Browns, city compromise over stadium repairs but not everyone is cheering as meeting turns tense

CLEVELAND - It was all part of the original agreement, but so much has changed since the mid-1990s.

The city of Cleveland agreed to hand over millions of dollars in tax money from the sin tax on cigarettes and alcohol that voters easily approved in 1995. The current sin tax expires in 2015.

Voters and fans supported the sin tax in 1996 to help build a new stadium to ensure a football team return to Cleveland.

But since the Browns returned, the team has struggled on the field changing coaches and quarterbacks, routinely leaving fans frustrated with a last place team. Still the Browns are owed the money for repairs per the sin tax and lease agreement with the city under the Mayor Mike White administration.

Monday afternoon Browns officials and city leaders met to talk about how to pay for $5.8 million in repairs to seats, ramps and concrete at Browns Stadium.

$13 million a year collected from the sin tax goes toward repaying the $300 million-loan on the original construction of the 12-year-old stadium, but the Browns are asking for nearly $6 million now for repairs. 

Officials said mother nature takes a toll on the outdoor stadium on the shores of Lake Erie.

Under a compromise reached Monday, the Browns would lend the city $5.8 million immediately so that necessary repairs can be done on Cleveland Browns Stadium now. The city would then repay the loan using the sin tax. The agreement passed through the finance committee Monday afternoon and will be voted on by the whole city council Monday night.

Cleveland City Council member Mike Polensek asked the Browns if they ever considered paying for the repairs themselves since the original agreement from 1996 was lopsided against the city, Polensek said. 

Fred Nance with the Cleveland Browns pointed out that the Browns have already spent $50 million on repairs, spend millions more on local charity, no money is being used from the city's general fund and they're following the agreement on the lease and sin tax money.

But the next big concern for city leaders, who will pay for repairs to Browns Stadium when the sin tax expires in 2015.

The Browns lease the stadium from Cleveland for $250,000 a year.