Two major construction labor organizations urge state leaders to support $3.4B stadium and development project

CLEVELAND — A day after securing support from the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the Cleveland Browns’ proposed domed stadium project in Brook Park gained another major boost — this time from organized labor.

Two key building and construction trade organizations, the Affiliated Construction Trades Ohio Foundation (ACT Ohio) and the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council (CBCTC), sent a joint letter on Wednesday to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and top legislative leaders, calling on them to back the Browns’ massive $3.4 billion stadium and mixed-use development plan.

“The Brook Park project is a generational opportunity and the 20,000+ members of the CBCTC are ready to meet the challenge and deliver another large-scale construction project on-time and on-budget,” wrote ACT Ohio Executive Director Matthew Szollosi and CBCTC Executive Secretary/Business Manager Dave Wondolowski.

In their letter, addressed to DeWine, Senate President Rob McColley, House Speaker Matt Huffman, and key budget committee chairs, the labor leaders emphasized their collaboration with the Haslam Sports Group (HSG), the public-private team spearheading the project. "We write to demonstrate our shared commitment and collaboration with the Haslam Sports Group (HSG), the public/private coalition and project team,” the letter states.

The proposal calls for construction of a $2.4 billion domed stadium — tentatively named Huntington Bank Field — in Brook Park, along with an adjacent billion-dollar mixed-use development including commercial, entertainment, and residential spaces. While HSG and development partners have pledged over $2 billion in private investment, they are requesting public funding to help cover the remainder of the project’s cost.

In April, the Ohio House passed a budget proposal that includes $600 million in state-backed bonds for the Brook Park development. That funding package now awaits approval in the Senate, with a final vote and signature from Governor DeWine due by the June 30 budget deadline.

In making their case, ACT Ohio and the CBCTC stressed the economic and workforce benefits the development would bring to the region.

“Conservative economic projections indicate that 6,000 jobs will be created during the construction of the new enclosed Huntington Bank Field stadium and phased development in Brook Park,” the labor leaders wrote. “This does not include the enduring labor and employment impact once the projects are complete, with over 5,400 permanent jobs anticipated.”

They also pointed to the project’s role in preparing the next generation of construction workers. “Thousands of apprentices will begin their careers on this project, which will create on-the-job training opportunities necessary to develop Greater Cleveland's next-generation construction workforce.”

Who Are the Supporting Labor Organizations?

ACT Ohio is a statewide labor organization under the Ohio State Building & Construction Trades Council, representing more than 98,000 union construction workers through 145 local affiliates. Its mission includes promoting industrial development and construction industry best practices for public and private projects across Ohio.

The CBCTC, meanwhile, represents 29 affiliated unions and over 20,000 construction workers across Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties. The council annually invests around $15 million into recruiting and training a skilled and diverse workforce that includes women, minorities, and veterans.

With business, labor, and political support building momentum, the fate of the Brook Park project now hinges on upcoming negotiations in the Ohio Senate and the final approval of the state’s biennial budget.

Originally reported by Dave DeNatale in WKYC.