnership, the metro area's chamber of commerce, supports the move, calling it 'more practical' than investing in the Browns' current site. Both Jimmy and Dee Haslam sit on the Partnership's executive committee. In Brook Park, locals say they would welcome the stadium nearby. 'I think it would be good for my business and the people of Brook Park. It's really not even moving out of Cleveland and most of the people who go to the games are in the suburbs anyway,' says Sam Clarke, who runs a graphics design company a short distance from the site of the proposed new stadium. 'But it's not going to matter if the owners are always making the worst moves. They can't really ever seem to get out of their own way. You can play wherever you want but it doesn't change the bigger issue.' For James, a Browns fan who has run the Flat Iron Cafe in downtown Cleveland for 17 years, the stadium drama is about one thing. 'It's just billionaires trying to make more billions, and I can't stomach that,' he says. 'I have no respect for the organization.'
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lawsuit filed against Cleveland Heights and mayor's wife: I-Team
[WATCH: Previous coverage, in the video player above, from the FOX 8 I-team.] CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) -– A former Cleveland Heights employee is suing the City of Cleveland Heights and the mayor's wife. Atty. Sean Sobel, filed the lawsuit on behalf of Patrick Costigan, who worked as a special assistant to Mayor Kahlil Seren. The lawsuit was filed Friday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Costigan states in the suit that the mayor's wife, Natalie McDaniel, who is not a city employee, was acting as his supervisor and made antisemitic remarks. VIDEO: Shootout with police near University of Akron 'Seren has publicly referred to McDaniel as the 'First Lady' of Cleveland Heights, and acknowledged that she acts as his counsel and advisor,' the lawsuit states. 'McDaniel has been personally involved in official Cleveland Heights business, including sitting in on numerous committee meetings and job interviews for Cleveland Heights employees and consultants. Costigan was specifically ordered by Mayor Seren to follow all directives given to him by McDaniel as if they were coming directly from the Mayor. ' The FOX 8 I-Team reached out to Cleveland Heights officials to discuss the lawsuit but have not yet heard back. 'Costigan identifies as an ethnic Jew,' the suit states. 'Costigan, on multiple occasions, discussed his Jewish heritage with McDaniel, and she was fully aware that he identified as an ethnic Jew. McDaniel subjected Costigan to countless anti-Semitic remarks, orally and in writing, directed at Cleveland Heights elected officials, employees, and even a resident. McDaniel made a comment to Costigan, while using what can be described as a stereotypical New York Jewish accent, that 'black people don't grow up with generational wealth and things like a Jewish accountant,' when discussing new state legislation that would charge interested parties for police body camera footage. McDaniel made numerous comments about City Council's desire to recruit a 'Jewish candidate' to fill an open council seat, and also referred to now-council member Jim Posch multiple times as the 'Jewish candidate' the majority of council wanted.' Alcohol factor in early morning shooting: Police The mayor has denied the allegations and has said his wife's remarks were taken out of context and some were altered. The mayor also alleged that Costigan made the allegations after he refused an offer from Costigan to settle prior to a lawsuit being filed. 'The frequency and severity of these anti-Semitic and homophobic comments created a hostile work environment for Costigan and gave him no choice but to seek medical leave from the City,' the suit further states. 'On February 5, 2025, Costigan corresponded with Dan Horrigan, who was the City Administrator at the time, and cited a personal matter with McDaniel as contributing to his health issues and necessitating medical leave. After the City did nothing to follow up with the issues that Costigan referenced with McDaniel, the City terminated Costigan's employment on March 13, 2025.' Costigan has also filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. 'Not only did McDaniel make anti-Semitic statements to Costigan, but she also subjected him to grossly derogatory comments towards the LGBTQ community, of which Costigan is a member,' the suit further stated. School board votes to suspend Ohio high school Costigan is asking a judge to order the city make several changes including to 'institute policies to safeguard against further discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race, gender, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation or identity, age, or any other protected class' and to 'certify that non-employees are not permitted to conduct official city business or be given unsupervised access to areas of Cleveland Heights City Hall that are reserved only for Cleveland Heights employees or elected officials.' Security video obtained by the I-Team through a public records request shows Mayor Kahlil Seren enter the Cleveland Heights Law Department office early in the morning on Thursday, April 3, for about four minutes. Then, also