Cleveland City Council on Monday approved a $100 million settlement with the Cleveland Browns, effectively clearing the way for the team to leave its lakefront stadium and build a new, domed venue in Brook Park. The vote passed 13–2, with councillors Brian Kazy and Mike Polensek opposed.

End of the legal dispute

The settlement has been at the centre of debate since October, when mayor Justin Bibb unveiled the negotiated agreement. Under the deal, the Browns will pay the city $100 million, and in return Cleveland will drop lawsuits aimed at blocking the team’s potential relocation once its lease ends in 2028. The money will go toward redeveloping the lakefront and demolishing Huntington Bank Field.

During committee meetings, several councillors raised concerns over how the funds would be divided, urging that more money flow directly into neighbourhoods. In the end, the mayor’s administration agreed to increase that share from $20 million to $25 million. Some voices still pushed for rejecting the settlement outright. Former mayor Dennis Kucinich argued the city should fight to keep the team downtown. He has filed a separate lawsuit of his own, which remains active.

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Final tweaks: more neighbourhood support and higher lease-extension fees

After weekend talks between council leaders and Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam, several amendments were added. The overall value of the deal stayed the same, but the budget priorities shifted: lakefront investments were reduced from $25 million to $20 million, while the neighbourhood fund rose from $20 million to $25 million. The Browns will also be responsible for the roughly $30 million cost of demolishing the stadium — and must pay any overruns. The team will make a $25 million upfront payment, followed by $55 million in instalments over 10 years after the move (starting in 2029 or 2031). The revised terms allow the Browns to extend their current lease by up to two years if construction in Brook Park is delayed, at a cost of $250,000 per year. But that extension comes with an extra $3 million payment earmarked for neighbourhoods.

The team must also hire an appropriate share of local businesses — including minority-owned firms — for the demolition work. If the Brook Park project collapses for any reason, the city keeps the initial $25 million payment.

Council divided: “not a decision I make with a smile”

Despite the comfortable margin of approval, the debate reflected a sense that councillors were choosing the lesser of two evils. Many noted that the chances of keeping the Browns downtown were slim, especially after the state of Ohio pledged $600 million in support of the new Brook Park stadium.

Councillor Charles Slife compared the situation to a bad hand of blackjack — the city was dealt poor cards — arguing that accepting the settlement was the best way to limit financial losses. Mike Polensek and Brian Kazy remained unconvinced. Polensek, who also opposed stadium financing back in 1996, said the city was entering another unfavourable agreement. Kazy vowed to continue pushing for answers, saying that in 2026 he intends to investigate how talks to keep the Browns on the lakefront fell apart.

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Browns and mayor praise the decision

The Haslams and mayor Bibb’s administration described Monday’s vote as historic and crucial for the region’s development. In their view, the agreement opens the door to a full-scale overhaul of the waterfront, upgrades at Cleveland Hopkins Airport and the construction of a stadium that could become one of the most modern in the NFL.

City leaders and the team argue the settlement benefits both sides — and that the final shape of the lakefront and the future sports complex could redefine Cleveland for generations.