FirstEnergy Stadium

FirstEnergy Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, primarily for American football. It is the home field of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), and serves as a venue for other events such as college and high school football, soccer, and concerts. It’s opened in 1999 as Cleveland Browns Stadium and was renovated in two phases in early 2014 and 2015.

The initial seating capacity was listed at 73,200 people, but following the first phase of the renovation project in 2014, seating capacity was reduced to 67,431. Since 2017, capacity is listed at 67,895. The stadium sits on 31 acres (13 ha) of land between Lake Erie and the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway in the North Coast Harbor area of downtown Cleveland, adjacent to the Great Lakes Science Center and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

General information

Official website: http://firstenergystadium.com/

Arena capacity: 67,895 spectators

Address: 100 Alfred Lerner Way, Cleveland, OH 44114, USA

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 41°30′22″N 81°41′58″W

Year of construction: September 12, 1999

Construction cost:  $426 million

Field: Kentucky Bluegrass lawn

Seating plan of FirstEnergy Stadium

Features & Amenities

Located along the sidelines on the second tier of the stadium, the Club Level offers excellent viewing angles to the field with a premium experience.

Ticket holders will be treated to extra wide cushioned seats, access to more than 58,000 square feet of lounges with extensive TV monitors, private restrooms and entrances, and upscale food and beverage options.

Recommended Seats for Kids and Family

Sections 541, 542 and 543:

• Family-friendly zone;
• Alcohol free section;
• There are special food menus for children, mascot appearances, and activities designed for kids.

Recommended Seats for Impressing a Guest

Sections 308, 309, 333 and 334:

• Great 50 yard line view;
• Extra-wide cushioned stadium seating;
• Exclusive club level amenities.

Recommended Seats for Partying and Socializing

Sections 118, 119, 120 and 121:

• Dawg Pound fan section;
• Home of the rowdiest fans in the stadium;
• Bleacher seats that can make the area very loud.

Recommended Seats for Great Views of the Field

Sections 107, 108, 109 and 110:

• Excellent sight lines near midfield;
• Great opportunity to be close to the players on the sideline;
• Some of the closest seats to the action.

Where to buy tickets?

The FirstEnergy Stadium Box Office will be open during these times:

• 10am-2pm, Wednesday – Saturday, the week of a home game (for Sunday home games);
• 10am-2pm, Monday – Wednesday, the week of a home game (for Thursday home games);
• 9am- Halftime, Browns Home Game days;
• Major ticket onsales where specified;
• Non-Football event days where specified.

Fans can reach us for their ticketing needs in several ways:

• Online at Clevelandbrowns.com or Ticketmaster.com;
• Through the Browns mobile app;
• Visiting us in Berea during normal business hours 8:30am-5:30pm Monday –Friday:
  • Park in the visitor lot and check in with security.

Ticket Resale

The sale of tickets on FirstEnergy Stadium property is prohibited to anyone other than the Cleveland Browns, FirstEnergy Stadium and its authorized agents without the express written consent of the Cleveland Browns. Violators are subject to arrest and confiscation of tickets without refund. Loss of PSL and/or season ticket privileges may occur if the ticket being sold is a season ticket.

How to get there?

Parking Information

Fans are encouraged to arrive to Downtown Cleveland no later than one hour prior to kickoff to ensure they are able to enter the game and arrive at their seats prior to kickoff.

Traffic

Through the Browns Mobile App, fans are encourage to access WAZE to determine the best routes to Downtown Cleveland and desired parking lots (see parking below).

Vehicles commuting into Downtown Cleveland are recommended to use alternate traffic routes and minimize usage of the Shoreway’s E 9th Street and Lakeside Avenue/W 6th Street, particularly approaching and after noon.

Recommended entry points to Downtown Cleveland are W 25th Street off Eastbound Route 2 when approaching from the west side of Cleveland and Superior Avenue off 90 W when coming from the east side.

