Putting a roof on Cleveland Browns Stadium is an old idea that architect Bob Corna wants to breathe new life into.He says he has just the carrot to do it: The prospect of Cleveland as host of the 50th Anniversary Super Bowl in 2016.Corna, an architect who helped develop Shooters restaurant and the West Bank of the Flats, wants to pitch the National Football League on Cleveland as the site for Super Bowl L. But first, he will have to show the league that the city has a plan to build an estimated $90 million retractable roof on the city-owned stadium.To devise such a plan - and pay for it - he will need City Council, the mayor and Browns owner Randy Lerner on board.Corna is scheduled to appear today before City Council's Planning Committee. He met Monday with Mayor Frank Jackson, who he said listened but made no commitments.Corna would like council to form a committee to study the retractable roof proposal and to request a meeting with Lerner to discuss it. If he can get their backing, he wants the city to ask Cuyahoga County commissioners to pay for a study that would look at how much revenue an enclosed stadium, which could be used year-round, could generate.Corna said future revenue could help cover a large chunk of the roof's construction cost. The rest, he said, could be paid for by the Browns and with a parking tax, event fees and surcharges on luxury suite owners. He said he has no plans to ask taxpayers to foot the bill.The 59-year-old architect has gone down this path before. More than 20 years ago, he proposed a retractable roof, which he called the hexatron, for a dual baseball and football stadium. The idea got little traction.He said he's back 22 years later to pitch a retractable roof for Browns Stadium because he thinks it can serve as a catalyst for lakefront development, which the city desperately needs.He envisions the year-round facility attracting concerts and other large events and sparking other development.Corna has even created a Web site: www.superbowlforcleveland.com that features a photo of his retractable roof design and a copy of the petition.Mike Polensek, one of council's biggest skeptics, likes the idea and says it's worth the city's attention."Is Bob Corna a bit of a dreamer? Sure," Polensek said, "but why not listen?"
I highly doubt that Cleveland would get Super Bowl L even with a roofed stadium. With a number like that theyd be more likely to give it to someone like LA (Should they dome the coliseum), Dallas, or maybe finally go in a cold place and give it to New York
well from what I am reading Cleveland City Council ok'd the roof now the question is who pays for it...
