Second Plan To Have Taxpayers Fund Cleveland Browns Training Camp In Columbus Surfaces

The Cleveland Browns have confirmed published reports that the team is discussing moving training camp from its taxpayer-funded facility in Berea to a new taxpayer-funded city recreation center in Columbus. Plans call for the team to contribute 5 million dollars, Franklin County taxpayers to contribute 5 million, and Columbus taxpayers to cover the balance of the facility's estimated cost of between 15 and 17 million dollars. The facility would replace the city's center at Tuttle Park north of the OSU campus. The move could occur in 2018. The city says the facility would be used year-round for a variety of recreational and other purposes. A plan floated earlier this year to move training camp to OSU was scrapped after the state refused to contribute 5 million taxpayer dollars toward the cost of building a new practice facility. The Browns have the worst record in football since troubled billionaire Jimmy Haslam bought the team, and have made the playoffs only once since returning to the league as an expansion franchise in 1999. The Browns are winless in 12 games this season.