Fans are encouraged to; download the Browns Mobile App and sign up for Game Day Traffic Alert Notifications, follow @Browns on Twitter, and listen to the team’s pregame radio broadcasts on ESPN 850 and 92.3 The Fan for important traffic & parking updates.

Parking Lots

Parking lots, managed by the City of Cleveland, located immediately around the stadium are pass-only lots, outside of ADA needs (as space permits). No cash parking is available in these locations, including the North Coast Harbor Lot and the Dock 32.

With the Browns Mobile App, fans may access WAZE for a list of cash parking lots in Downtown Cleveland.

Most recommended lots are located north of Superior Avenue and south of North Marginal Road and will help efficiently balance individual traffic time with a manageable walk to FirstEnergy Stadium.

Browns fans may also reserve parking spaces in other nearby parking garages and lots through ParkMobile in advance of the game or on gameday.

New walking routes, particularly for those accessing the Muni Lot, have been created to improve ingress and egress for both pedestrians and vehicles.

For more information regarding downtown transportation, visit the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s page. Additional parking information is listed below.

Game day road closures

The City of Cleveland has announced game day road closures of East 9th and West 3rd Streets between Lakeside Avenue and FirstEnergy Stadium, including State Route 2 (SR 2) exits around the stadium. Rolling road closures will begin 1.5 hours prior to kickoff and end shortly after kickoff (example: for a 1:00pm kickoff, rolling road closures will begin at 11:30am and end shortly after 1:00pm).

During this time, all Browns parking pass holders and guests with disability drop-offs will only be able to reach FirstEnergy Stadium by use of North Marginal Road from East 55th Street (Exit 175 on I-90). Please note road closure times are subject to change at the City of Cleveland’s discretion.

Directions

If traveling westbound on I-90 from the east and intending to park at the Municipal Lot, your travel time will be reduced by exiting at Exit 196, South Marginal Road, and following the roadway to the Municipal Lot.

If traveling westbound on I-90 from the east and intending to park on the North Marginal at one of the surface lots at Burke Airport or in that area, exit at E. 55th Street and follow North Marginal to the lots. Again, this will eliminate delays for you at E. 9th Street.

If traveling from the east westbound on I-90, and your intended parking location is off any of the major cross streets in downtown Cleveland, for example, Lakeside, St. Clair, Superior, Chester, and Euclid, follow I-90 west around Dead Man’s Curve exiting either Superior/St. Clair, or Chester, or Prospect exit, and travel westbound to your intended parking destination.

If traveling from the west or south, either northbound on I 71 or eastbound on I 90,  and your intended parking location is off any of the major cross streets in downtown Cleveland (Lakeside, St. Clair, Superior, Chester, and Euclid),  please do not exit on E.9th. Follow the highway to the Superior or the Lakeside exit and then travel westbound to your parking destination.

Public Transportation

Due to limited parking, we encourage guests to use the RTA when coming to the stadium. For more information call 216-621-9500 or visit www.riderta.com.

Gameday Parking – Season Pass Holders

The parking lots adjacent to the stadium are reserved for pass holders. These lots include the Orange Lot, Yellow Lot, Tan Lot, Purple Lot, Red Lot and Silver Lot.

Cash parking is NOT available in these lots.

Gameday Parking – Non-Season Pass Holders

The Cleveland Browns have partnered with ParkMobile. Never worry about finding a place to park for home games. Purchase a parking pass from ParkMobile today!

Bus Parking

Parking for buses is available at the Nautica Entertainment Complex lots for $85 per bus. Call ABM Parking Services for more information.

Non-Gameday Parking

There are several parking options available to FirstEnergy Stadium visitors on non-gamedays. Click here for a detailed map of surrounding visitor parking lots. There is also metered parking available on Alfred Lerner Way.

Where to eat?

