Claim: Kristina Roegner gave $600 million of taxpayer money to the Cleveland Browns stadium project.
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On October 17, 2024, the Cleveland Browns formally announced that they are pursuing a new $2.4 billion domed stadium in Brook Park, Ohio. They claimed that renovating the current downtown lakefront stadium wasn’t worth renovating, adding that the new dome project offered better long-term value and feasibility.
Fast forward to June 2025, Ohio lawmakers included $600 million from the ‘Unclaimed Funds Trust Fund’ in the state budget for a new Cleveland Browns stadium project in Brook Park. And later that month, Governor Mike DeWine signed the $60 billion, two-year state operating budget into law. And it included a $600 million grant to the Haslam Sports Group, owners of the Cleveland Browns, to assist in building the domed stadium.
However, a class-action lawsuit soon followed. Dann Law Firm and former state Rep. Jeffrey Crossman, on behalf of Ohio residents, filed a class-action lawsuit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Ohio. It challenged the constitutionality of using state-held unclaimed funds to help finance a new stadium for the Cleveland Browns.
By March 9, 2026, magistrate Jennifer Hunt of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas found that plaintiffs had a substantial likelihood of prevailing on their claims that using this money was unconstitutional. Naturally, she issued a preliminary injunction blocking the state of Ohio from transferring $600 million in unclaimed funds to a sports facility fund. But the lawsuit didn’t deter the Haslam Sports Group.
Later that month, Haslam Sports Group increased its private funding commitment to approximately $1.755 billion. So, the projected cost for the domed stadium became $2.6 billion. Meaning, the Haslams were contributing $1.755 billion to cover 67.5% of that total expense. And despite the injunction to block funding, construction for the stadium started using private funds at the end of April.
Kristina Roegner doesn't fight for us. She sent $600 million of our own tax dollars to a Cleveland Browns stadium to benefit her donors. Taxpayers suffer, her donors prosper. Vice President Vance endorsed my campaign, because he knows I'll put the priorities of Ohioans first.
Then came the May 5, 2026, Republican primary for Ohio State Treasurer. So, Ohio Senator Kristina Roegner’s political opponent, Jay Edwards, claimed on May 2 that she had “sent $600 million of our own tax dollars to a Cleveland Browns stadium to benefit her donors” in a tweet on X.
Our verdict: False
According to a report from the Ohio Capital Journal, Senator Kristina Roegner claimed that she doesn’t support funding professional sports stadiums. Instead, she supported a Democratic budget amendment to remove the $600 million provision from the budget. However, since the overall budget bill still passed, Edwards, her political opponent, used the issue as a major attack line in the Treasurer’s race.
As of May 6, the stadium is under construction, set to open in 2029. AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction, who undertook the project, are working to build the stadium with private funding alone. The $600 million state contribution remains blocked by court order, as the class-action lawsuit is ongoing.
In the meantime, however, Edwards won the Republican primary for state treasurer. He had support from Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno.
Our fact-checking sources
- Sportico, October 17, 2024. Cleveland Browns to Leave City and Pursue Suburban Domed Stadium
- The Ohio House of Representatives, June 24, 2025. Ohio lawmakers settle on unclaimed funds to put $600M into new Browns stadium
- NFL, July 02, 2025. Ohio governor signs two-year, $60 billion budget that includes funding for Browns’ new stadium
- DanLaw, June 25, 2025. DannLaw will file class action lawsuit challenging legality of using $600 million from Ohio’s Unclaimed Funds Trust to finance new Browns stadium if scheme becomes law
- News5 Cleveland, March 10, 2026. Magistrate blocks Ohio from using unclaimed funds for sports facilities while lawsuit plays out
- Cleveland 19 News, March 26, 2026. Haslams increase personal investment to $1.755 billion for Browns stadium project
- Jay Edwards, May 2, 2026. X (Formerly Twitter) Post
- Ohio Capital Journal, March 24, 2026. Candidates begin race for Ohio Treasurer, with unclaimed funds as hot topic
- Construction Dive, May 4, 2026. AECOM Hunt, Turner JV launch $2.4B Cleveland Browns stadium project
- The Columbus Dispatch, May 5, 2026. Edwards wins close GOP Ohio treasurer primary, Roegner concedes
- Case Document, Match 9, 2026. MAGISTRATE DECISION GRANTING PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION
- Case Document, VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY, INJUNCTIVE, AND OTHER RELIEF with PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS