Latest news with #JimmyHaslam
New York Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Fight continues as Browns plan to move from downtown, build indoor stadium
The Cleveland Browns say they're moving forward with their plan to build an indoor stadium in suburban Brook Park. Unsurprisingly, the public bickering around the team's planned exit from Cleveland continues. This week, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb told Cleveland's Fox 8 News that the city has 'more important priorities than the Cleveland Browns' and it has to 'move on. If they go to Brook Park, God bless them. Good luck.' Advertisement That led to Bibb's office releasing a formal statement clarifying that the city intends to fight to keep the Browns in downtown Cleveland despite the Haslam Sports Group's plan to build an indoor stadium in Brook Park, about 15 minutes southwest of the city and not far from the team's daily training facility in Berea. Mayor Bibb reinforces his commitment to protecting Cleveland taxpayers. — Office of Mayor Bibb (@CLEMayorsOffice) May 21, 2025 Team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have long explored options for a new stadium. For 18 months, they've been firm that they prefer to build an indoor facility over renovating the current Huntington Bank Field. The team's current stadium lease expires after the 2028 season. 'The Haslams are taking extreme measures to relocate the team away from downtown in an irreversible move that will negatively impact Cleveland and numerous small businesses that have stood by and supported their team,' Bibb said in the statement. Haslam Sports Group has pledged $1.2 billion in private investment, plus a promise to pay cost overruns for the Brook Park facility. With an estimated total price tag of $2.4 million, the Browns' plan is to ask for $600 million in bonds from both the state and Cuyahoga County, money that would eventually be repaid with tax revenues created by the Brook Park stadium project. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has a June 30 deadline to sign the state budget into law. The Ohio House passed its version of the budget last month, and it's now in the state Senate. DeWine had originally proposed doubling the state tax on sports betting to raise money for new stadiums instead of pledging $600 million in state bonds. In March, Jimmy Haslam said the Browns hoped to begin construction in early 2026 if the funding is approved next month. Last summer, the Browns formally rolled out drawings and plans for their new entertainment complex on the site of a former Ford plant. In a letter sent by Haslam Sports Group to Cuyahoga County executives earlier this month, the team essentially said it will move forward even without the county's support. Advertisement 'Renovating the (current) stadium and putting more than $1 billion into a short-term fix that would present the same dilemma 15 to 20 years from now is neither a strategic nor a fiscally responsible long-term approach,' the Browns' letter said. There have been a lot of letters and statements amid other paperwork in this Browns versus Cleveland battle. The city and team also have dueling lawsuits over the Modell Law, with Cleveland maintaining the Browns would be in violation of the 1996 law named after former team owner Art Modell if they moved to Brook Park, and the Browns filing a challenge to that in federal court. In January, the city sued the Browns in an attempt to enforce the Modell Law, which requires a team that takes taxpayer money and plays in a tax-supported facility to either obtain the city's permission or allow it and others to purchase the team before moving away from that facility. The Browns maintain that the Modell Law would apply only if the team were trying to move out of state, as Modell did, and that the team holds the right to move freely once the current lease expires. The fight is not only over funding, but also how to best use the lakefront land on which the current stadium sits. There has been little new development around the stadium over three decades, and the Haslam Sports Group wants not only to hold more events year-round in Brook Park, but also to own the parking lots surrounding the new facility. In January, Bibb called the Brook Park project 'the Haslam scheme' and said it was a 'ploy' that would 'raise your taxes, make it more expensive for you to attend games and steal events away from downtown.' After the Greater Cleveland Partnership endorsed the Browns' plan to move forward with their Brook Park project, the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County released a joint statement saying they would no longer participate with the Greater Cleveland Partnership in meetings involving civic vision and development. 'No amount of money can account for the irreversible damage caused by the construction of an unneeded entertainment district that competes with downtown and suburban entertainment districts,' the statement said.