There are a ton of food options available at FirstEnergy Stadium. There are numerous main concession stands which serve up the main food items. There are some differentiations between stands, but most serve the main things. Browns Bistro, Sideline Express and Dawg Pound Deli serve up hot dogs, brats, chicken tenders, fries, burgers, pretzels and popcorn. Soda products are from the Coca-Cola company and the main beer options are Budweiser and Bud Light. There are some other craft beers that are available throughout.

Other than the main concession stands there are numerous small concession carts with various specialty items. Some stands to check out include Sausage & Peppers, Downtown Dogs and Great Lake Cheesesteaks. The quality of the food you will get is very good. The prices are about what you would expect for an NFL stadium experience. One of the big drawbacks of concessions at FirstEnergy Stadium is that this is one of those stadiums that does not offer straws or lids for cups. A small pain, but a pain nonetheless.

Atmosphere

FirstEnergy Stadium was the lynch pin for the NFL to return to Cleveland. The Browns provide an atmosphere during the game that is as good as any other NFL experience that there is.

The stadium sits on the shores of Lake Erie and is configured in a northeast-southwest alignment. It is designed like many NFL stadiums with large grandstands along the sidelines and high grandstands past the end zones. Throughout the stadium are the typical plastic stadium seating, with the exception of the northeast end zone which features benches with backs.

High above both end zones are the videoboards which are not the typical rectangular shape. The boards are state of the art and used well by the Browns. They also have other screens which are dedicated to out of town scores as well as a board dedicated to in-game stats.

The Browns have a rather significant history and do a pretty good job of displaying it. Inside the stadium, the facia between the levels features the Browns Ring of Honor. Members must be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame also and they include Joe DeLamielleure, Len Ford, Frank Gatski, Otto Graham, Lou Groza, Gene Hickerson, Leroy Kelly, Dante Lavelli, Mike McCormack, Bobby Mitchell, Marion Motley, Ozzie Newsome, Paul Warfield, Bill Willis, Coach Paul Brown, and the legendary Jim Brown.

The Browns also have a group they refer to as the Legends, which include players who had significant contributions to the Browns but are not enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The Legends are displayed on bronze plaques around the outside of the stadium and on banners inside Brownstown, an area in the concourse that features a large bar, displays of all of the Legends and live broadcasting of the pregame television show and the Browns Radio Network. It is a large space that does have some standing tables and is a decent place to eat pregame.

Outside the stadium, Dawg Pound Drive features a number of food trucks, activities for all, and the opportunity to have your picture taken with Swagger, who is the live mascot of the Browns. Swagger makes a grand entrance into the stadium ahead of the team and runs the end zone after the Browns score. The pregame festivities also feature the Browns drumline and player entrances with the typical flags, smoke and fire. Also before the game, the crowd will join in a happy rendition of “Hang on Sloopy” which also features the spelling Ohio by the crowd, something which has become tradition at Ohio State games.

The most significant part of the atmosphere has to be the Dawg Pound. Located in the northeast end zone, it is possibly the most famous fan area in all of professional sports. The Dawg Pound gets official recognition with signs in front of the area as well as a large banner which is spread over the section during pregame. The section is known for its hardcore fans and has become such a staple in Cleveland that the team with no logo and no mascot seems to have unofficially adopted a dog mascot.

Neighborhood

What was once considered the mistake on the lake is now a go-to spot in the United States and has been the beacon for other down-trodden areas and what they can aspire to.

FirstEnergy Stadium is located right on the banks of Lake Erie. You will find two major tourist attractions just to the east. The Great Lakes Science Center is a top notch spot for children of all ages. Thousands of people each year flock to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which is located just east of the Science Center. If you are coming to Cleveland to see the Browns, you absolutely MUST take some time to go to the Hall of Fame. Further east you can enter a real submarine in the USS Cod. It is only open until the end of September, so plan your visit well.

To the south of FirstEnergy Stadium you will find Progressive Field which is home of the Cleveland Indians. Right beside Progressive Field is Quicken Loans Arena which is home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League and the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL. The opportunity to find something else to keep your interest on a weekend in Cleveland is really easy.

