Cleveland, Ohio Only the city of Cleveland responded to the Federal Aviation Administration’s request for public input on the Browns’ proposal to construct a new stadium at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, which is worth $2.4 billion.
According to Bryant Francis, who was hired by Mayor Justin Bibb to oversee the city’s airports, the stadium’s height would impede aviation traffic at Hopkins.
In the end, the FAA decided that as long as red lights were installed on the roof, the project wouldn’t be dangerous.
However, Francis’s complaint—which he also forwarded to the Ohio Department of Transportation—turned out to be significant.
ODOT rejected the Browns’ request for a construction permit earlier this month, citing the city’s ongoing resistance. The Browns have the ability to appeal, and ODOT has provided them with alternatives to consider, so it’s not a done deal.
However, the team’s intentions to construct a new stadium have been complicated by the complaint from the city that is attempting to prevent the team from relocating to Brook Park, a suburban area.
According to an agency official last week, it has historically been ODOT’s practice to reject a permit whenever an airport raises any complaints over safety issues. ODOT is in the process of setting up a meeting with representatives from the team.
According to the FAA, 2,657 parties with potentially impacted aviation and non-aeronautical interests were notified of the matter in February. According to the FAA’s May 28 determination letter, no one else replied. To find out more about the kinds of parties contacted, Cleveland.com has contacted the FAA.
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Since at least March, when he submitted complaints to the FAA and ODOT, Francis has been advocating for the cause. On June 25, he followed up with ODOT once more, stating that Cleveland is still opposed to a permanent structure that would affect Cleveland Hopkins International Airport’s (CLE) airspace.
On August 1, ODOT rejected the request.
ODOT made two recommendations in its ruling: either relocating the stadium away from the airport or reducing its height from 221 feet to 163 feet. Although the Browns already intend to bury the field 80 feet underground, the city’s safety issues remain unresolved.
Francis noted in March that the goals of the city of Cleveland’s Department of Port Control are in conflict with the projected building development’s negative consequences on CLE’s navigable airspace and approach surfaces.
The Browns argue that going beyond height limits is normal through aviation lawyer and former FAA general counsel Kenneth Quinn. He pointed out that the FAA officially approved the proposal in May and that 31 other structures already exceed FAA surface regulations near Hopkins.
However, as additional difficulties arise, ODOT’s rejection now compels the team to consider an appeal.
On the grounds that the club breached its existing lease by negotiating the Brook Park arrangement, the city is suing to stop the move. Two former Democratic state officials have filed a second lawsuit challenging the state’s decision to take $1 billion from unclaimed cash to establish a fund for sports and arts facilities, which includes $600 million designated for the Browns stadium.
In the meantime, Francis has voiced concerns about more than just height, stating last year that a stadium in Brook Park may cause traffic problems for travelers at the airport.
The material in this piece, which was produced with the help of artificial intelligence, is different from what was previously reported.
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