Huntington Bank Field – design description

What does the new Cleveland Browns stadium project look like in brief?

The new Cleveland Browns stadium will be built on the southwestern outskirts of Brook Park, near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. For the team, this means relocating from downtown Cleveland, where their current stadium is located.

Due to its proximity to the airport, the stadium will be partially built below ground level, with the playing field situated 80 feet below grade. The facility will be one of the most modern in the NFL and is expected to rank among the most expensive stadiums in the world.

One of the stadium’s key features will be its full roof coverage. The structure will have a complex, irregular form, with a roof composed of multiple planes at varying angles. Its unique shape is designed to resemble an industrial facility, in reference to the Ford factories that once occupied this site.

The arena will have a capacity of 67,500 spectators, similar to the current Browns stadium. The heart of the game-day atmosphere will be the Dawg Pound section, “relocated” from the previous stadium.

Site preparations started on October 1, 2025, with mass excavation commencing on March 2, 2026. The official groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for April 30, 2026, and the stadium is expected to open in time for the 2029 season.

Who are the Cleveland Browns?

The Cleveland Browns are an American football team competing in the NFL. The franchise was established in 1944 and played its first season in 1946. The team’s name honors Paul Brown, co-founder and first head coach. The Browns experienced their greatest successes in their early years, with their most recent league championship coming in 1964.

In 1996, the team was effectively relocated to Baltimore (becoming the Baltimore Ravens) following a controversial decision by then-owner Art Modell. As part of a compromise, a new NFL franchise was to be established in Cleveland within a few years, preserving the Browns’ legacy, and the city was to build a new stadium for the team.

Old Cleveland Stadium was demolished between 1996 and 1997. The new facility that replaced it opened in 1999, at which time the Browns were reactivated and resumed play. Since 2012, the Browns have been owned by Haslam Sports Group, controlled by Jimmy and Dee Haslam.

Where do the Cleveland Browns currently play?

The current Cleveland Browns stadium opened in 1999 and is located in downtown Cleveland, on the shore of Lake Erie. Unlike its predecessor – which had a hybrid design accommodating both football and baseball – the stadium has a dedicated football layout and can hold approximately 67,000 spectators.

How did plans for a new Cleveland Browns stadium come about?

The lease for the Cleveland Browns stadium is set to expire after the 2028 season. As early as 2017, the Browns’ owners began considering long-term strategies and possible scenarios for after 2028. Options included staying at the current stadium and renovating it, or building a new stadium at a different location.

From 2022 onwards, media speculation about the future of the Browns’ stadium began to increase. In February 2024, NEOtrans reported that the team intended to purchase a 176-acre site on the southwestern outskirts of Brook Park, right next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

When was the vision for the new Brook Park stadium revealed?

In May 2024, NEOtrans published the first, then-unconfirmed rendering of the new stadium planned for Brook Park.

The city, however, took steps to persuade the Browns to stay downtown. On August 1, 2024, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb sent a letter to the team’s owners, offering the city’s contribution of $461 million toward renovations of the existing stadium. As part of the agreement, the stadium lease would have been extended by 30 years.

Shortly thereafter, however, on August 7, 2024, the Cleveland Browns sent a letter to fans and officially unveiled renderings of the new stadium proposed for Brook Park. The concept was developed by HKS Architects, one of the leading sports architecture firms.

At the same time, the Browns stated that they were still considering the option of staying at the current stadium and renovating it.

What were the pros and cons of building a new stadium in Brook Park?

A major advantage of the new arena would be its full roof coverage, highly beneficial in Cleveland’s cold climate. The stadium would also offer far greater commercial opportunities and the potential to host major events, such as the Super Bowl or world-class concerts.

Building a new stadium would solve many transportation challenges (85% of Browns fans travel from outside Cleveland), as the site has ample space for sufficient parking and is located near a major highway interchange, adjacent to an international airport, with access via the RTA Rapid Transit line.

On the other hand, the current stadium is in a highly attractive location, close to downtown Cleveland on the shore of Lake Erie. However, it is also near another airport – Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport – which significantly limits any potential expansion, including the construction of a full roof.

