The Cleveland Browns took another big step towards the construction of their future stadium on Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Transportation unveiled a $25 million investment to revamp roads surrounding the proposed Brook Park stadium site.

According to News 5 Cleveland, the city secured a $25 million grant from the BUILD program, part of a $1.73 billion nationwide investment to improve transportation infrastructure.

The funding will revamp the Interstate 71 and Snow Road corridor with redesigned ramps and upgraded local roads, making travel to the future Browns stadium and entertainment district easier and more efficient.

“This is huge,” Brook Park's Mayor Edward Orcutt said during a phone interview with News 5 Cleveland.

City consultants and the Haslam Sports Group have said they plan to spend around $100 million on public infrastructure improvements, including pedestrian pathways.

With the addition of the $25 million BUILD grant, Brook Park has now amassed $60 million in public funding, following the $35 million secured in April.

“It’s been a lot of hard work for the developers and the city of Brook Park, working together as partners, to make this generational project a reality,” said Orcutt, who traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this year to make a pitch to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

While the project is closely linked primarily to the future stadium, the Department of Transportation’s BUILD grant announcement highlighted another priority.

The agency said that the funding will help Brook Park “modernize I-71 to separate freight and passenger traffic to increase safety and save travel time.”

They are focused on featuring a new, redesigned ramp, a flyover over railroad tracks, a wider Engle Road, streamlined local streets, a new turn lane, and a pedestrian bridge.

With construction now underway, the Browns' new stadium is finally coming to life, and the latest renders highlight a new design.

Underground seating steals the show in new Cleveland Browns stadium render

Recently, a render of the stadium made the rounds online, revealing the adjustments that the stadium is expected to make due to its proximity to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Per the renders, the Browns' proposed dome will be built around 80 feet below ground level to comply with aviation regulations.

According to an X post by 92.3 The Fan’s Daryl Ruiter, 70% of the seating will be below ground level. HKS designers estimate the excavation will cost around $65 million while reducing the stadium's heating and cooling energy usage by 20%.

“There is a cost to put things in the ground, so we’ve actually moved their operations and services to grade,” said Josh Tooill, HKS senior designer and principal. “Everything you would traditionally have at event level — really, the back-of-house is for the team, home and away locker rooms, anything performance related, and premium space. If it’s not in those categories, it’s done on-grade.”

The goal is to complete the stadium before the 2029 NFL season, as Cleveland could also bid to host the NFL Draft the following year.

What are your thoughts on these new developments?

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit