The Browns have overcome several hurdles in their quest to leave downtown Cleveland for a new stadium in suburban Brook Park. They now have another.<\/p>\n
Via multiple reports, and as first reported by NEOtrans blog, the Ohio Department of Transportation has rejected a building permit<\/a>, explaining that the structure is too tall.<\/p>\n \u201cThe purpose of this letter is to notify you that your permit application concerning the proposed construction of a commercial building at the above submitted location and height has been denied for the following reason: the proposed structure has been determined to be an obstruction to air navigation,\u201d the August 1, 2025 letter states.<\/p>\n The stadium, per the ODOT, exceeds the maximum height for the location by 58 feet.<\/p>\n The Browns have issued a statement to multiple outlets containing their position on the issue.<\/p>\n \u201cOur aviation consultants were surprised by ODOT\u2019s letter from two weeks ago, which is flatly at odds with the FAA\u2019s careful analyses and determinations resulting from well over a year of in-depth work, that found our proposed stadium poses no airspace hazards,\u201d a Haslam Sports Group spokesperson said. \u201cThey\u2019ve also noted several other existing structures in Ohio that exceed the height ODOT apparently now finds objectionable. . . . We\u2019ve already begun working collaboratively with ODOT to explain the stadium\u2019s heights and the detailed work we\u2019ve done more fully, which shows no safety or efficiency issues to Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport. We look forward to resolving this matter expeditiously and continuing our work to bring this transformative project to Northeast Ohio.\u201d<\/p>\n The Browns hope to commence construction in early 2026, with the goal of christening the stadium in 2029.<\/p>\n Concerns regarding football stadiums and flying aren\u2019t new. Levi\u2019s Stadium in Santa Clara has been the subject of complaints from pilots<\/a>, due to the bright lights in the venue. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood was buried 100 feet into the ground<\/a>, in order to accommodate flight paths at nearby LAX.<\/p>\n