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Browns QB Deshaun Watson out of boot, throwing at facility
May 21 - Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, recovering from a twice-ruptured Achilles tendon, has been out of his walking boot for weeks and throwing to receivers at the team's practice facility, reported. The rehab process for Watson, who is all but written off for the 2025 NFL season, has been "excellent," according to the report. Watson on Monday posted a photo of himself throwing at the Browns' facility; reported wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and David Bell, the latter rehabbing from surgery to repair a dislocated hip, have been working out with Watson. The team, however, selected two quarterbacks in April's draft and signed two others in anticipation of not having Watson until 2026. Watson, 29, is recovering from a pair of Achilles tendon surgeries in a span of less than four months. He played in 19 of a possible 51 games with the Browns since being acquired from the Texans in March 2022, a deal Cleveland made despite the quarterback being accused of committing sexual improprieties by more than two dozen massage therapists in the Houston area. Even Browns owner Jimmy Haslam went on the record in March to label the trade a "swing and miss," a major revelation considering it came from the individual approving Watson's checks. Watson posted a brief video addressing the doubters last month. "Everyone is doubting me. Everyone don't believe in me," Watson said in a video posted to Instagram. "Everyone don't think I can get back to where I was. But I know, and I believe the work that I put in, that I believe in myself. ... I know, I'm gonna be way better than before." When the calendar turned to April, Kenny Pickett was the only healthy quarterback on the Browns' roster. They quickly changed that, signing Joe Flacco to a one-year deal and then selecting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the draft. While the training camp battle that's to come will bring some clarity to the QB room, a potential Watson return midseason would further complicate the team's roster decisions. The Browns reworked Watson's contract in March, clearing $36 million in cap space, leaving Watson with a base salary of $1.255 million for the 2025 season. With the Browns, Watson has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 3,365 yards with 19 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Browns' Shedeur Sanders Pick Triggers Rumors of Conflict with Owner
One of the biggest blunders in recently NFL history came at the hands of the Cleveland Browns, when they traded for Deshaun Watson in 2022. The deal cost the Browns three first-rounders and a guaranteed $230 million contract, as well as plenty of off-the-field issues. For the first time, Browns leadership acknowledged the miscue last month, when owner Jimmy Haslam came out and called it their "big swing-and-miss.'' Advertisement Haslam stuck his neck out and took blame for the Watson trade, and confirmed that he wouldn't put pressure on his decision-making tandem to force a quarterback pick. Shadeur Sanders, Jimmy Haslam And The Cleveland BrownsTony Fisher Entering the 2025 NFL Draft, general manager Andrew Berry said "Jimmy lets us do our jobs" of Haslam's approach. The Browns have deployed eight different starting quarterbacks since Baker Mayfield's departure, including four just last season, and no clear franchise-level option remained entering last weekend. Haslam asked the fans for patience last month but said he expects the team to compete in 2025. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski landed his man in Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round with the No. 94 pick. However, he also landed another man - Shedeur Sanders, who the Browns picked just two rounds later. Advertisement A large contingent of Browns officials, including coaches, executives and ownership traveled to Boulder one day prior to their Pro Day workout to meet with Sanders and his teammate Travis Hunter. 'Shedeur is a very, very impressive young man,' Kevin Stefanski said. 'Was raised the right way. Obviously, he's a heck of a football player.' Berry said after the draft that Sanders' draft was "mis-priced" and believes he can outproduce his draft slot. Yet, some are still wondering how hands-off Haslam was in the selection. ProFootballTalk felt the video of the Browns selecting Sanders "suggested they were feeling something other than euphoric.'' Advertisement 'Andrew Berry, the GM, did not look thrilled. And you can kind see a little bit of Jimmy Haslam. He wasn't jumping up and down. Kevin Stefanski had a little bit of a smile. The guy to the right of Stefanski seemed a little happier, but Andrew Berry didn't seem like a guy who just stumbled into a future franchise quarterback… So, Browns fans, do that split screen. Draft room? Maybe not thrilled. Your new quarterback? Seems to be thrilled.' Said the host. NFL insider Benjamin Allbright further stirred the pot on his radio show. "internal discussions in Cleveland about draft strategy not aligning across the board,' especially regarding quarterback prospects. Allbright noted, 'There was definitely a split in the room—some were higher on other options, but when ownership speaks, decisions tend to follow,' Allbright said. Related: Browns' Shedeur Sanders Gets Surprising Draft Label Related: Explaining Why Browns Used Rare Tender on Elijah Moore
NBC Sports
10-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Deshaun Watson: I'll be back way better than before
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam wrote off quarterback Deshaun Watson recently, but Watson isn't writing himself off. Haslam called the trade for Watson 'a big swing and miss' after three seasons that have featured mediocre play when Watson has been healthy. He's not healthy right now due to a torn Achilles that is likely to keep him off of the field for the entire 2025 season and the overall state of affairs has led some to wonder if Watson will ever play again. In a video posted to his Instagram account, Watson says he does plan to get back on the field. The video shows Watson working out while he provides narration about how being in a position where his 'back is against the wall' is one that sets him up for a triumphant return. 'Everyone is doubting me.' Watson said. 'Everyone don't believe in me, Everyone don't think I can get back to where I was. But I know, and I believe the work that I put in, that I believe in myself. The peace that I've been channelling the last couple of months. I know, I'm gonna be way better than before.' Watson's issues with performance and health have been going on long enough that it would be almost impossible not to doubt his ability to be a top-flight quarterback again. In a league short on them, he'll likely get a look from someone but it's unclear when and where that might take place.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cleveland Browns aren't the only Ohio sports team that deserves investment
