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Mayor: Brook Park pursuing stadium rezoning, Blue Abyss and NASA opportunities; federal funding work ongoing
Summary
Mayor Michael Orcutt updated council May 6 that Brook Park is negotiating rezoning and infrastructure plans tied to a potential Cleveland Browns stadium and is pursuing state and federal support for related upgrades, while continuing outreach on the Blue Abyss and NASA-related opportunities.
Mayor Michael Orcutt used the council meeting on May 6 to update residents and council on several major, ongoing economic-development efforts: potential rezoning and infrastructure requests tied to a proposed Cleveland Browns stadium on city-owned land, negotiations with the Haslam Sports Group, and continued engagement with developers and federal partners on the Blue Abyss astronaut-training and research facility.
Why it matters: The mayor said the projects could require large infrastructure investments and zoning changes and have long-term implications for development and jobs in Brook Park. Council will see rezoning requests once negotiations and draft materials are complete.
Stadium and rezoning: Orcutt said the city and private partners are close to completing negotiations and that planning for rezoning of approximately 176 acres will proceed to the planning commission and then to council for formal consideration. He described an expected roughly 45-day process for rezoning once the application is submitted. The mayor also reported a recent trip to Columbus to meet with the ODOT director and state staff to discuss potential funding and a team visit to Brook Park.
Blue Abyss and NASA: The mayor reported positive federal outreach on Blue Abyss, which is pursuing astronaut-training and research work that could benefit from NASA relationships and private investment; he said Congressman Max Miller and other federal officials are assisting with potential funding opportunities. He noted broader national competition for related federal work and observed that Ohio—s lower cost of living and lack of natural-disaster exposure are selling points.
Next steps: Mayor Orcutt said staff and the service director will continue to coordinate infrastructure design and apply for state/federal grants for associated upgrades, and the city will host visiting state teams to support grant applications.
Ending: The update did not include formal council action; the mayor said he will return with rezoning applications and design-level infrastructure requests in the coming weeks as negotiations and funding work progress.
