CLEVELAND LEADERS PUSH BACK ON NEW STADIUM PLANS
YOUNGSTOWN, OH- The debate over the future of the Cleveland Browns’ stadium has taken center stage, sparking considerable controversy among fans, business owners, and local officials. During a recent segment of the WFMJ 5PM telecast, hosted by Lindsay McCoy and guest DJ Yokley, the conversation focused on the outcry from Cuyahoga County leaders who are adamantly opposed to relocating the stadium to Brook Park.
Cleveland officials articulated their concerns succinctly, highlighting the potentially devastating economic impact on downtown businesses. “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center, the Hilton Hotel, and many more hotels, restaurants, bars, and small business owners who’ve invested in the downtown. Our first point is to protect and advance that investment,” noted one official during the episode.
During their discussion, Lindsay McCoy and DJ Yokley shed light on the two sides of this contentious issue. Yokley explained that the opposition is rooted in the potential economic fallout for Cleveland’s downtown. “It’s not going to be in Cleveland anymore. The businesses downtown build their businesses based around sporting events, live sports, parking, things of that nature that make the city revenue,” he elaborated. Yokley also pointed out that the current stadium is relatively new, having been in use for less than 30 years. “They’ve potentially opportunistic retrofit to the old Browns stadium, FirstEnergy Stadium. That’s on the table,” he said.
However, supporters of the proposed Brook Park stadium have their own set of arguments. Yokley summarized their viewpoint: “It’s a bright and shiny object. It’s one of those situations where you look at this and you go, okay, we can have the first of something in the country. It’s next to the airport, so it’s very convenient. It can host more than just football games – NCAA championships, Super Bowls – which would bring in a ton of revenue for the Cleveland area.”
The conversation quickly pivoted to the financial implications for fans. “Anytime that there’s an investment, there’s a cost to anything, those ticket prices are going to go up, and eventually you’re going to push out those season ticket holders that have had it for generations because they just can’t afford it anymore,” Yokley observed. He stressed that while a new, state-of-the-art dome stadium might be attractive, it raises the question, “Will you be able to go? Because can you afford those tickets?”
Lindsay McCoy touched on the trend of NFL teams moving their facilities out of city centers. “A lot of them are – the Dallas Cowboys, they are not located technically in Dallas. This would be one of those scenarios,” she pointed out.
Yokley agreed, noting, “They only have so much land in these cities, and they’re kind of gridlocked to where they can put these giant facilities that everybody wants.”
In closing, DJ Yokley highlighted the ongoing negotiations and the Browns’ commitment to exploring all options. “Jimmy Haslam and that group are saying we’re looking at all the options now. They’re going to look at the options that best suit them. Obviously, they’re business people,” he remarked. He added that the ultimate decision would also have to consider what’s best for the fans, who are at the heart of this issue.
The segment concluded with a note of anticipation from Yokley, “I’m waiting for everything to kind of come to fruition. One way or the other, the Browns, if they can put a good product on the field, could mean good things for them in the future.”
As negotiations continue and the debate rages on, Cleveland’s leaders and fans are watching closely, knowing the outcome will significantly impact the city and its cherished football team.
