On June 4th, 2025, in Berea Ohio, the Cleveland Browns had a groundbreaking ceremony for the new team’s practice facility named “District 46 “. This mixed use 16-acre $200 million dollar training facility project will be funded by the Haslam Sports Group, not taxpayer money. Jimmy Haslam the owner of the Cleveland Browns since 2012 has been vilified by Cleveland Browns fans for poor decision making. But they can’t vilify him for being cheap or stingy with his money.

In March of 2022 the Cleveland Browns made a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson. The trade consisted of Cleveland sending Houston 3 first round picks and Cleveland giving Watson a $230 million dollar contract fully guaranteed. The move was immediately criticized for the price the Browns paid for Watson in both draft picks and cash. Also, Watson brought a lot of public relations baggage due to his off the field issues. Three years later the trade is considered one of the worst in NFL history. Recently Browns Jimmy Haslam took responsibility for the move. Now there is another controversy with Cleveland Browns fans on their team’s future home.

It is expected by preseason of 2029 that the Cleveland Browns will open the new Huntington Bank Field dome stadium in the Cleveland suburb of Brookpark Ohio. Browns fans are divided over this issue. The total project costs $3.6 billion dollars, $2.4 billion is already privately funded. The remaining funds will be from of a state loan, county funds and city funds. But some Browns fans want it all privately funded, and they are worried about the cost of going to a game. All of those concerns are understandable. What they also need to understand is that this the direction of much of the NFL and not just Cleveland. Many fans of the NFL are of the working class and the owners of teams are wealthy. Haslam is one the wealthiest owners in the league. And it is difficult to relate people that struggle more than you are financially. The main reason that the owner of the Cleveland Browns is not well liked is due to lack of winning. With that also comes a lack of trust from fans. We can remember being sold a bill of goods in 1996 when we were promised a team in 1999. No one promised that the team would be any good on the field. And they weren’t any good. There is one cure for all the fan’s uneasiness with the team’s future.

The Cleveland Browns have to start winning and win consistently. That is the cure all of the negativity towards the team, the owner, and the city of Cleveland. And a state-of-the-art indoor facility can be a step in the right direction regardless of the team’s owner’s bank account.