Browns domed stadium plan hits a snag

The Cleveland Browns have been methodically working their way a lengthy checklist in what will ultimately culminate in a new domed stadium and surrounding entertainment complex in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park.

To review, the list includes:

• Purchasing the required land in Brook Park.
• Securing $600 million in funding from the State of Ohio.
• Dealing with some pesky lawsuits with the City of Cleveland over the so-called Modell Law.
• Making sure Brook Park kicks in $422 million for the project.
• Conveying that they are doing this for the fans.
• Letting Cleveland City officials know the team plans to play out its lease at Huntington Bank Field, which runs through the 2028 season, before heading off to the suburbs.

For the most part, things are moving along, although the project recently hit a bit of a snag.

Remember that land needed for the project? Well, it is right next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, where it is kind of important that planes can safely take off and land on the airport’s runways.

Because of that, Haslam Sports Group needs the approval of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation to ensure everything is safe.

Well, the state is not happy with a part of the stadium plan and has denied the team’s permit application for the stadium, according to NeoTrans Blog:

“The purpose of this letter is to notify you that your 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,” according to the denial letter.

The issue? The proposed stadium would extend into the air navigation zone by 58 feet.

Haslam Sports Group is understandably not happy about the denial, saying it 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,” according to NeoTrans.

So what can they do to address the issue?

Options include requesting a hearing with the aviation office to appeal the permit denial, submitting a new application to build the stadium a bit further away from the airport, or switching the site of the stadium with the entertainment district.

As with most things, when there is this much money involved – the estimated cost of the entire project is $2.4 billion – solutions will be found.

But given that it is the Browns, nothing is ever as easy as it should be.