COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Transportation reversed itself and announced Thursday it has now approved a construction permit for the Cleveland Browns to build their proposed stadium next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
ODOT on Aug. 1 had rejected the permit, citing height concerns, but that rejection came with an opportunity for the Browns to appeal.
ODOT and the Browns have been in talks for weeks.
“This approval follows a comprehensive review and a detailed analysis by ODOT’s third-party aviation consultant of additional information submitted by both the city of Cleveland Department of Port Control and Clyde & Co., attorneys for the Haslam Sports Group,” ODOT said in Thursday’s announcement.
ODOT said the independent third-party consultant determined that, based on all information, construction of the proposed building would not change current flight operations at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
“Applying sound aeronautical principles, the consultant found that ‘the proposed stadium would have no adverse effect on the safety and efficient use of the aeronautical environment’ and recommended approval of the issuance of a permit with waiver of obstruction standards. ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn agreed with that recommendation,” the ODOT announcement said.
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Cleveland’s airport director had previously objected, raising safety concerns, though the proposal had cleared Federal Aviation Administration review.
The stadium site in Brook Park is on 178 acres of former Ford Motor Co. property the Browns acquired earlier this year.
Though the FAA had said the stadium height was OK as long as red lights were installed on the roof, ODOT – in response to concerns raised by the airport – initially denied a construction permit. ODOT at the time offered two options: lower the stadium by 58 feet or move it to an unspecified location.
Yet, as late as Friday, Cleveland reiterated its safety concerns. A letter to ODOT dated Sept. 12 from Dennis Kramer, acting director of port control for the city, outlined why the stadium proposal “is inconsistent with safe and efficient operations of the airport.”
“When planes take off and land, they need a clear and safe path to and from the runway’s end,” the letter said. “… More obstructions in this airspace creates more of a risk for the travelling public.”
This developing story will be updated.