in the afternoon on Saturday, April 5, you see the mayor go in for about two minutes. City hall was closed both times. The mayor appeared to let himself into the office both times, even though he had said during an April 2 Cleveland Heights Council meeting that he does not have access to get inside the Law Department. James Bates, a Cleveland Heights resident, said he wants to know why the Mayor went inside the Law Department when the office was closed. He added that he believes, due to all the recent issues, the mayor should resign. The I-Team also asked for the body camera video of an interaction the Mayor's wife had with Cleveland Heights police officers inside City Hall on December 6. The Law Department has declined to release the video. Meanwhile, some city residents have started taking steps to recall the mayor. About a dozen residents started circulating a petition and collecting signatures. Seren, who is up for reelection in the fall, has pulled petitions to run for reelection. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local group pushing to eliminate property taxes starts collecting signatures this week
LAKEWOOD, Ohio (WJW) – This week marks the start of a major push by a local group aimed at eliminating property taxes. Their goal is to collect enough signatures to get their petition on the November ballot. Beth Blackmarr, of Lakewood, said her home's assessed value went up over 50% when she got her property tax re-evaluation last year. 'I opened it up and nearly fainted. It went from $188,000 to $299,000. And I said, 'that's it,'' Blackmarr said. Legal bills show city cost of trying to keep Browns in Cleveland: I-Team In Ohio, state-mandated property reappraisals happen every six years. Blackmarr joined Citizens for Property Tax Reform, a Cuyahoga County grassroots group with a clear mission. 'Together, we formed the committee to eliminate property taxes and there has been movement,' Blackmarr said. This week marks the start of signature collection, as well as petition-signing events for an amendment that would be a clause to the Ohio Constitution abolishing property taxes. Earlier this month, it was certified by the Ohio Attorney General, giving it the green light to move forward. 'When it comes to signing this petition, a signature is not a vote. What we are looking for is the opportunity to take the vote to the citizens of Ohio,' Blackmarr said. State leaders still think it's too easy to amend the Ohio Constitution In order for it to make the November ballot, the group has quite a task ahead. 'Our goal is 600,000 signatures by July 1,' Blackmarr said. The group said critics of the proposed amendment argue that eliminating property taxes could impact funding for things like schools and other essential services. 'The Ohio Revised Code has built into it alternate funding for schools and city services, so they have this already in place,' Blackmarr said. Find more information on presentation and petition signing events here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cavs, Guardians concerned about sin tax with Browns plan to build dome
CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Guardians now talking about more money for their stadiums. This comes in the midst of a firestorm over public funding to help the Browns build a dome in Brook Park. The Haslam Sports Group plans to spend more than $1 billion on the $2.4 billion project. The team is proposing a public, private partnership and asking for public money, including $600 million from the state. That's money the state would borrow in bonds and profits from the project would be used to pay back the bond debt. Council meeting about Cleveland Heights mayor turns contentious, ends abruptly A decision on that funding is expected in the next few weeks. State Senator Jerry Cirino told the I-Team that lawmakers are taking 'a careful and deliberate look at it.' Now, the owner of the Guardians and the group managing Rocket Arena are writing to local leaders about their concerns with the county sin tax. The I-Team obtained copies of the letters that were sent to the Greater Cleveland Partnership on May 21. 'As you are probably aware, the Sin Tax is an existing excise tax that is used by Cuyahoga County, through the Gateway Economic Development Corporation of Greater Cleveland, to fund major capital repairs on the publicly owned arena. In exchange, we make annual rent payments and fund capital repairs and maintenance expenses under S500K associated with the arena. Both the capital repair and lease payment responsibilities are dictated by the current lease we have in place with Gateway. This is all relevant because, as you may be aware, Sin Tax revenue has not kept up with the expenses it was originally intended to cover. Essentially, the county and the city are forced to rely on 1990 dollars to pay for 2025 expenses. In partnership with the city and the county, we have worked with the other professional sports teams in Cleveland, local business leaders, the Greater Cleveland Partnership, and the state of Ohio to improve the current Sin Tax mechanism so that it can become the sustainable source of funds it was originally intended to be,' the letter from Nic Barlage, Rock Entertainment Group CEO states. 