BROOK PARK, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and his family marked a significant milestone on Thursday with the groundbreaking ceremony for the new domed stadium scheduled to open for the 2029 season.
There are still a couple of questions to be answered though even as construction commences on the 67,500-capacity facility, which will be next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of downtown Cleveland.
The $600 million that the state of Ohio has committed to the project is on hold due to a class-action lawsuit, which argues that the provision the state budget that took $1 billion from the state's Unclaimed Funds Account to help fund sports facilities in Ohio, violate constitutional prohibitions against taking people's private property for government use.
Governor Mike DeWine did not know if the litigation would be settled by the time he leaves office in January after two terms.