At today’s groundbreaking ceremony, officials discuss the new Huntington Bank Field in suburban Brook Park. From left is play-by-play radio announcer for the Cleveland Browns Andrew Siciliano, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and Cleveland Browns majority owner Jimmy Haslam (contributed). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Ground broken today for new Browns venue
The Haslam Sports Group (HSG) alongside a joint venture of AECOM Hunt, Turner Construction Company and architect HKS officially broke ground today for the new Huntington Bank Field, the future home of the Cleveland Browns starting with the 2029 National Football League (NFL) season.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held at the new site at 18300 Snow Rd. in Brook Park. It marks the official start of construction on what HSG called Northeast Ohio’s largest economic development project to date — the new Huntington Bank Field enclosed stadium and surrounding mixed-use district.
The event featured an opening from HSG Managing and Principal Partner Dee Haslam followed by three separate panels that detailed the vision for the new stadium and what they said would be a transformative impact on the region. NEOtrans broke the story in February 2024 that the Haslams were buying land for the stadium in Brook Park.
Cost of the stadium is $2.6 billion — up from earlier estimates of $2.4 billion. Of that, HSG is contributing $1.76 billion through financing and private capital. The state is providing $600 million, although a legal challenge is pending. And the city of Brook Park is using tax-increment financing to provide $245 million.
Construction cost of the 2-million-square-foot mixed-use district surrounding the stadium is estimated at $1 billion. Panel discussions at the groundbreaking said a first phase of the mixed-use district would open with the stadium in 2029 but tenants and services weren’t identified yet.
Among the officials turning dirt onto a miniature stadium field were, from left, Haslam Sports Group President David Jenkins, HSG Partner James Wood (JW) Johnson, HSG Managing Director Whitney Haslam Johnson and HKS Venues Design Director and Partner Lance Evans (contributed).
That doesn’t include $82 million more in roadway infrastructure costs with $35 million awarded so far by the Ohio Department of Transportation and another $12 million from local governments. The remaining $35 million for enhanced road capacity projects has not been identified yet.
The first panel focused on fan experience at the new Huntington Bank Field, which will replace the 1999-built venue of the same name in downtown Cleveland. HSG Managing Partners Whitney Haslam Johnson, JW Johnson and HSG President Dave Jenkins said the new amenities will be unlike anything Northeast Ohio has seen before.
It was followed with a panel discussing the economic impact created by the new stadium and district featuring HSG Managing Partner Jimmy Haslam, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. Haslam noted that he is spending $100 million to demolish the old stadium downtown and support redevelopment of the lakefront site.
To round out the programming for the event, Browns Legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas moderated a conversation with General Manager Andrew Berry, Head Coach Todd Monken, Linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Cornerback Denzel Ward.
“Our family is deeply committed to Northeast Ohio and we know our community deserves this stadium and transformative project,” said HSG owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam in a written statement.
Site plan for the new Huntington Bank Field in Brook Park, the parking and surrounding development, plus new roadway infrastructure (Osborn).
“The new Huntington Bank Field will be an economic catalyst for our region, delivering best-in-class fan experiences and exciting events throughout the year,” they added. “Today’s groundbreaking is a historic milestone, and we appreciate our partner’s efforts to help make this possible.”
As construction managers for the project, AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company are overseeing construction of the state-of-the-art venue, which will serve as Ohio’s first enclosed stadium capable of hosting world-class events throughout the year.
In addition to Browns football games, the Haslams said the venue will host NCAA Final Fours, international soccer matches and concerts for crowds of up to 75,000 people. Goodell said the stadium was “Super Bowl worthy” but stopped short of promising the stadium would host a future Super Bowl.
HSG’s managing partners said the revolutionary seating bowl design, one-of-a-kind roofing system and flexible capacity will set new standards in stadium construction and fan engagement, bringing fans closer than ever to action on the football field.
“As one of the largest construction projects in the history of Northeast Ohio, the new Huntington Bank Field will deliver an unparalleled experience for football fans while featuring the flexibility to host a variety of large-scale, blockbuster events that will generate significant economic growth and attract more audiences to the region than ever before,” said Ken Johnson, COO, Central Region, AECOM Hunt.
Rendering of the interior of the new, enclosed Huntington Bank Field in Brook Park first long-span featuring a roof without a truss support system (HKS).
“As one of the nation’s leaders in venue construction, we are honored to play a role in this important, game-changing project, and we look forward to working with Turner Construction Company, the Haslam Sports Group and the Cleveland Browns to create a world-class facility that will entertain generations to come.”
“The new Huntington Bank Field will redefine the football fan experience and raise the bar even higher for sports and entertainment venues around the world,” said Taurean Spratt, vice president and general manager, Turner Construction Co.
“With decades of experience building iconic arenas across the country, we are proud to work together with the AECOM Hunt, Haslam Sports Group and the Browns organization to partner with local businesses and construct a once-in-a-generation mixed-use development that will not only strengthen the regional economy and spur job creation but create a new, vibrant destination unlike any other,” Spratt said.
The new stadium is designed by sports architecture firm HKS Inc. of Dallas. It will be constructed alongside a mixed-use entertainment district led by development partner Lincoln Property Company, also of Dallas. About 9,400 parking spaces are planned which could make it the least-parked stadium in the NFL. More spaces could be added later, however.
“Today we celebrate a significant moment for the Cleveland Browns, the National Football League and all of Northeast Ohio,” said Mark Williams, partner and executive vice president at HKS.
Although today was the official groundbreaking, site preparations were underway in January for the new stadium and supportive development in Brook Park, as seen beyond the Ford plant from the vantage point of an airplane landing at Hopkins Airport (NEOtrans).
“We value our partnership with the Haslam family in creating a sports and entertainment destination that reflects the spirit of Cleveland, through a design that will deliver memories to be cherished for generations,” he said.
The new Huntington Bank Field will offer:
- Closest seats in the NFL: A seating bowl design that brings fans closer to the field than any other NFL stadium, highlighted by a modernized Dawg Pound.
- Transparent roof: Inspired by Cleveland’s iconic atriums, natural light throughout the stadium creates a unique outdoor ambiance and views.
- Flexible capacity: A “Super Theater” concept accommodates events for up to 75,000 attendees.
- First-of-its-kind roofing system: Featuring the first long-span roof without a truss, sightlines and design are enhanced throughout the building.
- Economic catalyst: More than 6,000 construction jobs and thousands of additional full-time positions across the stadium and adjacent development, delivering lasting economic benefits for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.
AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company are partnering with local contractors, including DiGeronimo Companies, Independence Excavating and Independence Construction.
Their portfolio includes iconic venues such as the Browns’ current stadium, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz stadium, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Stadium of the Future, the Intuit Dome, the new homes of the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans, and SoFi stadium, California’s largest indoor-outdoor entertainment space.
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