DeWine Optimistic About NFL Draft, Super Bowl Coming to New Browns Stadium
Gov. Mike DeWine says NFL Commissioner hinted Browns will get draft “in a relatively short period,” but Super Bowl faces hotel room shortage challenges.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Governor Mike DeWine expressed optimism Friday that Ohio could host major NFL events at the new Cleveland Browns stadium, suggesting an NFL draft could come to the state in the near future while acknowledging challenges for landing a Super Bowl.
“The commissioner certainly hinted very strongly yesterday that the Browns will be getting the draft back in a relatively short period of time,” DeWine said Friday. “You saw what happened in Pittsburgh with 350,000 people — that’s a big deal.”
The governor indicated that hosting an NFL draft would likely precede any Super Bowl opportunity, noting that such an event would draw visitors from across the country to Ohio.
Super Bowl Infrastructure Challenges
“I think that’s probably the next thing we will see, probably before the Super Bowl,” DeWine said, drawing laughs from his audience. “We’re optimistic about a Super Bowl eventually, too.”
However, significant infrastructure hurdles remain for Cleveland to host a Super Bowl. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has stated the area needs approximately 60,000 hotel rooms total to accommodate the massive event.
Currently, the Cleveland area has just over 22,000 hotel rooms, according to the latest market report from Newmark real estate brokerage. Several new hotel projects are in development, including two hotels planned for the suburban stadium-district site.
Funding Disputes Continue
When asked about increasing investment in hotel infrastructure to attract a Super Bowl, DeWine emphasized private sector responsibility. “Well, I don’t think the government should be investing in hotel rooms,” he responded. “I think this is something, though, that the private sector is looking at.”
The governor’s stance reflects his broader opposition to government funding of private projects, as he was not initially supportive of lawmakers’ Brook Park stadium proposal.
Financing for the new stadium remains uncertain, with a $600 million state grant currently tied up in court litigation. The legal challenge centers on the state’s controversial plan to use taxpayers’ unclaimed funds for professional sports facilities and other projects. Ohio currently holds billions of dollars in misplaced money from old bank accounts, insurance payouts, utility deposits and other sources.
Alternative Funding Proposals
DeWine continues to advocate for his alternative funding mechanism through increased sports betting taxes. “If the courts tell us definitively that that is not legal, then we have to go back and look at the other choices,” he said.
“The most logical choice is to go to the tax for our sports gaming companies,” DeWine explained. “We don’t want to be taking that money and more away from schools.”
As construction on the new Browns stadium moves forward, the public funding component remains unresolved, leaving questions about the project’s financial structure as officials pursue their vision of bringing premier NFL events to Ohio.
