The state of Ohio’s plan to utilize unclaimed funds for the construction of a new domed stadium for the Cleveland Browns came to a halt.

Franklin County Magistrate Jennifer Hunt paused the plan while the case was being heard. In her preliminary injunction, Hunt found that in former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann’s lawsuit, the plaintiffs are more likely to win the case. 

The class action lawsuit is about $1 billion being taken from the state’s Unclaimed Funds Account to build the stadium in the Brook Park suburb in Cleveland. And according to the lawsuit, this move is considered a violation of the constitutional prohibitions against taking citizens’ private property for government use. 

This comes on the back of the $1 billion being approved for the creation of a 'Sports and Culture Facilities Fund'. Of this, $600 million was to be designated to the Browns as part of the first grant.

But after Monday’s ruling, the Haslam Group cannot obtain the money until the lawsuit is resolved. The construction, however, has already begun as digging at the Brook Park site commenced last week. 

What This Means For the Stadium

At the moment, it remains unclear whether this update will delay the construction of the new stadium.

Excavation work for the new stadium had already started, going 80 feet below ground level to keep it from disrupting air traffic.

If there is a delay, the Haslam Sports Group might have to cover costs of construction if they want to make it to the groundbreaking ceremony slated for April 30.

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar