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A law firm representing the Haslam Sports Group was notified by the state’s aviation administrator that a permit application for building the new Huntington Bank Field in suburban Brook Park near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport was denied.
The denial could have serious repercussions in terms of timing, cost and viability for the construction of a new $3.6 billion enclosed stadium and proposed supportive development for the new home of the Cleveland Browns.
The denial letter was sent by certified mail on Aug. 1 to Clyde & Co. US LLP by the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Office of Aviation. A copy of it was sent anonymously to NEOtrans.
“The 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,” the letter states.
At its proposed location, the new Huntington Bank Field extends up into this air navigation zone by 58 feet. The Haslam Sports Group and its stadium development affiliate Primacy Development LLC has the right to request within 30 days a hearing at ODOT-Aviation and appeal the permit denial.
“Our aviation consultants were surprised by ODOT’s letter from two weeks ago, which is flatly at odds with the FAA’s careful analyses and determinations resulting from well over a year of in-depth work, that found our proposed stadium poses no airspace hazards,” said Haslam Sports Group spokesperson Peter John-Baptiste. “They’ve also noted several other existing structures in Ohio that exceed the height ODOT apparently now finds objectionable.”
“We’ve already begun working collaboratively with ODOT to explain the stadium’s heights and the detailed work we’ve done more fully, which shows no safety or efficiency issues to Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport,” he added. “We look forward to resolving this matter expeditiously and continuing our work to bring this transformative project to Northeast Ohio.”
ODOT said the Haslams can also resubmit for a new application with a shorter stadium and/or one built farther from the airport. As planned, the lowest level of the new Huntington Bank Field would be built 80 feet into the ground.
Or it could trade places with a stadium village and entertainment district proposed farther from the airport on a large, vacant site on Snow Road at Interstate 71. An HSG affiliate paid $76 million in June for 179 acres of a former Ford auto plant.
The ODOT-Aviation letter, citing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, describes the limitation stemming from the enclosed stadium’s placement and height within an arc beyond the end of the airport’s east-west Runway 10/28. This runway is used by commercial aircraft however infrequently, depending on unique wind conditions.
“A horizontal plane 150 feet above the established airport elevation, the perimeter of which is constructed by swinging arcs of a specified radii from the center of each end of the primary surface of each runway of each airport and connecting the adjacent arcs by lines tangent to those arcs,” the letter continues. “The proposed structure exceeds this protected surface at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Cleveland Ohio by 58 feet at the highest point.”
ODOT-Aviation said that if the proposed structure at this location were reduced in height by a specific amount, it would not be considered an obstruction to air navigation. “Please contact our office to request a permit at these reduced heights,” ODOT-Aviation said.
The stadium may also be permitted at the proposed height at another location further away from the airport. “If you want to change the location of the proposed structure, you will need to file a new 7460-1 Notice of Proposed Construction with the FAA,” the letter said.
The Cleveland Browns will continue to play their home games at the current Huntington Bank Field on Downton Cleveland’s lakefront for four more years. The team’s lease to use the city-owned stadium, built in 1999, is due to expire after the 2028 football season.
NEOtrans also reached out to Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, Cleveland Press Secretary Marie Zickefoose and ODOT-Aviation for comment prior to publication of this article. None responded as this time. This article will be updated with any replies.
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