Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb will meet Friday in Cleveland to talk football, a city spokesperson has confirmed.
"We welcome Governor DeWine's visit to Cleveland to meet with Mayor Bibb about the ongoing stadium negotiations," the spokesperson said in a written statement. "This meeting reflects our continued commitment to open dialogue and collaboration as we work together to ensure the best outcomes for our residents and the development of our lakefront. We appreciate the Governor's engagement in these important discussions."
DeWine reportedly told reporters Thursday he had been in Cleveland three times in a week to learn more about the issue.
The Browns plan to relocate from their current stadium Downtown to a newly constructed domed complex in Brook Park.
Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have said they want the public to foot about half of the more than $2 billion bill — something Cuyahoga County officials have publicly denounced as "fiscally irresponsible."
It's unclear where the proposed public money for the stadium would come from. Cuyahoga County has for months been resistant to the idea of investing in a new stadium build in the suburbs. Browns officials have met with state lawmakers about funding, possibly by issuing bonds.
In October, Cleveland's Mayor Justin Bibb announced negotiations with the team's billionaire owners had broken down and the team would decamp to Brook Park.
At the time, Bibb called the relocation "profoundly disheartening" and said it would "undoubtedly damage the city, county and region in a multitude of ways," adding that the Brook Park complex "threatens [the] viability of Downtown sports" that the city and county have already heavily invested public subsidies in.
The city has said the Browns' departure would mean a $30 million annual loss to its economy.
In December, the Cleveland Browns released an economic impact study that asserted the team's planned relocation from Downtown to Brook Park will unlock more than $1 billion annually in economic impact for Northeast Ohio, but Cuyahoga County officials are pushing back.
Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne was skeptical of the study, calling it "overly optimistic."
DeWine will also announce Friday the signing of House Bill 107, which designated a portion of Interstate 90 between East 72nd Street and East 105th Street “Cleveland Firefighter Johnny Tetrick Memorial Highway.”
Tetrick was killed by a hit-and-run drive in 2022, while providing on-duty assistance for a motor vehicle accident on I-90 East near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, according to the bill.
