As the Haslams consider moving the Browns to Brook Park, Cleveland City Councilman Brian Kazy says he will introduce an ordinance at Monday night's city council meeting to guarantee the Browns go through the legal process when it comes to a new stadium if an alternative location is sought when the team's lease is up in 2028.
"We in council, the legislative body, want to assure the public that all proper legal steps are being considered and taken for these reasons," Kazy said.
To that end, Kazy plans to introduce legislation for the city council to consider Monday's meeting to introduce a new ordinance authorizing and directing the city to enforce provisions of the Ohio Revised Code, which imposes restrictions on the owner of a professional team that uses a tax-supported facility and receives financial assistance from the city.
The state ordinance requires the team's owner to go before the city council to ask for permission to move the team, or they would have to give the city six months' notice and offer to put the team up for sale to a third party who agreed to keep it in the city.
According to Kazy, the state ordinance was used in 2018 to keep the Columbus Crew in Columbus instead of moving out of the city.
"This is going to ensure that the Cleveland Browns are going to be part of that legislative process, and the Cleveland City Council is going to have a say in that," Kazy said.
When asked why the council felt it necessary to introduce additional legislation when state law already mandates the six-month notice and sale of the team, Kazy responded that the council wants to make sure the process is "taken."
Kazy said the city council has not been briefed on the team staying or leaving but stressed that the city council should be part of the planning.
"I think we should have already been involved," Kazy said. "I think we should be part of the process. As of right now, we aren't privy to anything."
The councilman said the entire point of the legislation that will be introduced is to call on state law to be followed.
The councilman further explained: "What this basically does is ensure the Cleveland Browns have to go through the legal process of leaving the City of Cleveland," Kazy said. "I'm not saying the team is for sale. Don't get me wrong. I'm not calling for the Haslams to sell the team."
Kazy said he plans to keep the public informed about any updates regarding a taxpayer-supported stadium.
"These are the Cleveland Browns, and I stand by the Cleveland Browns," Kazy said. "So, for the people in the city of Cleveland, a lot of people who are involved in the negotiations right now were either too young or weren't even involved or remember when the Browns left the first time and the heartfelt that the city went through when that team left. We want to assure that the Cleveland Browns remain the Cleveland Browns and that this is a Cleveland team."
Recently, the Browns have announced they are looking at other options for a new stadium when their lease ends in 2028.
According to our media partner, The Akron Beacon Journal, the options include either renovating the current lakefront stadium or building a new domed stadium outside of Downtown.
If the current stadium can't be renovated, then options outside the city will be considered, including land purchased earlier this year in Brook Park.
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