In what may be one of the defining moments of his term, Mayor Justin Bibb stood alone to face the media on Thursday at City Hall. Without a tie and visibly concerned, he addressed the growing speculation: the Cleveland Browns are considering relocating to Brook Park.
No other city officials joined the mayor during the news conference, and with City Hall undergoing renovations, even the typically adorned Red Room was bare. This was a message Bibb had to deliver by himself, and it was a significant political challenge.
Bibb didn’t hold back in expressing his frustration. He criticized the Browns’ owners, Dee and Jimmy Haslam, accusing them of prioritizing their own interests over Cleveland’s. He argued that a proposed entertainment complex in Brook Park would directly compete with existing publicly funded venues like Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and the convention center.
The mayor estimated the financial toll of the Browns leaving Cleveland would amount to $30 million in lost annual economic activity. He didn’t, however, mention the estimated $350 million the city has spent on the current stadium since its opening in 1998—an average of $14 million per year in debt payments, repairs, and maintenance.
In response, the Haslams released a statement describing their discussions with Bibb as “productive and collaborative,” positioning the potential move as a win for both sides. The Browns would get their long-desired roofed stadium, while Cleveland would gain valuable lakefront property for development.
As next year’s election approaches, Bibb’s handling of the situation may become a focal point for voters. Will they hold him accountable for potentially losing the Browns, or will the blame fall on the team’s billionaire owners? It seems unlikely that a mayoral challenger would campaign on providing more financial support for stadiums, but there could be criticism of Bibb’s measured approach.
While the mayor avoided inflammatory language, he did take a subtle jab at the team, saying he was more concerned with providing roofs for Cleveland residents than for a sports team’s stadium. However, he stopped short of using populist rhetoric like “corporate greed” or directly attacking the wealthy ownership.
Councilmember Brian Kazy was more outspoken, accusing the Browns of playing cities against each other to extract taxpayer money for a new stadium. Council President Blaine Griffin took a more measured approach, suggesting the city explore using the “Art Modell Law,” which could give Cleveland some leverage in the situation. He also questioned whether the Browns could secure the necessary $2.4 billion for a new stadium, half of which would likely need to come from public funds—a concern the Bibb administration shares.
Although Mayor Bibb expressed a willingness to continue discussions if the Brook Park deal falls through, there were signs of growing discontent within City Hall. As the news circulated, two of the mayor’s staff members were overheard discussing their excitement for Cleveland’s other beloved team this season: the Guardians.