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Browns File Amended Suit to Overturn Modell Law in Brook Park Stadium Battle

An amended federal complaint asserts Ohio’s Modell Law violates the Constitution with legal fees now topping $400,000.

Overview

  • The Browns filed an amended federal complaint on Monday arguing the 1996 Modell Law is unconstitutional and does not bar a team from relocating after its lease term ends.
  • U.S. District Judge David Ruiz granted the filing over objections from Cleveland officials and the Ohio attorney general, ruling a revised complaint would not unduly prejudice defendants.
  • The city of Cleveland has accrued more than $400,000 in legal fees paying Jones Day $675 per hour as it pursues a county court action to enforce the Modell Law.
  • Haslam Sports Group plans to invest over $1 billion in a new domed stadium and entertainment complex in Brook Park, and the team is seeking $600 million in state funding.
  • Federal and county court hearings are scheduled in the coming weeks, and a decision on the Browns’ $600 million state funding request is due late next month before their stadium lease expires in 2028.