The debate over the Cleveland Browns’ home stadium in 2029 has intensified, with Mayor Justin Bibb preparing to invoke the Art Modell Law against team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam.
Fox 8 News reports that Bibb plans to send a letter urging the Haslams to comply with Ohio law, potentially opening the door for new ownership to keep the team at its lakefront stadium.
The Art Modell Law, enacted in 1996 after the Browns’ controversial move to Baltimore, bars team owners from relocating from a tax-supported facility without either an agreement with local authorities or providing six months’ notice and offering the community the chance to purchase the team.
Bibb contends that the Haslams have not fulfilled these legal obligations.
Meanwhile, the Haslams are pushing forward with their plans to build a domed stadium in Brook Park, recently selecting a developer for the surrounding mixed-use development. They’ve also filed a federal lawsuit seeking clarification on the Modell Law.
The city, however, remains committed to keeping the Browns downtown and is leveraging the law to block the move.
