OP-ED: Opening minds to investment in Cuyahoga County
An artist rendering of the Cleveland Browns' proposed domed stadium in Brook Park. The $2.4 billion stadium will be surrounded by mix-use development, owned by Haslam Sports Group that includes offices, a hotel, retail and apartments. The entire project would create an estimated 6,000 construction jobs.
The following op-ed was written by Dave Wondolowski, Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary/Business Manager. It was and published in Crain's Cleveland on Jan. 7. It discusses the need to capitalize on major construction projects that could provide a transformational change to Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.
With plans for a new, enclosed stadium in Brook Park, a redeveloped, world-class lakefront and the much-needed modernization of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, we are on the cusp of transformational change and progress for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.
The need to capitalize on the opportunity to move this region forward has never been clearer. These are once-in-a-lifetime catalysts for change within our workforce and for families throughout Greater Cleveland.
In addition to driving year-round activity, attracting major events and opening up the lakefront for more impactful long-term use, the new enclosed stadium in Brook Park will require a vast range of labor, and the adjacent mixed-use development only adds to the scope of near-term and long-term employment opportunities.
Currently, it is estimated that more than 6,000 jobs will be created during the construction of the stadium and phased development. This does not include the enduring labor and employment impact once the projects are complete, with more than 5,400 permanent jobs anticipated. A renovation of the current downtown stadium has nowhere near that impact. The job creation is significantly less, and the employment would be intermittent, reliant on time only during the off-season.
The enormity of these construction projects is tremendously important to our labor market.
They will not only drive long-lasting growth by creating thousands of jobs but also expand economic opportunities across the entire workforce. The significant opportunity for the men and women of the building trades with the enclosed stadium will support local families and, in turn, support local businesses, which will only help stabilize the economy in our region.
Moreover, these projects will create a ripple effect, providing opportunities for local businesses to supply goods and services, further boosting the local economy.
Just as important, economic development projects of this magnitude will have a life-changing impact on future generations, providing significant training opportunities and bolstering apprenticeship programs to support the region’s long-term employment needs. These projects not only will create jobs, but they'll also attract talent to our region, enhancing our competitiveness and ensuring a bright future for Northeast Ohio.
The Haslam Sport Group’s experience and results in Columbus with the Crew should bode well for this project in Brook Park, which is more than four times the project size of what they were able to accomplish with Lower.com Field.
Their project in Columbus delivered more than 1,000 full-time construction jobs with ongoing employment through the COVID-19 pandemic, as work was never halted, and the project was completed on time. In Columbus, HSG was intentional about providing opportunities for all throughout the project and recorded historic minority participation numbers in the state of Ohio by awarding bids that totaled almost $80 million on the same $300 million-plus project. The same approach must be taken in Brook Park so the benefits to our region’s population are inclusive, equitable and far-reaching.
Northeast Ohio cannot afford to let the opportunity for true growth with an unprecedented $2 billion private investment pledge sparked by the Haslam family pass by. As I have said before, we cannot afford to be complacent. Change can be intimidating, but we can only continue to transform Northeast Ohio for the better by embracing an opportunity of this magnitude that will positively impact not only our local men and women in the building trades but also our entire region.
Our public and civic leaders should not be afraid to rise to the occasion to push the region forward. We must seize the moment and the Brook Park opportunity, move forward and build a better community for tomorrow. The time to act is now.
At an estimated $3.3 billion in construction costs, this enclosed stadium and mixed-use development would more than triple any previously permitted Northeast Ohio construction project.
Other massive projects are coming online in other parts of our state. Let’s keep our Cleveland and Northeast Ohio workforce at home to work on these transformational projects in Brook Park and Northeast Ohio that will help grow our region and greatly benefit our local economy.