Who supported or opposed building a new stadium in Brook Park?

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb was a strong advocate for keeping the Browns downtown. He also ruled out the possibility of the city contributing to the construction of a new stadium in Brook Park, since the site lies just outside the city’s administrative boundaries. The Cuyahoga County authorities also supported renovating the existing stadium rather than building a new one.

On the other hand, the Brook Park city government, as well as the state of Ohio, were in favor of constructing a new stadium in Brook Park.

What were the next steps toward building a new Cleveland Browns stadium?

What will the new Cleveland Browns stadium be called?

On September 3, 2024, a naming rights agreement was announced with Huntington Bank, headquartered in Columbus, the capital of Ohio. Under the agreement, the current Browns stadium was renamed Huntington Bank Field.

Although the 20-year deal applies to the existing downtown stadium, the new stadium in Brook Park will carry the same name if the team relocates.

When was the partnership with developer Lincoln Property Company announced?

A large development project, costing roughly $1 billion, is planned around the stadium. On December 10, 2024, the Browns announced that their partner for this project would be Lincoln Property Company.

When did the Cleveland Browns acquire the site for the new stadium?

On June 24, 2025, the Browns finalized the purchase of a 176-acre site on the grounds of former Ford factories (the purchase was made by Primacy Development LLC, a company affiliated with Haslam Sports Group). The purchase price was slightly over $76 million.

The site had previously been owned by DROF BP I LLC, a company formed by developers Weston, Inc., DiGeronimo Cos., and Scannell Properties. The developers had acquired the land in 2021 for $31.5 million with plans to create an industrial park.

When did the state of Ohio decide to co-finance the Cleveland Browns stadium?

On June 25, 2025, the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives approved the 2026–2027 budget, which included $600 million for the Cleveland Browns to build a new stadium. The budget was subsequently signed into law by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on June 30, 2025.

The funds will be provided as a grant and are expected to come from the state’s unclaimed funds, which are funded in part by forgotten bank accounts and uncashed checks that have reverted to the state of Ohio.

What is the significance of Ohio’s grant for the construction of the new Cleveland Browns stadium?

The $600 million grant from the state of Ohio covers one quarter of the total stadium cost—exactly the amount the Browns had anticipated from the state. The decision by the legislature and governor marked a major step forward, bringing the project significantly closer to reality.

Shortly after the governor’s approval, the Browns’ owners issued a special letter of thanks, which was published on the team’s official website.

What important legal changes did Ohio implement alongside the grant?

At the same time as the budget approval, changes were made to the so-called Art Modell Law, which had previously restricted the relocation of professional sports teams within Ohio. Under the amendment, the law now applies only if a team wishes to leave the entire state, rather than a specific city as before.

This change greatly facilitates the situation for the Cleveland Browns, who plan to build a new stadium just outside the city limits of Cleveland. Under the previous rules, this move could have been blocked or delayed.

When will the new Cleveland Browns stadium be completed?

On October 1, 2025, preparatory work on site began, and the following day it was announced that AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction would serve as the main contractors for the new stadium.

Mass excavation for the stadium was announced on March 2, 2026. The official groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for April 30, 2026. The new stadium is expected to be ready for the start of the 2029 season, when the lease of the current stadium will no longer apply.

Updates on the construction of the new Cleveland Browns stadium can be found on a dedicated page

When is the development project around the new Cleveland Browns stadium expected to be completed?

The first phase of the development project surrounding the new stadium is scheduled for completion by 2029. This phase will include 576 residential units, 450 hotel rooms, and 233,000 square feet of retail space.

The second phase of the project is expected to continue at least until 2034 and will include an additional 1,100 residential units, 450 hotel rooms, approximately 500,000 square feet of office space, and 275,000 square feet of retail space.

How much will the new Cleveland Browns stadium cost?

The stadium is estimated to cost $2.4 billion. In February 2025, the Browns presented a financing model in which half of the cost, along with any overruns, would be covered by private funds.

