CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns cleared a major hurdle Tuesday toward building a $2.4 billion domed stadium in suburban Brook Park after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed off on a state budget that includes $600 million in public funding for the project.

The funding, approved as part of the state’s new two-year budget, comes from Ohio’s unclaimed funds account and will be distributed through performance-based grants. The Browns’ owners, Haslam Sports Group, have committed over $1.2 billion in private financing and will cover any cost overruns.

In a letter to fans released Tuesday, team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam unveiled new details about the stadium set to be called Huntington Bank Field. The enclosed facility is expected to seat roughly 60,000 and will feature modern amenities, premium seating, and year-round capability for concerts and major sporting events. It will anchor a 176-acre mixed-use development including hotels, restaurants, and retail space near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Construction is slated to begin in 2026 with an anticipated opening in 2029, coinciding with the end of the Browns’ lease at their current lakefront stadium.

The team emphasized that current season ticket members will have priority access to seat selection, with a wider rollout planned for 2026. Renderings and transit infrastructure plans are expected in the coming months.

While state and team officials praised the project as a long-term economic catalyst for Northeast Ohio, Cleveland city leaders have pushed back, arguing that moving the stadium out of downtown could hurt existing development plans. The city has filed a lawsuit citing Ohio’s “Modell Law,” which limits teams from relocating from publicly funded stadiums without local approval.

Despite the legal dispute, the Browns say Tuesday’s funding approval marks a “tremendous milestone” for the franchise’s future.