BROOK PARK, Ohio (WOIO) – Brook Park Mayor Edward Orcutt told 19 News that he is currently having weekly meetings with the Haslams to discuss the new Browns Dome Stadium.
Orcutt says he is excited to work with Lincoln Property as the development partner for the project. However, there are still a lot of major factors that need to be ironed out before these plans can become a reality.
“The more and more we work on this, we understand how big of an impact this will be for the region,” says Mayor Orcutt.
The Haslams sharing they are one step closer to building the new dome stadium which will feature hotels, restaurants, and shops in Brook Park.
According to the Haslam Sports Group, the new mega facility will sit 176 acres near Cleveland Hopkins Airport and create more than 3,000 jobs.
But Mayor Orcutt says that number is still being discussed.
“We understand that there have been studies done. We still want to review all that and make sure we understand where those numbers derive from, but we do understand there will be job creation,” says Mayor Orcutt.
The district will eventually include 300,000 square feet of retail space, two hotels, apartments, and office space.
With a complex in use all year round, 19 News asked Mayor Orcutt if his city could handle all of the increased traffic.
“So we feel that traffic in, out, and around that stadium and the private investment that will be here in Brook Park will be contained inside that bod and we have a nice highway system around to make it convenient for the existing residents that are here,” says Mayor Orcutt.
With that said, he did say some of those highway on and off ramps may have to be expanded to avoid a massive traffic jam.
“There will be some changes. Would they be major changes? I wouldn’t call them major changes,” says Mayor Orcutt.
As far as financing for this project, he said they are still figuring out all the numbers.
“We are designing it, so we have to find out what the cost is going to be and at that point, what we have to do is make sure that everyone comes to the table.
The Mayor shared that safety will be at the top of the list when building this massive complex.
“The Cleveland Browns will still have that obligation to the stadium, the parking lot area. What we call inside the curb. Then, Brook Park will have our obligation with traffic control,” says Mayor Orcutt.
He explained that their police department will need to create a separate police division for traffic control.
“We do have in our plan to increase our police department personal. The stadium right now currently have MOUs where other police officers from departments do come down to our current stadium Downtown to work those events. We would look to have that same arrangement,” says Mayor Orcutt.
The goal is to have the first phase of this project completed by 2029. In order to make that happen, Mayor Orcutt says they have to have shovels in the ground no later than 2026.
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