The Cleveland Browns’ effort to build a new domed stadium hit a major roadblock as the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) rejected the team’s application, stating the proposed $3.6 billion facility would be an “obstruction” to the neighboring Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
According to combined media reports, ODOT’s Office of Aviation sent a letter to the team’s law firm stating that its “permit application concerning the proposed construction of a commercial building at the above submitted location and height has been denied for the following reason: the proposed structure has been determined to be an obstruction to air navigation.”
ODOT warned the new stadium would extend 58 feet into the airport’s air navigation space. The agency stated the team could submit a new application for a shorter stadium or relocate to a location farther from the airport. The team can also request a hearing before the ODOT and appeal the permit denial.
A spokesperson for Haslam Sports Group, the owner of the Browns, issued a statement that said, “Our aviation consultants were surprised by ODOT’s letter from two weeks ago, which is flatly at odds with the FAA’s careful analyses and determinations resulting from well over a year of in-depth work, that found our proposed stadium poses no airspace hazards. They’ve also noted several other existing structures in Ohio that exceed the height ODOT apparently now finds objectionable. We’ve already begun working collaboratively with ODOT to explain the stadium’s heights and the detailed work we’ve done more fully, which shows no safety or efficiency issues to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. We look forward to resolving this matter expeditiously and continuing our work to bring this transformative project to Northeast Ohio.”
The Browns planned to begin construction on the new stadium early next year, with the goal of moving into the stadium in 2029. The Browns’ lease on its current home at Huntington Bank Field ends in 2028.
