CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team just uncovered more mystery surrounding the city of Cleveland blocking the Browns from getting a permit to build a dome steps away from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
We went to the mayor and another city official, but they wouldn’t answer questions. A records request filed by the I-Team came back only with what we had revealed before.
The city of Cleveland says the FAA is wrong, but the city won’t explain why.
We’ve reported, the FAA found no problem with plans for the Browns to build a dome just across from the Airport.
But, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has rejected a building permit, saying ‘No’, after the city argued the complex would be too tall.
So, we went to Mayor Justin Bibb after a ribbon-cutting.
We asked, “How did the City of Cleveland determine the dome would be a danger to the Airport when the FAA said it would not be a danger?”
The Mayor responded with, “I want to defer any comment on the Airport to our Airport Director Bryant Francis.”
We also asked, “Do you think this ODOT ruling could end this whole project?
The Mayor answered, “No comment on that,”
And, the city has said the airport director is unavailable this week, so we went to his boss.
We found the city’s chief operating officer, Bonnie Teeuwen, at a ribbon-cutting for new tennis courts.
We also asked how the city decided the dome would be a hazard for pilots while the FAA has said it would not.
We said to Teeuwen, “The mayor said he’s deferring to the airport director. Since you’re over the airport director…”
She responded, “I’m not gonna comment on anything.”
The I-Team has revealed the dome would be built on the site of an old factory where, for decades, smokestacks reached into the sky. Even higher than the plan for the new stadium.
The FAA did a detailed analysis and found the dome complex “would have no physical or electromagnetic effects on the operation of air navigation and communications facilities.”
So, we requested records showing the city of Cleveland’s analysis. All we received was an email with two pages. Just a few paragraphs outlining how the new stadium would be too high, and that could interfere with air traffic.
The city had sent those same few paragraphs to ODOT. And again, for now at least, ODOT has denied the Browns a building permit for the new stadium.
The I-Team also has revealed no one signed the ODOT letter denying a permit. ODOT calls that common practice.
We’ve demanded to know the name and title of the person at ODOT rejecting a permit, but state officials have not told us.
The Browns plan to meet with ODOT to see what can be worked out. Meantime, the city keeps fighting in federal and county court to force the team to stay in the current stadium on the lakefront.
The I-Team will continue to request records regarding this, and we are continuing to press for the name and title of the person behind the ODOT letter rejecting a building permit.
Ed Gallek
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