Browns sue city of Cleveland, seek clarification of ‘Modell Law’

CLEVELAND — The Browns’ back-and-forth battle with Cleveland over a planned move into a new suburban stadium has gone to court.

The NFL team said Thursday it has filed a lawsuit in federal court asking for clarification of the “Modell Law,” which the city has threatened to use to keep the Browns from leaving after their lease at lakefront Huntington Bank Field expires in 2028.

The team has played its games in downtown Cleveland since the 1940s, and in its current 65,000-seat stadium, which is leased to the team by the city, since 1999.

Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam announced last week they are moving forward with plans to build a domed stadium and entertainment complex in Brook Park, about 15 miles south of Cleveland.

Earlier this week, the Cleveland city council threatened to block the move by invoking the “Modell Law,” named after former Browns owner Art Modell. After losing his fight with the city to get a new stadium built, Modell moved his franchise after the 1995 season to Baltimore, where it became the Ravens.

The state law passed in 1996 was used to stop the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer from moving from Ohio to Texas in 2019. The team stayed and was bought by the Haslams, who are also part owners of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.

“Today’s action for declaratory judgment was filed to take this matter out of the political domain and ensure we can move this transformative project forward to make a new domed Huntington Bank Field in Brook Park a reality,” Dave Jenkins, CEO of Haslam Sports Group, said in a statement.

“We have no interest in any contentious legal battle but are determined to create a project that will add to greater Cleveland by building a domed stadium and adjacent mixed-use development. … This project will bring premier events and economic activity that will generate significant revenue for the city, county and state.”

The Browns explored other options, including a makeover of their current stadium, but said the remodeling was too costly. The city had offered to pay $461 million toward a renovation it hoped would lead to development of the lakefront area adjacent to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb called the Haslams’ decision to move the team “frustrating and profoundly disheartening.”