Politics

Cleveland Council votes down $1.1 million Browns stadium repair reimbursement

Cleveland, Ohio • October 27, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

Editorial illustration: a city council chamber during a vote, with a football stadium visible through tall windows at dusk

Editorial illustration — Press Pass USA

Cleveland City Council on Monday voted down a plan to reimburse the Browns for about $1.1 million in repairs to the city-owned Huntington Bank Field, a 7–6 rebuke that the team's frustrated relationship with the city was written all over.

Mayor Justin Bibb's administration had said the repairs were necessary to safely operate the stadium and that the city is required to repay the team for such maintenance under the facility's existing lease. The work included repairs tied to a failed sanitary pump, a sewer ejector pump failure, failed pipe insulation and an overhead door, among other projects. Council President Blaine Griffin sided with the mayor's office in voting for the measure but could not get a majority to agree.

The seven council members voting against it were Kevin Bishop, Stephanie Howse-Jones, Nikki Hudson, Brian Kazy, Michael Polensek, Tanmay Shah and Richard Starr. After the vote, Polensek took aim at the Bibb administration's deal accepting $100 million from the Haslam Sports Group in exchange for dropping lawsuits over the Brook Park move, saying residents feel “we're being sold out” over losing the team and the downtown stadium.

The vote does not change the Browns' departure: the team is leaving downtown for a new stadium in Brook Park, and the existing stadium is expected to be demolished within five years. With the city potentially breaking its lease terms, the dispute could end up back in court, as the team has already made what were deemed essential upgrades despite the council's opposition.

Sources: WKYC (Oct 26–27, 2026); EssentiallySports (Oct 27, 2026).