CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns have added a few new players to their roster.
Haslam Sports Group announced Thursday that it has picked a team to oversee the construction of a new, enclosed stadium in Brook Park. The construction managers will be a joint venture between AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Co.
Independence Excavating and the DiGeronimo Cos., who are handling site work, will continue to play a role. Crews already are moving dirt on the 176-acre property to prepare it for development. Haslam Sports Group is racing to break ground for the stadium early next year, with the goal of opening the venue and other buildings in the spring or summer of 2029.
The team’s existing lease Downtown ends in early 2029.
In a news release, Haslam Sports Group President Dave Jenkins said partnering with AECOM Hunt and Turner “will help us create a world-class stadium experience and entertainment district for our fans that will benefit the entire Northeast Ohio region.”
Turner, based in New York, has a longstanding office in Cleveland and has worked on local projects including the renovation of Huntington Bank Field Downtown. AECOM Hunt has also worked on the existing NFL stadium, as well as Progressive Field.
Beyond Ohio, the joint venture has tackled pro-sports facilities including Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; the Intuit Dome and SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles; and ongoing projects for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans.
The DiGeronimo Cos., based in Brecksville, was part of a joint venture that sold the Brook Park development site to a Haslam Sports Group affiliate earlier this year. The DiGeronimo family of businesses is involved in excavation, land preparation and construction.
The $2.4 billion Brook Park stadium proposal still faces some headwinds, including a lawsuit over how the state plans to fund a $600 million grant for the project and litigation between Haslam Sports Group and its existing landlord, the city of Cleveland.
But the state cleared a path for take-off last month, when the Ohio Department of Transportation issued a permit for the project. The agency’s aviation office originally had rejected the proposal, citing protests from nearby Cleveland Hopkins International Airport about the stadium’s height. ODOT reversed its stance after hiring an outside consultant who determined the project wouldn’t be a hazard to planes or disrupt airport operations.
RELATED: ODOT approves Browns' Brook Park stadium plans, ending dispute over airspace
In addition to the stadium, the Browns are working with Lincoln Property Company on plans for roughly $1 billion worth of mixed-use development, including apartments, hotels and retail. The first phase of that project also could include a smaller music venue and event space.
RELATED: Browns, development partner say Brook Park stadium district will include smaller music venue
State lawmakers have committed $600 million to the new stadium from unclaimed funds – misplaced money the state is holding from people’s old bank accounts, insurance payouts, last paychecks and other sources.
Brook Park could provide roughly $300 million for stadium construction by tapping future admissions taxes, income taxes and parking-tax revenues from the entire 176-acre sports and entertainment district. City officials and Haslam Sports Group are working on a development agreement, but the details of that deal haven’t been released yet or formally presented to the city council.
Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne has repeatedly rejected Haslam Sports Group’s requests for the county to issue bonds to help pay for construction. Browns executives have said they still want the county to participate in the stadium financing – but they can turn to other, private sources to fill funding gaps.
Meanwhile, Brook Park is seeking $70.3 million from the state, through Ohio's Transportation Review Advisory Council, for road work around the site, where a Ford Motor Co. engine plant and casting plant once stood.
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The Ohio Department of Transportation and Brook Park have scheduled a public meeting for Oct. 28 about proposed changes to the roads and freeway ramps around the property.
That meeting, which will not include a formal presentation, will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. at the John A. Polonye Community Center at 17400 Holland Road.
