The time has come for a domed stadium in Cleveland

I’m old school when it comes to many things in my life but after debating for a while my love affair with the Cleveland Browns playing football outside on a grass field has faded. Yes, the game of football is rough and tough where the opponents battle it out through grit, sweat, and at times blood. But in this new era of fast-paced everything, I think building a dome in Cleveland is overdue. Has playing on a grass field outdoors brought us a Super Bowl yet?

1964 was a long time ago, 60 to be exact, and that’s a lot of heartache over generations.

The building of a domed stadium would add such a financial boost to the local area. Having a stadium where you could now have events year-round would make Cleveland a much more attractive location amongst sports goers.

Let’s consider that events like Final 4 in college basketball could be a distinct possibility if Cleveland were to build a dome. The College Football Playoffs could consider coming to town too. And what about the actual Super Bowl? We haven’t been to one of those as a franchise yet, but it certainly would make future Browns seasons much more intriguing.

Music lovers and concertgoers would have a new venue to listen to their favorite rock stars all year long. There could be other big draw events like WrestleMania and boxing championships.

If they build it, they will come and help Northeast Ohio even more moving forward.

Where to build the dome? The city or the suburbs? 

Part of what sparked this latest debate was the fact the Browns purchased 176 acres of land in the suburb of Brookpark near Hopkins Airport.

So where would this new dome be built?

If the Browns chose to build the dome in Brookpark or some other suburb the downtown area will again begin to struggle.

Many long-time Cleveland fans have a hard time coming to terms with any new stadium being built anywhere but downtown, but it’s reasonable to consider that the next stadium could be built elsewhere.

We’ve heard in recent days that a new domed stadium might cost between $2 and 2.5 billion dollars. Renovating the current stadium might cost $1 billion. I don’t know about you, but if it’s a decision separated by $1 billion, I’d rather go with the shiny new toy and build the dome. We know the Haslams are all about business and I’d think they’d have some say in their contributions to any future stadium project.

The current stadium’s lease runs out after the 2028 season and it’s 2024 now so the clock is ticking. If the franchise and the community want to get things right, they need to act swiftly. Waiting much longer on the future of the Browns and their new home would be ill-advised.