State funds blocked for Browns’ stadium

Article posted by Coliseum, March 23^rd, 2026

Image: Cleveland Browns

A court has blocked the state of Ohio’s plan to transfer billions of dollars in unclaimed funds to help build sports arenas, including the NFL Cleveland Browns’ new Huntington Bank Field stadium.

Cleveland.com said a Franklin County Court of Common Pleas magistrate’s injunction means the state can’t tap funds held in the Unclaimed Funds Trust Fund while a lawsuit over using unclaimed funds is ongoing.

Ohio’s Unclaimed Funds Trust Fund is a state-held repository, managed by the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Unclaimed Funds, that safeguards approximately $4.8 billion in forgotten or lost money.

Funds come from inactive bank accounts, uncashed checks, or insurance policies, and the state holds them indefinitely until the rightful owner claims them.

There is currently a controversy involving a plan to use approximately $1.7 billion from the fund to finance sports stadium projects, most notably a $600 million grant for the Cleveland Browns’ new $2.4 billion domed stadium in Brook Park.

The disagreement centers on whether the state has the legal right to permanently “seize” private property to benefit billionaire sports team owners.

As of March 2026, a state court has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the transfer of these funds while a class-action lawsuit proceeds.

In all, 22 different facilities applied for grants. That list has since been narrowed to 14.

The facilities where the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Cavaliers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Cleveland Guardians, and FC Cincinnati are all still in the running — should the program eventually go forward.

The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland (US). The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a Member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North Division.

The Browns currently play at the 67,431-capacity Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The venue also serves to host other events such as college and high school football, soccer, hockey, and concerts.

The magistrate’s hold on the use of state unclaimed funds for Ohio sports facilities while a civil lawsuit plays out likely won’t interrupt work toward completion of the Browns’ new stadium in Brook Park.

The $2.4 billion project isn’t far enough along to receive the $600 million promised from the state, with or without the court order – though excavation of the site is underway.

And even if the block on using unclaimed funds holds in the long term – state lawmakers from the governor on down have already shown their willingness to find a way to fund the project.

The revolutionary 67,500-seat ‘Super Theater’ venue designed by the leading sports architecture firm HKS will be capable of hosting a wide array of premier large-scale events year-round well beyond the Browns games.

These would include the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Final Fours (the last stage of March Madness where the four remaining teams battle for a spot in the national championship), international soccer matches and concerts for crowds of up to 75,000.

The enabling work for the new Huntington Bank Field initially began in October 2025 and the official groundbreaking ceremony will take place on April 30^th. The new enclosed stadium and Phase 1 of the mixed-use development are on track to open in 2029.

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