The threat of a strike-shortened NFL football season has the team looking for a better deal on the 5,000 parking spaces it leases from the port for $225,000 dollars a year. This week the port’s board voted to a three-three tie and sent the lease back to the negotiating table. Board members opposed to the deal say the port cannot afford to give back any of the income it makes on the parking agreement. But port authority CEO WiIliam Friedman supports the deal.
William Friedman: "The base would have been $200,000 for the ten home games. That's the minimum. There is a fifty-fifty share of revenue if they collect revenue on parking that would exceed $200,000. And then we would have agreed to prorate based on the number of games that were cancelled.”
The proposal would give the Browns $20,000 dollars off for every home game canceled due to a strike. This season, the Browns have two preseason, and eight regular season home games on the schedule. Browns officials say the team does not make money on stadium parking. The next port authority board meeting is scheduled for July 20th.