Columbus economic development officials want $5 million from the state to build a sports facility to host the Cleveland Browns’ training camp. They’ve asked for the funding from Ohio’s capital improvement budget. As WKSU’s Kevin Niedermier reports, if approved, the team would move its three-week training from its headquarters in Berea to Columbus.
Berea Mayor Cyril Kleem says moving the Browns training camp elsewhere comes up every couple of years. This time, he says the team gave his city and several others the opportunity to explain why they should host the camp. Many NFL teams hold their training camps outside their home cities to gain extra exposure. Kleem says losing the three-week camp would have a small impact on city coffers. The big benefit is having the team headquarters in town.
“We receive anywhere from $2.4 million to $3 million a year in income tax from the Browns, and the training camp portion of that is probably in the $30,000 to $40,000 range. So the economic impact of training camp is not as big as some people may think. Now, that doesn’t mean I would encourage them to relocate.”
The city of Berea build the Browns’ facility in 1991, and has an agreement for the team to stay until at least 2028.
