COLUMBUS, OH (WOWO) Ohio’s plan to use $1 billion in unclaimed funds to help finance a new domed stadium for the Cleveland Browns has been temporarily blocked by a court.
Franklin County Magistrate Jennifer Hunt issued a preliminary injunction Monday, pausing the plan while a lawsuit filed by former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann and former state Representative Jeffrey Crossman proceeds. The legal action, filed on behalf of three named Ohio residents and all others holding unclaimed funds as of June 30, 2025, argues that provisions in the state’s two-year, $60 billion budget violate constitutional protections against taking private property for public use and citizens’ due process rights.
The budget provisions created an Ohio Cultural and Sports Facility Performance Grant Fund, with $600 million designated as the Browns’ first grant. Plaintiffs contend that diverting unclaimed funds for this purpose is unconstitutional according to WBNS 10-TV.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office said it is reviewing the injunction and determining next steps. Former Governor candidate and Republican leader Mike DeWine opposed using unclaimed funds for the stadium, though Yost has maintained that the plan is legally sound.
The ruling delays construction planning for the Browns’ new stadium in suburban Brook Park, south of Cleveland, while the case moves through the courts.
