CLEVELAND — Two Northeast Ohio lawmakers are calling on the Browns to change the name of FirstEnergy Stadium because of the company’s ties to a federal probe and bribery investigation.
State Reps. Jeff Crossman (Parma) and Kent Smith (Euclid) sent a letter to Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam, as well as Mayor Frank Jackson, urging the Browns to cease association with FirstEnergy and remove the company’s name and logo from the stadium.
FirstEnergy agreed to s $230 million settlement in July.
RELATED: FirstEnergy to pay $230M in settlement in Ohio bribery case
The Browns play their first home game this weekend.
“If someone associated with the Cleveland Browns went out and robbed a bank, they would be cut or fired immediately. FirstEnergy essentially went out and robbed Ohioans of millions of dollars,” Crossman said in a press release. “Why are the Browns pretending that FirstEnergy is a good corporate citizen and continuing to promote them?”
In the letter, the lawmakers pointed out that the Houston Astros stripped the “Enron” name and logo from its stadium following the Enron scandal. They are calling for the team to return the name to “Cleveland Browns Stadium.”
You can read the letter here.
We have reached out to the Browns for comment.
Jennifer Young, manager of external communications for FirstEnergy, issued the statement on Friday:
"FirstEnergy has a longstanding commitment to supporting communities through sponsorship of civic, athletic and arts organizations. We have taken swift action to address events that have occurred over the past year and to ensure a culture of strong ethics, integrity and accountability at the company. We look forward to continuing as a valued partner with all the communities in which we live and work."
