A simple Dealer/cleveland.com analysis just stirred the debate about sports stadium financing and the future of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. “Dare to Dream Big,” the July 7 stories by reporters Lucas Daprile and Zachary Smith, showed not only the need for a more regional approach, but also a possible funding mechanism — if all nine counties in Northeast Ohio adopt the a quarter-percent sales tax for taking initiatives.
That could mean that, eventually, the conversation about paying for a new Browns stadium will involve more than Cuyahoga County and the state. By putting money on the table, Browns fans from Ashtabula County west to Lorain County and south to Summit and Medina counties could get a voice in the design, location and concept of a state-of-the-art regional facility. And Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam may finally see their proposed high-priced domed stadium entertainment complex become a reality.