'To be clear, these activities have been as transparent and inviting as possible to ensure the inclusion of all interested parties, while allowing for flexibility and thoughtful collaboration. We have worked hard to build consensus through a vision of mutual benefit rather than through pressure. 'Our approach was working. Policymakers locally and in Columbus acknowledged the value of our work and indicated support for allowing the people of Cuyahoga County to determine whether the Sin Tax should be updated to account for today's costs. 'Despite months of work toward achieving a solution that could accommodate venue needs well into the future, it has recently become clear that this positive momentum is at risk. The optimism conveyed in GCP's 'World-Class Stadiums and World-Class Waterfronts' statement obscures the complex political considerations involved with the Cleveland Browns' planned move to Brook Park and silences the impact of these considerations on the public-private efforts to modernize the Sin Tax. We believe, based on our engagement locally, that a Sin Tax modernization effort, which is intertwined with the Brook Park plan and strips local control from the decision-making process, undoing decades of precedent, is doomed to fail-leaving all worse off. Merging the issues of the future home of the Browns (which we have been and will remain neutral on) with the Sin Tax is not only problematic because it imperils our fundamental ability to modernize the Sin Tax through a ballot initiative, but also because (i) there is a clear lack of consensus among members on the issue, and (ii) a comprehensive and transparent discussion of the issues has not occurred with either the executive committee or the broader board. Given all of this, we are left with the unshakable impression that the interests of all GCP members are not equal, which belies the basic principles of partnership.' Guardians owner Paul Dolan also sent a similar letter outlining his concerns about the sin tax, which is a tax on beer, wine and cigarettes to help pay for major repairs to Cleveland sports stadiums. The letter from Dolan adds, 'we believe it is essential the future needs of Progressive Field are also prioritized.' Guardians pitcher Ben Lively out the rest of the season, needs surgery The Browns are not counting on the sin tax to help with construction of the enclosed stadium project in Brook Park, but the Browns have always been in favor of continuing the current approach that shares the Sin Tax proceeds across the three teams in the county. A spokeswoman with Cuyahoga County sent us the following statement: 'The sin tax covers capital repairs for all three stadiums. Money goes to Gateway for Progressive Field and The Rocket Arena and to the City of Cleveland Stadium Fund for the Browns Stadium. Our agreement is with the City of Cleveland and not the Browns. We collected $13,293,716.47 in 2024 from the sin tax. One-third went to the City of Cleveland for the benefit of the Browns. The other 2/3 benefits Gateway facilities (Progressive Field and Rocket Arena). Per Ohio Revised Code, sin tax can only be used to fund capital related items. All payments are made on behalf of capital repair expenditures or debt services related to those expenditures. ' Meanwhile, the letters we obtained about the sin tax come just months after another big investment in the ballpark and Rocket Arena. The city and the county were asked for an 'extra' $40 million. Money for major repairs that are separate from major renovations. Late last year, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne spoke of finding a better way to fund the sports stadiums long-term. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘I have him trapped': Robbery suspect stopped by Cleveland bank teller
CLEVELAND (WJW) – Video released to the FOX 8 I-Team shows a suspected bank robber busted before he ever got out the door. The suspect was busted by a bank teller. Cleveland police took a 911 call from a woman saying, 'Police, I need the police. Huntington Bank. I've just been robbed.' The call came in from a bank at 55th Street and Broadway Avenue. Cavs, Guardians concerned about sin tax with Browns plan to build dome Body camera video shows, as police arrived, they found the suspect already locked up. 'Yes, ma'am, I have him trapped in our security doors. He's pulling on the doors right now,' the worker told police. Police saw a man trapped in the lobby. The doors were locked by a bank teller before the suspected robber even left the bank for the getaway. 'Hey, no, no. Raise your hands behind your head. Raise your fingers behind your head,' an officer ordered the man. 'He passed a note,' the worker added. Police found a fake gun and a suspect not happy about being busted before even leaving the bank. 'I can't do nothing. I'm (bleep) locked in,' he said. Man sentenced to prison after stealing $8.5 million from Ohioans in sports betting Ponzi scheme Investigators arrested James Dodrill. Cuyahoga County prosecutors indicted him for aggravated robbery and robbery. Dodrill has pleaded not guilty. Police also found more than evidence inside the bank. Video shows, as officers searched the suspect, they found a wad of cash. If he's convicted, Dodrill might get locked up in prison. Here, even the crime scene turned into a lock-up. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
