CLEVELAND — A second home for thousand of sports fans in northeast Ohio, the Cleveland Browns Football Team could be moving from Huntington Bank Field to Brook Park.

What You Need To Know

  • Dee and Jimmy Haslam, owners of Cleveland Browns, announced they're moving forward with plans to relocate the football team to Brook Park, Ohio

  • The NFL team currently plays in Hungtington Bank Field, attracting sports fans to downtown Cleveland for the past 25 years

  • Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb said the development could result in the loss of millions of dollars for local businesses in the area

"I mean, we live, eat, sleep, die, breathe Cleveland Browns," said Lonnie White.

White is the owner and operator of Tailgate Sports Bar and Grille in downtown Cleveland, a hotpspot for sports fans during football season.

"I'd say we get about two to 300 people here for the Cleveland Browns, huge Browns fans. you know, with the Cleveland tailgate," White said.

The high volume of customers brings in a lot money for his establishment.

"I would say a good 35% of my revenue actually come from tailgating," he said, "and the Cleveland Browns, the fans, the loyal fans of Cleveland. I mean, you even have out-of-state fans that come to actually come party with us, tailgate with us."

He isn't the only person expressing concerns about the team's plan to move out of the city. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb said a new stadium in Brook Park could take a significant toll on local businesses.

"We've already commissioned an economic impact study, which estimates the negative impact of the Browns leaving at more than $30 million annually a year in lost economic impact," Bibb said.

Dee and Jimmy Haslamm, owners of the Browns disputed Bibb's claim in a written statement.

"... Moving the current stadium will allow the city and region's collective vision for the Cleveland lakefront to be optimally realized, and downtown will benefit from the major events the Brook Park dome brings to the region," they wrote.

Mabel's BBQ Manager, Luke Underation, said game days bring in a large number of customers.

"On some of our busiest days, we will push 900 to 1000 people, but if it's just one event and it's the Browns, we could do 600 to 700 covers on any given Sunday," he said.

While Underation said he'll miss the Sunday crowds, he doesn't think the stadium move will make or break the business.

"Obviously, we will miss that business for those eight or nine Sundays that they're in town," he said. "I hope that whoever's making the decisions is making the decisions that are best for the city and have the city in mind."

Regardless of what the future holds, White said his loyalty lies with the Cleveland Browns.

"The Browns is the heart and soul of Cleveland," White said. "So like I said, they could, somebody could reconsider. I would hope they would, but if they can't ... I guess we'd be in Brook Park. What can I say?"

Related Stories