Back in August, the Browns’ stadium dream in Brook Park hit turbulence when ODOT’s aviation division shot down a permit after pushback from leaders at nearby Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. But on Thursday, Jimmy Haslam‘s Browns cleared their biggest hurdle.

Yes, the Ohio Department of Transportation finally signed off on the construction permit after the ODOT brought in an outside consultant to pore over every detail of the stadium plans over the last six weeks. The outside consultant dissected the stadium plans, drawing on input from Cleveland’s port control department and aviation experts hired by the Haslam Sports Group.

The primary reason behind the permit getting shot down in August was pretty straightforward. The airport brass argued the building would stick up 58 feet too high. That’s too close for comfort when you’re talking about flight paths and daily air traffic. Fair enough.

As of now, ODOT says the new enclosed stadium is clear for takeoff. Their consultant determined the project “would have no adverse effect on the safety and efficient use of the aeronautical environment.” Basically, it won’t interfere with flights in and out of Hopkins. The Federal Aviation Administration also confirmed the stadium’s height won’t be an issue for planes. But of course, the new roof must have red lights so passing pilots can see it. The FAA’s obstruction evaluation group also approved the temporary construction cranes that will be used to build the enclosed stadium.

“We respect both the comprehensive work that the FAA did to determine that our stadium project poses no hazard to the surrounding area and ODOT’s diligent process to confirm these findings,” Dave Jenkins, the president of Haslam Sports Group, said in an official statement.

“Safety is of paramount importance to all of us and was at the forefront of our detailed and deliberate process with our FAA consultants, whom we engaged with well before our architects began designing the stadium….We value our collaborative work with the FAA and ODOT, and also understand the importance of similar collaboration with Cleveland-Hopkins Airport leadership to ensure efficiency and success of both the airport’s modernization efforts and our project in Brook Park,” he added.

And this wasn’t the only update coming out of the Browns‘ front office.

The Browns announce a long-term partnership

Yes, the Haslam Sports Group (HSG) and Legends Global announced a long-term partnership on Thursday. The Legends Global is set to aid the new stadium’s revenue. It’ll help the Cleveland Browns boost sponsorships, premium seating, and suite sales for the new enclosed Huntington Bank Field, set to open in 2029 in Brook Park, Ohio.

Under the deal, Legends Global will take care of the research and development. They’ll handle go-to-market analysis, product design and development, data and analytics strategy, and sales execution to support founding partners, premium seating, and suite sales at the new stadium.

To make it happen, a dedicated team, created by Legends Global and the Browns, will be based in Northeast Ohio to drive all key revenue streams for the new stadium. And this relationship has been long-standing. In 2024, Legends Global helped broker a 20-year deal between the Browns and Huntington Bank. It made the bank the stadium’s naming-rights partner and its official, exclusive banking partner.

And this can be a fruitful relationship for Jimmy Haslam. Legends Global is also a market leader in sales execution, having helped deliver a new era of NFL facilities. That includes Levi’s Stadium (San Francisco), Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles), and Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas).

Time will tell if the Browns can step it up a notch on the field or not. But they’re set to enjoy a decent revenue stream from their newest stadium.