A statue of Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown outside Cleveland’s stadium. Team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam are weighing whether to build a domed stadium near the airport in Brook Park or renovate the existing Cleveland Browns Stadium along the lakefront. By Sabrina Eaton, cleveland.comWASHINGTON, D. C. – The Federal Aviation Administration lacks the authority by itself to shoot down a proposed domed Cleveland Browns football stadium near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, where owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have an option to buy 176 acres of land in Brook Park.When asked if it would allow the stadium’s construction, the federal agency issued a statement that said developers must give it the opportunity to evaluate proposed structures near airports to determine whether they could pose a hazard to aircraft or interfere with navigation aids. It didn’t offer an opinion about a potential stadium next to Hopkins.“The FAA’s determination is a recommendation and is not binding,” the statement said. “The FAA does not have the authority to limit building heights, and the decision to issue a building permit is up to the local government. Many local governments and states have laws that prohibit issuing building permits if the FAA determines a structure would pose a hazard to air navigation.”Cleveland Browns float move to Brook ParkCould a Browns domed stadium in Brook Park spawn a vibrant entertainment district and what might it look like?Would it be so bad if Browns stadium moved from Cleveland to Brook Park? – commentaryWhere does sin tax money go if the Cleveland Browns move to Brook Park?Would Cleveland Browns moving to Brook Park be unprecedented in the NFL?Would a Brook Park Browns stadium have better parking for fans?Brook Park building commissioner Jason Monaco said he expects the building department would collaborate with FAA in reviewing a potential stadium.“Large scale sports stadiums are not projects that pop up every day,” Monaco said in an email. “I don’t really have any information further than that at this point.”A spokesperson for Cleveland Hopkins International Airport said it has “no comment at this time” on the proposal, and spokespeople for Southwest and United Airlines, which use the airport, said to contact FAA.The Haslams are currently weighing whether to build a domed stadium near the airport in Brook Park or renovate the existing Cleveland Browns Stadium along the lakefront. They floated both ideas last week at the National Football League’s annual meeting in Florida.“I think there’s an opportunity here to perhaps build a domed stadium that can transform our area,” Dee Haslam told reporters. “That’s something exciting to think about. We’re looking at both options. Not one option is above the other. But I do think that Cleveland deserves to be thought of as this evolving, forward-thinking, creative city as opposed to not thinking big.”Sabrina Eaton writes about the federal government and politics in Washington, D.C., for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