Between the stadiums you will find a number of places for nightlife and pre or post game meals. Some spots include Winks, and the Urban Farmer. However, it is highly recommended that while in Cleveland you take a trip to the Winking Lizard. There are a few locations in the Cleveland area, including one near Progressive Field. The massive beer menu alone is worth the trip.

Fans

Cleveland Browns fans have created for themselves one of the worst reputations for a group of fans in any sport. The stories of looting in Memorial Stadium during the final Browns home game before leaving for Baltimore are scary. Cleveland fans are also to blame for the removal of bottle caps at games. Over time the Browns faithful have softened their reputation, but some memories are difficult to erase. That being said, Browns fans are as hearty and battle-tested as any group of fans this side of the Chicago Cubs.

Since returning to the NFL the Browns have made the playoffs only one time. The Browns annually average between 65,000 and 71,000 fans. Renovations to the stadium have reduced the capacity and sell-outs are more likely as of 2014. The Browns generally end up in the middle of the NFL when it comes to fans drawn in as well as percentage of capacity full. Browns fans create an excellent tailgating experience before the game and once in the game are knowledgeable and very loud, especially on the visiting team’s offensive third downs.

Facility

The stadium was designed by Populous, which was known at the time as the Sport Venue Event Division of Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK). Indianapolis-based Huber, Hunt & Nichols was the construction manager. The stadium is a concrete and glass structure, using precast concrete and cast in-place for the upper concourse. Natural stone accents were used at the base of the stadium. The construction of the concrete superstructure took more than 6,000 truckloads of concrete, or the equivalent of 60,000 cubic yards (46,000 m3), with a weight of approximately 235,000,000 pounds (107,000,000 kg).

The playing surface is a Kentucky Bluegrass irrigated field, with a sand-soil root zone and an underground heating system that involves nine boilers and 40 miles of underground piping. The heating system prevents the field from freezing and extends the growing season of the turf. Although it was designed for football, the playing surface was built large enough to accommodate international soccer matches.

The eastern seating section is the home of the Dawg Pound, a section of bleacher seats. It was designed as a successor to the original Dawg Pound at Cleveland Stadium, the bleacher section also located in the east end zone. When FirstEnergy Stadium opened in 1999, the Dawg Pound was a 10,644, double-deck area. During stadium renovations, the upper level of the Dawg Pound was reduced to make way for a new, larger scoreboard, auxiliary scoreboard, and additional fan areas, and the bleacher seating in the upper level was replaced with chairbacks.

Renovations

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam announced a modernization project for FirstEnergy Stadium. The project included two phases that took place during the NFL offseasons. Phase one included improving the audio system, installing new scoreboards three times the size of the original scoreboards and at the time the 4th largest in a NFL stadium, and adding more seats to the lower bowl.

Phase two included concession improvements, upgrades to technology connectivity, graphics throughout the stadium, and enhancing the premium suites. The renovations reduced the stadium’s capacity to approximately 68,000. The total cost of the renovations was estimated at $120 million with the city of Cleveland paying $30 million over 15 years and the Browns covering the rest of the cost.

History

FirstEnergy Stadium is located on the site of Cleveland Stadium, commonly called Cleveland Municipal Stadium, a multipurpose facility built in 1931 that served as the Browns’ home field.

Ground was broken for the new stadium on May 15, 1997, and it opened in July 1999. The first event was a preseason game between the Browns and the Minnesota Vikings, followed the next week by a preseason game against the Chicago Bears. The first regular-season Browns game at the stadium was played the evening of September 12, 1999, a 43–0 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Browns are one of five teams who have yet to host a home playoff game in their respective stadium, along with the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and New York Jets. These teams, however, have hosted the Super Bowl at their respective stadiums, while the Jets’ home, MetLife Stadium, has also hosted a New York Giants home playoff game.