New Cleveland Browns Stadium – design description

How does the design of a new stadium for the Cleveland Browns come up in a nutshell?

The lease on the current Cleveland Browns Stadium expires in 2028. The owners of the Browns already in 2017 began to consider where the team would play after 2028. After analyzing various alternatives, two options were considered the most convenient: staying in the current stadium (and renovating it) or building a brand new facility in the suburb of Brook Park.

The Browns would prefer to build a new facility, and developed a concept with the renowned HKS Architects for a future stadium in Brook Park, which was unveiled in August 2024. The new facility is expected to be very modern and fully covered, but the cost of construction is as much as $2.4 billion, and financial issues will be key to the success of the project.

Who are the Cleveland Browns?

The Cleveland Browns are an American football team that plays in the NFL, in the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team was founded in 1944 and began play in 1946. The team's name refers to Paul Brown, the team's co-founder and first coach. The Browns had their greatest triumphs in their early years, and won their last league championship in 1964.

In 1996, the team was de facto relocated to Baltimore (adopting the name Baltimore Ravens) after a controversial decision by its then-owner. As a compromise, however, a new NFL team was to be established in Cleveland within a few years to continue the Browns' tradition, and the city was to build a new stadium for it.

The old Cleveland Stadium was demolished in late 1996 and early 1997, and the new Cleveland Browns facility that was built in its place opened in 1999, at which time the reconstituted Browns team rejoined the competition. Since 2012, the Browns have been owned by a married couple of entrepreneurs, Jimmy and Dee Haslam.

Where are the Cleveland Browns performing to date?

Opened in 1999, the Cleveland Browns Stadium is located in downtown Cleveland, on the Lake Erie waterfront. The facility has a football-specific profile (unlike its predecessor, which also hosted baseball games) and can hold about 67,000 spectators.

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

The Cleveland Browns Stadium lease expires in 2028, and the owners of the Browns began working on a long-term strategy and possible scenarios after 2028 as early as in 2017. The options included staying at the current facility and carrying out upgrades, as well as building a new stadium in a different location.

Beginning in 2022, increasing speculation began to appear in the media about the future of the Browns stadium. In February 2024, the NEOtrans blog reported that the team was looking to buy a 176-acre site in the suburb of Brook Park, right next to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, but the Browns stated that various options were being analyzed regarding the stadium.

In May 2024, the first, then unconfirmed rendering of the new stadium to be built in Brook Park were published on NEOtrans.

On August 1, 2024, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb sent a letter to the Browns owners and offered a $461 million city contribution to upgrade the existing facility. As part of the deal, the stadium lease would be extended for 30 years. With that, the Browns would abandon plans to build a new facility.

In turn, on August 7, 2024, the Cleveland Browns issued a letter to fans and officially unveiled renderings of a new stadium that would be built in Brook Park. The concept was developed by HKS Architects, one of the leading practices in sports facility design.

The Browns also said in a letter to fans that two options are being seriously considered at this point, renovating the current stadium or building a new facility in Brook Park.

How much is a new Cleveland Browns stadium expected to cost?

In either case, the Browns are hoping to get half the amount needed for the investment from public funds. The cost of renovating Cleveland Browns Stadium is estimated at $1-1.2 billion, and building a new stadium would cost about $2.4 billion, which would rank the facility among the most expensive in the world.

The team therefore expects support of $500-600 million if renovation of the old stadium were to take place, or $1.2 billion if it were decided to build a new facility. The Browns have stated that they are working on an innovative financing model that will provide public institutions with a return on their investment.

Will a new Cleveland Browns stadium be built?

The Browns' preferred option is to build a new stadium. A huge advantage of a new stadium is expected to be its full roof, which would be extremely useful in Cleveland's cool climate. The facility would offer much more commercial opportunities and provide a chance to host big events, such as the Super Bowl or concerts by world-famous artists.

However, this is twice as expensive and would take the team out of an attractive location in downtown Cleveland. On the other hand, it would solve a lot of traffic problems, as there is plenty of space to build sufficient parking in the area, and the site is near a major highway interchange, next to the international airport and is accessed by the RTA Rapid Transit line.

In contrast, building a full canopy over the existing Cleveland Browns Stadium would be extremely difficult due to its proximity to the airport (Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport) and associated constraints, so such an option is not even being considered. The possible modernization of this stadium would focus on other aspects, although the details of a potential renovation have not yet been presented.

Cleveland's mayor is in favor of the Browns remaining in downtown Cleveland, and he has ruled out the possibility of subsidizing the construction of a new stadium in Brook Park because the site is just outside the city's administrative boundaries. Renovation of the existing facility (rather than construction of a new stadium) was also supported by Cuyahoga County authorities.

The construction of a new stadium in Brook Park depends primarily on the Browns' ability to raise adequate funds. Without public support, it may be very difficult to do so, so the option of upgrading the old stadium, however, seems quite likely.

When will the new Cleveland Browns stadium be built?

If a new stadium were to be built, it is estimated that it would take about three years. No possible timetable has yet been given, but the Browns would probably like to have the stadium ready for the 2029 season, when the lease on the old facility expires.

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

How is the new Cleveland Browns stadium supposed to look from the outside?

Since the stadium is to be built near the airport, the height of the building cannot be too high, so part of the stands are to be dug into the ground, and the field will be about 40 feet (12 m) below ground level.

The facility will take a complex, irregular form, but devoid of oval, rounded shapes. Its walls will climb vertically upward, and the roof will consist of multiple planes with different angles of inclination.

The walls and roof will be covered with alternating glass or dark panels, and video screens will also be placed over the main entrances. One of the most important features of the stadium is to be its full canopy. The main segment of the canopy, over the field and auditorium, will be glazed.

The stadium's glazed roof is in keeping with other buildings in Cleveland that have large pavilions with glass canopies, such as the Tower City Center shopping mall, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Health Education Campus.

The facility shares many features with another NFL stadium also designed by HKS Architects, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. On the other hand, its unusual form makes it look nothing like a sports facility from the outside.

How is the new Cleveland Browns stadium expected to look inside?

The stadium's stands will be divided into several levels, and the division between floors will be uneven. The capacity of the facility has not been announced, it is likely to be a number in the 60-70 thousand seat range. Spectators will be able to take advantage of numerous premium options and extensive catering.

The most distinct character will be given to the stand behind the northeast endzone, the so-called Dawg Pound (to follow the tradition – the name Dawg Pound was borne by one of the stands at the former Cleveland Stadium, and the stand has been recreated to some extent also in the new stadium, which opened in 1999).

Above the Dawg Pound will be the numbers of the players who have earned the honor of having their jersey numbers retired. There will also be a large, oblong screen above each of the stands behind the endzones.

The stadium will be equipped with spectacular event lighting and other state-of-the-art systems and technologies to create spectacular choreography and enhance the spectator experience.

What is the environment of the new Cleveland Browns stadium to look like?

A retail and entertainment complex is to be built around the stadium. The construction of additional commercial facilities will cost a further $1-1.2 billion, but this part of the development is to be financed solely with private capital.

Amid the commercial facilities will be wide promenades, and a large square will be built in front of the stadium on the southwest side. In addition, as many as 20,000 parking spaces are planned around the arena.

Where is the new Cleveland Browns stadium to be built?

The stadium is to be built in the suburb of Brook Park, about 10 mi (16 km) southwest of downtown Cleveland, right next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and the junction of the I-71 and I-480. The stadium will be accessible by high-speed rail (RTA).