City of Cleveland Takes Strategic Legal Action to Protect Taxpayers and Keep Browns' Ownership in Compliance with Ohio Law

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 — Cleveland — The City of Cleveland today filed a lawsuit in state court to protect its taxpayers and ensure that the Cleveland Browns continue playing in downtown Cleveland.  

Cleveland’s lawsuit alleges that after accepting more than $350 million of taxpayer money, the Cleveland Browns are violating state law and their contract agreements with the City. The Modell Law, enacted in response to the Browns’ 1995 attempt to relocate to Baltimore, prevents team owners from exploiting public investment and protects Ohio taxpayers from losing professional sports teams that play in publicly funded facilities. At the request of the Browns and the NFL, the City of Cleveland’s taxpayers have spent hundreds of millions to support the Browns and to build a world-class lakefront.  

According to the filing, the statute ensures that team owners cannot "bilk the City and its taxpayers for millions, only to unilaterally abandon what the City provided to them." 

The law requires any team playing in a publicly funded stadium to either secure city approval for relocation or provide a fair opportunity for others to purchase the team.  

The Browns’ current ownership, led by The Haslam Sports Group, is attempting to circumvent the law through a hastily filed federal lawsuit aimed at evading compliance with the Modell Law, arguing it does not apply to their potential relocation plans. 

“The Modell Law is clear: if you take taxpayer money to fund your stadium, you have obligations to the community that made that investment possible,” said Mark Griffin, law director and chief legal counsel for the City of Cleveland. “The Haslam Group’s circumvention of these requirements not only undermines the trust of Cleveland’s residents but also violates a law designed to protect all Ohioans.” 

Griffin added: “It is ironic that the Haslams, who are currently not complying with Ohio's Modell Law, previously relied on the same law to acquire the Columbus Crew soccer team. Their use of the law to secure the Crew underscores the importance of these protections for communities and taxpayers, making their current sidestepping of the Modell Law even more glaring.” 

The City filed a state lawsuit in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to enforce the Modell Law alleging Browns ownership violated legal obligations by failing to notify or offer Cleveland a chance to purchase the team. Despite significant taxpayer investment in Huntington Bank Field, ownership is pursuing a new stadium in Brook Park, disregarding the law and their commitments. 

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb said the city remains steadfast in protecting the interests of its residents and preserving the legacy of the Browns within the city. 

“The future of our lakefront and our city is brighter with the Cleveland Browns continuing to play football on the shores of Lake Erie, just as they have for generations,” he added.