The Ohio House Republican version of the state budget includes $600 million in taxpayer money to secure bonds for a new Cleveland Browns stadium in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park. The team’s owners are spending big on Ohio lawmakers.
The team wants $1.2 billion in taxpayer money to help pay for the new domed stadium, which could cost upward of $2.4 billion and open by 2029.
The plan calls for $600 million in state-backed bonds, which would be repaid using tax revenues. The bonds were included in House Bill 96, the state’s budget, which the state House approved earlier this month.
According to the plan, Brook Park and Cuyahoga County would chip in an additional $600 million in bonds, which would be repaid using parking and tax revenues. The Cleveland Browns’ owners, Haslam Sports Group, would cover the rest.
According to the Ohio Capital Journal, Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam made a series of political donations to Republican and Democratic state lawmakers who decide the budget.
They gave $5,000 to state Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Westlake, the ranking member on the House Finance Committee, the Ohio Capital Journal reported. Jimmy Haslam also gave $1,250 to Rep. Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland, on Aug. 27, 2024; he is on the Arts, Athletics and Tourism Committee.
According to the report, House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington; Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood; and state Rep. Darnell Brewer, D-Cleveland, each received $2,500.
On the Republican side, Huffman for Ohio, the political action committee of Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, accepted $60,999 from Jimmy and Dee Haslam between Jan. 1, 2024, and March 24, 2025, and were “among the Ohio House speaker’s largest individual donors,” according to the report.
The Haslams also gave $2,500 — in two separate $1,250 donations — to House Finance Committee Vice Chair Mike Dovilla, R-Berea, the Ohio Capital Journal reported. For the House Finance Committee, they also gave $2,500 to state Rep. Gayle Manning, R-North Ridgeville; $2,500 to state Rep. Sharon Ray, R-Wadsworth; and $2,500 to state Rep. Jamie Callender, R-Concord.
Jimmy Haslam gave $1,250 on Aug. 19 to state Rep. Melanie Miller, R-Ashland, chair of the House Arts, Athletics and Tourism Committee, while Jimmy and Dee Haslam gave $2,500 to state Rep. David Thomas, R-Jefferson.
They also gave $30,999 to Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon. However, McColley has expressed skepticism about the stadium proposal.
“I’m not in favor of something that would just simply be a handout,” Statehouse News Bureau quoted McColley as saying in January. “There would have to be an ability to be paid back.”
They also gave $15,000 to Senate Finance Committee Chair Jerry Cirino, R-Kirkland, a role he assumed in January.
On the Senate Finance Committee, the Haslams also gave $5,000 to state Sen. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville; $5,000 to state Sen. Tom Patton, R-Strongsville; and $2,500 to state Sen. Mark Romanchuk, R-Ontario.
“We’re going to have local Super Bowls played in the stadium − hopefully an Ohio team is playing in one of them,” The Columbus Dispatch quoted state Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, as saying. “This is going to be a destination center. I really do think when the ribbon is cut and people walk in the door, I think people are going to be happy that this is in Ohio.”
According to the Ohio Capital Journal, Huffman’s PAC gave Stewart $15,499.
“Rather than provide real and meaningful support to all of Ohio’s citizens, House Republicans have chosen a fiscally irresponsible state operating budget that puts politics over people and which will cost Ohioans dearly. People deserve better,” Russo said in a statement. “This budget and its Republican architects fail the people of Ohio and the idea of the American Dream.”
