Browns Adding to Game Day Experience

[Soda]

Who's paying for this?


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Everyone seems to give too much a fuck about this. We're going to foot some of the bill. Is that what everyone wants to hear? Cleveland, this isn't unique to you and shit isn't always free.

If they didn't do this, people would complain about them being cheap and how the stadium is shitty and we need a new one yada yada; now that they're doing it, people are complaining about a few cents out of your paycheck. Either way, people are going to put forth a few bucks, whether its now or in 2020 to finance a new place entirely.

Can't win.

 

[shoes22]

That's a damn huge video screen. I approve of that.
I feel like these upgrades improve the stadium to slightly above average, as opposed to its current condition, which is downright terrible.

Who's paying for this?

You are!

 

[Soda]

That's a damn huge video screen. I approve of that.
I feel like these upgrades improve the stadium to slightly above average, as opposed to its current condition, which is downright terrible.

Sigh... Unfortunately, I'm less than thrilled myself. I wanted turf. Still, showing an investment is big. Opening day 2015 is going to have a revitalized stadium AND new uniforms. It will feel brand new, I bet.

 

[Binkster]

Everyone seems to give too much a fuck about this. We're going to foot some of the bill. Is that what everyone wants to hear? Cleveland, this isn't unique to you and shit isn't always free.

If they didn't do this, people would complain about them being cheap and how the stadium is shitty and we need a new one yada yada; now that they're doing it, people are complaining about a few cents out of your paycheck. Either way, people are going to put forth a few bucks, whether its now or in 2020 to finance a new place entirely.

Can't win.

This.

And I cringed when some douchebag hipster got on the mic during the press conference and prefaced his question with: "This city has unemployment issues, awful street conditions, and can't even afford to fix the infrastructure we DO have. Why exactly are new scoreboards a good investment for these taxpayers?"

Loser.

 

[shoes22]

Here's another rendered picture:

It looks very modern/futuristic, I'll give them that.
This stadium may break a record for having the most slanted edges in one place.

 

[MoFlo]

Sigh... Unfortunately, I'm less than thrilled myself. I wanted turf. Still, showing an investment is big. Opening day 2015 is going to have a revitalized stadium AND new uniforms. It will feel brand new, I bet.

I hope you were expecting turf, though. It seems like they've been pretty intent on keeping the traditional outdoor, grass stadium. I have no gripe about that whatsoever.

 

[Nicky]

Everyone seems to give too much a fuck about this. We're going to foot some of the bill. Is that what everyone wants to hear? Cleveland, this isn't unique to you and shit isn't always free.

If they didn't do this, people would complain about them being cheap and how the stadium is shitty and we need a new one yada yada; now that they're doing it, people are complaining about a few cents out of your paycheck. Either way, people are going to put forth a few bucks, whether its now or in 2020 to finance a new place entirely.

Can't win.

I could care less about the cost of it. If these improvements make for a more quality stadium, then so be it.

I asked because when I heard about it, didn't hear the price tag or the method in which it was being paid for.

 

[Binkster]

<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/76541850" width="500" height="281" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Huber.]

The Titans should switch us video boards.

 

[Soda]

I hope you were expecting turf, though. It seems like they've been pretty intent on keeping the traditional outdoor, grass stadium. I have no gripe about that whatsoever.

It's a minor gripe on my part. Also, Joe Banner was asked on WKNR about that and he had reasoning for maintaining grass. I respect that.

I could care less about the cost of it. If these improvements make for a more quality stadium, then so be it.

I asked because when I heard about it, didn't hear the price tag or the method in which it was being paid for.

$120 million. The Browns asked for and were granted a loan from the NFL that would amount to half of the project's ultimate price. The remainder of the funding will be revealed after the Browns go in front of City Planning and Council; the reason they didn't reveal the cost to us is because those discussions haven't happened. They probably know the ballpark structure of the financing (the City and the Browns), but they didn't want to get into particulars until the process was over.

 

[Binkster]

The people throwing a fit about footing part of the bill here are probably the same people who threw a fit when Modell wanted a new stadium and likely the same people who wanted the stadium built as quickly and cheaply as possible upon their return.

And this is what we're left with.

Come on people, let's have a little pride in our venues and facilities. We play in one of the 5-worst NFL stadiums.

 

[Ruken]

The people throwing a fit about footing part of the bill here are probably the same people who threw a fit when Modell wanted a new stadium and likely the same people who wanted the stadium built as quickly and cheaply as possible upon their return.

And this is what we're left with.

Come on people, let's have a little pride in our venues and facilities. We play in one of the 5-worst NFL stadiums.

Not to mention the business Downtown receives on game day......

I don't think people realize a nicer stadium brings more downtown meaning more money spent. I can tell you for example at OSU (I know much bigger crowd draw) a bar on lane once told me they pay for their whole year pretty much just from the football home games. Browns would be smart to really up the tailgate atmosphere.

 

[shoes22]

Not to mention the business Downtown receives on game day......

I don't think people realize a nicer stadium brings more downtown meaning more money spent. I can tell you for example at OSU (I know much bigger crowd draw) a bar on lane once told me they pay for their whole year pretty much just from the football home games. Browns would be smart to really up the tailgate atmosphere.

But the stadium isn't in the heart of downtown like the Q and Progressive Field. It's about a mile away from everything.

 

[Ruken]

But the stadium isn't in the heart of downtown like the Q and Progressive Field. It's about a mile away from everything.

It is exactly a 13 min walk to west 6th from the Stadium

 

[Erbium]

Not to mention the business Downtown receives on game day......

I don't think people realize a nicer stadium brings more downtown meaning more money spent. I can tell you for example at OSU (I know much bigger crowd draw) a bar on lane once told me they pay for their whole year pretty much just from the football home games. Browns would be smart to really up the tailgate atmosphere.

I'm not advocating one way or the other, as I no longer reside in Cleveland. However, all recent research refutes what you are saying; Publicly funding stadiums for billionaires, and a non-profit organization like the NFL (i.e. non taxed organization), is slowly being proven to be one of the most fiscally irresponsible thing cities can do. There is a direct correlation between bankrupt cities and publicly funded stadiums; the dollars spent by citizens are never matched by the amount of "tourism" or "event" cash brought in by the stadium. These leagues rely on the fear of relocation in order to take advantage of working class and city dwellers. There is little doubt that investing in they city's infrastructure and education systems would be a far better long term plan to improve the city...but long term investments are never shiny and attractive; not to mention that elected city officials would be run out of town should we lose a sports franchise that is costing the city millions, and therefore do whatever is needed in the short-term to stay in office;

Even Jerry Jones, who self-funded his billion dollar stadium did so with the veil of a lifetime tax abatement...a lifetime tax abatement that the people of Arlington will pick up the slack for at the tune of $6M per year....

Essentially, the NFL specifically, and sports franchises in general, rely on people thinking you should pony up some of your hard earned working class dollars, in order to line the pockets of a few select billionaires.