An unprecedented plan to issue $600 million in state bonds to help build a dome stadium for the billionaire owners of the NFL's Cleveland Browns smells as bad as the team's on-field performance. We don't oppose some state support for a new Browns stadium and see an all-season facility as a potential game changer for northeast Ohio. Whether the stadium belongs in suburban Brook Park or downtown Cleveland is for Browns' owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam and the good people of northeast Ohio to decide. But House Speaker Matt Huffman and his Republican colleagues are wrong to risk $600 million plus interest for just one of Ohio's many professional teams, while ignoring Gov. Mike DeWine's smart and responsible sports gambling tax increase to help teams across Ohio. The Browns want to scrap their 26-year-old lakefront stadium paid for by taxpayers. At the same time, their rivals in Cincinnati are working on a deal for $1.25 billion in renovations to 25-year-old Paycor Stadium, the taxpayer-owned home of the Bengals. There are also on-and-off talks about replacing Cincinnati's aging downtown arena, which hosts minor league hockey. Here in Columbus, Nationwide Arena, the 25-year-old home of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, says its arena needs $170 million for major upgrades and repairs, including a roof and HVAC equipment. The privately built arena was purchased by taxpayers in 2012 to ease financial pressures on the Blue Jackets, with casino taxes earmarked to help cover costs. Down the street stands Field, the 4-year-old home of the Columbus Crew, a soccer team also owned by the Haslams. The $314 million facility, built after the community's successful "Save The Crew" movement, is owned by the Confluence Community Authority, a special district governed by the city of Columbus and Franklin County. The Crew's stadium was made possible with $314 million from the Haslams and more than $100 million in work outside the stadium by the city, Franklin County and the state. The team's $10 per year lease allows it to buy the stadium for 30% of its fair market value in 2047. In short, the Haslams paid for the Crew's stadium, while various governments helped make it feasible and desirable. The Haslams now want a better deal in Cleveland and are counting on lawmakers they've supported with significant financial donations to hand them $600 million and another $400 million in interest. The proposed dome between Cleveland Hopkins Airport and Interstate 71 would cost $2.4 billion based on projections made before recent tariffs and economic uncertainty. It would feature 65,000 seats with the potential to host a Super Bowl and other major indoor sporting events in Ohio. The Haslams want to pay half or $1.2 billion, with the rest coming from government sources, including $600 million from Ohio and $600 million from a myriad of taxes in northeast Ohio, including rental cars and other tourism activities. There's widespread opposition to the local part of the plan, including from Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. Funds to repay the state's share would come from future income, sales and commercial activity taxes earmarked from the stadium's development area, which the Browns project at $2.9 billion over a 30-year lease, reported. The sales tax is projected to generate $1.42 billion, while the income tax that some Republicans want to scrap would add $1.35 billion. There's no way to know if these lofty projections will be accurate even when taxing professional athletes, but we've seen similar projections come up short in the past. While repaying the $600 million, Ohio could not use those funds for other purposes, such as better funding for public schools. Opinion: Should Ohio really be racking up debt for Brown stadium as schools suffer? To their credit, the Haslams have floated a $38 million up-front investment predicted to grow to $150 million to protect the state from losses. They've also pledged to cover any cost overruns. Proponents argue the new stadium's potential economic benefits dwarf what the current Browns stadium would produce, even with renovations, perhaps making Ohio well more than $600 million. DeWine wants to support all of Ohio's sports facility needs by doubling the tax that sports gambling companies pay on their profits from bets sports fans lose. This would allow the state government to play a role in supporting sports franchises everywhere while ensuring it can fund essential government services. The cost burden would fall on out-of-state companies already raking in large profits off Ohioans' voluntary bets. "Ohio citizens are giving every single day millions of dollars to sports gaming companies," DeWine said in February. "It's time for us to raise the tax on them so that we can do things to help Ohioans." But the Ohio House's version of the state budget failed to include DeWine's proposals, choosing to focus only on the Browns' proposal. "The reality is we cannot afford ... to use general fund dollars to rehab stadiums or to build new sports stadiums. We do not have the money to do it," DeWine said Tuesday, noting the competing priorities of education, mental health and battling drug addiction among others. DeWine's higher tax would generate an estimated $130 million to $180 million per year, which should be sufficient to help every facility and, as the governor pitched, help children participate in sports. Opinion: Lawmakers more focused on financing Haslams' new Browns stadium than taxpayers We prefer DeWine's proposal as it earns revenue from sports fans without compromising funds needed for core services. We're aware that many people see public investments in arenas and stadiums as wasteful, with little chance of recouping taxpayer investments while team owners are enriched. If the Haslams get this dome built and later sell the Browns, their profit would likely be staggering, given recent team sales. A strong case can be made to force the Haslams or any owner to spend their own money on construction while using government funds to cover other infrastructure costs. Call it the Crew model, even if DeWine's sports betting tax is in play. Regardless of how the Browns situation unfolds, it's undeniable that some level of public support makes these projects worthwhile. Just look at the Columbus Arena District, once a decaying area known for a deteriorating old prison. Besides the Blue Jackets, Clippers and Crew, the Arena District has become home to more than 75 businesses, at least 17,000 area workers, and many apartments and condos. We're now a major professional sports city, a status that factors in our community's projected growth and landing jobs projects such as Intel and Anduril. We're not against the Browns' dome and the positive redevelopment it could bring. We're demanding a solution focused on helping all Ohio teams win on and off the field. This editorial was written by Dispatch Executive Editor Michael Sherer on behalf of the editorial board of The Columbus Dispatch. Editorials are fact-based assessments of issues of importance to the communities we serve. These are not the opinions of our reporting staff members, who strive for neutrality in their reporting. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Browns' dome can't be Ohio's only sports funding priority | Our view