The team expected to secure the remaining half, $1.2 billion, from public sources. Three entities were expected to contribute: the state of Ohio ($600 million), the city of Brook Park ($422 million), and Cuyahoga County ($178 million).

In June 2025, the state of Ohio approved $600 million for the project. Cuyahoga County, however, was skeptical about the Browns’ relocation and is unlikely to contribute, and as of the start of construction, no information had emerged regarding approval of funds from Brook Park.

The high cost of the project places the stadium among the most expensive in the world. While the scale of the project may seem surprising in the context of the Browns, it also gives the team a chance to take the franchise to a completely new level.

What will happen to the current Cleveland Browns stadium?

After the Browns move to the new stadium, the existing facility will be demolished, making way for new municipal and commercial developments. The cost of demolition, estimated at $30 million, will be covered by the Browns as part of a $100 million agreement with the city, signed in October 2025, compensating for the team’s relocation from downtown Cleveland.

What does the concept for the new Cleveland Browns stadium entail?

What will the exterior of the new Cleveland Browns stadium look like?

Because the stadium will be located near an airport, its height is limited. To address this, the stadium will be partially built into the ground, with the playing field situated 80 feet (over 24 meters) below grade.

The building will have a complex, irregular form, avoiding oval or rounded shapes. Its walls will rise vertically, and the roof will consist of multiple planes at varying angles.

The walls and roof will alternate between transparent materials and dark panels, and large multimedia screens will be installed above the main entrances. One of the stadium’s most notable features will be its full roof covering, with the main section above the seating and field made of transparent ETFE material.

The glass roof will reference other Cleveland buildings with large glazed canopies, such as Tower City Center, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Health Education Campus.

The overall design is meant to evoke a large industrial facility, reflecting the factories that once existed – and in part still exist – in the area. Certain design elements also draw comparisons to another NFL stadium, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, which was also designed by HKS Architects.

What will the interior of the new Cleveland Browns stadium look like?

The seating bowl will be divided into multiple tiers, with irregular spacing between levels. Capacity will reach 67,500 spectators, similar to the current Browns stadium. Fans will have access to numerous premium options and a wide range of catering services.

The most distinctive section will be located behind the northeast end zone, known as the Dawg Pound. The name honors the team’s tradition – it was used for one of the stands at the old Cleveland Stadium and has in a sense been recreated at the new stadium opened in 1999.

The new Dawg Pound will be the heart of the game-day atmosphere for Browns fans. The section will be extremely steep and will feature safe standing areas, a solution inspired by soccer stadiums.

The stadium will also be equipped with impressive event lighting and other modern systems and technologies that allow for spectacular choreographies and enhance the fan experience. Inside, there will be two large, elongated video boards located in the end zones.

What is planned around the new Cleveland Browns stadium?

A major development project is planned adjacent to the stadium, which will include new apartments, hotels, offices, and retail spaces, as well as a Browns team store and a museum dedicated to the franchise.

Among the commercial facilities, there will be wide promenades, and a large plaza is planned on the southwest side of the stadium. In addition, the area around the arena will feature 14,000 parking spaces.

Where will the new Cleveland Browns stadium be located?

The stadium will be built in the southwestern suburb of Brook Park, just outside the administrative boundaries of Cleveland, approximately 10 miles (16 km) from downtown. The entire site—including the development project and new parking facilities—covers 176 acres.

The location is adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and the I‑71/I‑480 highway interchange. The stadium will also be accessible via the RTA rapid transit system.

What previously occupied the site of the new Cleveland Browns stadium?

The site was formerly home to two large Ford industrial facilities: a casting plant (opened in 1952) and the Cleveland Engine Plant No. 2 (opened in 1955).

The casting plant produced iron engine blocks, but it declined in importance as lighter aluminum blocks became widespread. The plant was closed in 2010, and the building was demolished in 2012.

Engine Plant No. 2 (nearby Engine Plant No. 1 still operates today) became famous in the 1960s and 1970s for producing the legendary 351 Cleveland V8 engine, used in iconic muscle cars such as the Ford Mustang and Ford Torino. The plant was shut down in 2012, and its structures were demolished in 2021.