Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne said the county will not financially or logistically support the Cleveland Browns' Brook Park stadium plan, accusing the team's owners of "greed and opportunism."
This comes after the Haslam Sports Group sent Ronayne a letter last week saying they intended to move forward without county support.
"They revealed in their letter that they have been asking us for something that they didn't need: that they didn't need our tax dollars to make this actually go," Ronayne told Ideastream on Monday. "I think that shows some greed and shows some opportunity on their part to just simply fleece the taxpayers of Cuyahoga County."
Ronayne has remained steadfast in his opposition to the team's plan to move out of Downtown Cleveland to the neighboring suburb for a new, $2.4 billion domed stadium. In a press conference last year, he revealed the team asked for $600 million in public funds from the county, which he called "fiscally irresponsible."
The Browns, who are now pursuing $600 million in state-backed bonds, condemned Ronayne last week of "actively work[ing] against" state investment that would let the region thrive. Haslam Sports Group Chief Operating Officer Dave Jenkins said they would proceed without him.
Ronayne said he plans to "hold them to it."
"Don't come to us for infrastructure. Don't come to us for bonding. Don't to us come to for additional tax dollars. Don't come to us for things that you can't see around the corner like safety and logistics operational issues," Ronayne said. "Pay for it yourself."
Ronayne said he remains hopeful the team will change course and stay Downtown. He recently ask Ohio legislators for $350 million to renovate the existing lakefront stadium instead of the Browns' $600 million proposal.
"It's not over," Ronayne said. "What happens next really depends largely on the state."
