The city of Cleveland has initiated legal proceedings against the Cleveland Browns in response to the team's announced plans to relocate to a new stadium in the Brook Park suburb. The lawsuit, filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, seeks to invoke the 'Modell law', a provision that mandates a sports team owner utilizing a tax-supported venue for home games and receiving state or local funding to provide a minimum six-month notice prior to any relocation unless they obtain permission from the relevant government officials.

In October, the Browns communicated to Cleveland authorities their intention to proceed with plans for a new domed stadium situated in Brook Park, following the city's earlier proposal for a substantial $1.2 billion renovation project at Huntington Bank Field. The estimated cost for the proposed Brook Park stadium is approximately $2.4 billion, with team officials labeling the site as the 'most compelling option' due to its central location relative to the regional fanbase, along with its proximity to downtown and its established infrastructure.

On January 2, the Browns revealed they had exercised an option to acquire 176 acres of land in Brook Park designated for the new stadium. The lawsuit's filings claim that the Modell law is applicable to the Browns and the Haslam Sports Group, given that the city has invested around $368 million into the renovations and upkeep of Huntington Bank Field, which continues to be funded by the taxpayers. The state of Ohio implemented the Modell law in June 1996, shortly after the Browns' franchise was shifted to Baltimore by Art Modell. Despite being in existence for over two decades, the Modell law has yet to be thoroughly challenged in court, with the closest instance occurring in 2018 when Columbus invoked it amid threats to relocate the Columbus Crew to Texas, a situation that concluded with an agreement to keep the team in Columbus. Legal experts, such as Alan Weinstein from Cleveland State University, have characterized the Modell law as a 'toothless tiger'. The Browns are currently bound to their lease at Huntington Bank Field until the end of the 2028 season, with aspirations to prepare the new stadium for the 2029 season.