Jimmy and Dee Haslam dispute desire for new stadium, stand by renovation, development

PHOENIX — The question of a new stadium for the Browns has been a topic of conversation for at least a decade Basically, it's existed since Jimmy and Dee Haslam purchased the team in 2012.

Outside of a renovation project that included the installation of new, high-definition video scoreboards, escalators and a reduction of 3,000 seats that occurred last decade, FirstEnergy Stadium remains essentially the same facility as when it opened in 1999. At the time, the project was completed quickly and, according to reports, poorly in order to have the facility ready for the then-expansion Browns to be able to play that season.

As the stadium prepares to host its 24th season and the Browns' lease with the city set to expire at the end of 2028, its future remains a constant debate, including conversations between the team and Mayor Justin Bibb and his office. Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam were asked about a final resolution to the stadium question during a sit-down interview with a small group of Browns writers Monday evening during the NFL's annual meetings at the Arizona Biltmore Resort.

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"I mean, I think the mayor has a really good plan," Dee Haslam said. "He's working really hard. We're loving working with him and his team to put forth the best plan for Cleveland. And we want to be part of the story and help out any way we can. We believe it's critically important for the development of downtown to be an attractive city. The best cities in the country have great waterfronts, and I think it's really critical.

"So we are actually really enjoying work with the mayor and excited that he's so excited and his team's excited. And it'd be interesting to see how it develops over time."

To the general public, it's seen as a cut-and-dried question. Either the Haslams want to renovate the current stadium, or they want — according to a published report — to build a new one, including the possibility of including a roof of some kind.

The Haslams have insisted their belief is in including a renovated version of the current facility, likely without a roof, as part of a much-larger development of the city's lakefront. The couple, who have a house on the lake in Bratenahl, believe the whole project could bring retail, office and residential properties to the lakefront, which has long been underdeveloped in the eyes of some.

Of course, the sticking point remains the cost for the entire project, which remains an unknown as the city works through a feasibility study. The exact timetable for that plan's release is still unknown.

"I mean, I don't know how anybody could really comment on it at this point," Dee Haslam said. "Nobody knows. And the plan, like I said, community input has to happen first and then they'll start developing their plans, and then there's just a whole lot of things that need to happen between now and then.

"Our hope is that the community is excited about the waterfront and what it means for the city — for keeping young people, for attracting young people, for building businesses — and it's developable land that can be developed. … There's been so many plans that have failed, and we're going to do everything we can to help the mayor get this plan in action and something happening."

Jimmy Haslam was asked if that mindset could change if the city came back with an offer to build a new stadium they couldn't refuse. To that, Jimmy Haslam joked, "Depends on how much he wants to fund."

However, Haslam immediately went back to what he said is the plan. That's to take the current facility to do a major renovation.

That still involves a cost that could prohibit the roof so many have pushed for over the years.

"Listen, construction costs have gotten very high lately," Jimmy Haslam said. "And so I think everybody has to be practical, and Dee said it well. Cleveland would benefit tremendously from the development of the waterfront. Having the stadium down there seems to be in everybody's best interest. So we're committed to redoing the stadium. In all likelihood, it's not going to have a dome, but it'll be a substantial remodel of the existing facility and we're probably 3, 4, 5 years away from that happening."

Five years would put the timeline right at the point when the Browns' lease with the city would conclude. That would, it would seem, make the runway toward getting a project off the ground seem much shorter that it is in real time.

Jimmy Haslam said that's the trade-off for doing the project the right way is that there's still a lot of hurdles that need to be cleared. A lot of that is significant infrastructure within the city to open things up to the development.

"Not to keep saying the same thing, but you've got to coordinate, you've got to tie the city in, OK?" he said. "You've got to relocate Route 2, OK? We've got to come up with the design and the cost. The city's got to figure out what exactly they want to do down there.

"So, listen, we could be through a year or two early. We could be through it a year or two late. We just have to work through it and see."

Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jimmy and Dee Haslam insist plan is for renovation, not new stadium