Opinion: Could new NE Ohio dome host additional events?
With the Cleveland Browns proposed a move to a domed stadium in Brook Park in 2029 a near certainty, it got me thinking about some other possibilities.
Now, these are just the random thoughts of a veteran sports writer and nothing more. But the potential of hosting many future prestigious events in northeastern Ohio at Huntington Bank Field (the name continues at the new facility) is certainly exciting to think about.
Here are a few “what ifs” to ponder.
Could we see the day where the Ohio High School Athletic Association would consider moving all the respective state championship high school football games from the blustery Ohio weather outdoors in December to the comfort of the Browns’ new indoor palace?
Could we also see a day where northeast Ohio could host such things as the Big Ten championship football game — provided they’re still playing a Big 10 title game at that point — indoors in the Browns’ new facility?
Or could we see a day where things such as the NFL Combine, a national championship college football game, NCAA men’s and women’s tournament basketball games, or the ultimate, a Super Bowl, are played in northeastern Ohio?
Currently, only Indianapolis boasts a dome stadium in the Midwest. Because it’s currently the only game in town, so to speak, with a covered stadium in this part of the country, it has annually hosted the Big Ten title game, the NFL Combine, NCAA college basketball tournament games, and yes, the Super Bowl in 2012.
Who knows what the future holds in terms of prestigious events that could be played indoors in the winter in a new northeastern Ohio dome. But the possibilities are certainly intriguing to think about.
Time will tell.