Just when you thought the Browns couldn’t have it any worse, they are finding out that the city that they play in has a bone to pick with them.
The city of Cleveland has filed a lawsuit against the franchise.
The city of Cleveland aimed at preventing the Browns from leaving downtown to play in a proposed domed stadium beginning with the 2029 season.
In the complaint filed on Tuesday, the city alleges that a move would violate the Modell Law, an Ohio law that placed conditions on how teams can leave their publicly financed facilities.
Cleveland announced in October that it had informed Cleveland officials of its plan to move forward with a new domed stadium in Brook Park after the city had previously proposed a $1.2 billion renovation project for Huntington Bank Field.
The cost of the new project is estimated at $2.4 billion. The Browns cite Brook Park as the “most compelling option” for a new stadium because of its central location for the regional fanbase.
Michelle Jarboe of Cleveland.com reports the lawsuit alleges Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam are aware of the Modell Law and pointed to their acquisition of the MLS franchise, the Columbus Crew, as evidence.
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The complaint further alleges that the city of Cleveland will lose at least $30 million in economic output yearly if the Browns leave their current stadium.
The Cleveland Browns Have Bigger Fish to Fry On The Field
The Cleveland Browns being sued by their own city is one thing, but the franchise also needs to focus on fixing itself to improve on the field.
The franchise has had only two winning seasons since 2008 and two playoff appearances since 2003. The team has had one playoff win since 1994.
The team might not have Deshaun Watson behind center after he was forced to have a second surgery, and that might not be a bad thing, as he has been terrible ever since they traded for him and signed him to a deal.
Now, the team needs to find a viable new QB to get them through the 2025 season.
