CLEVELAND — Nearly six months after it was first announced, the City of Cleveland and the Cleveland Guardians have finalized their agreement to extend Progressive Field's lease.
The agreement, which will extend the ballpark's lease through 2036 with the potential for an additional 10 years after that, is a public-private partnership that will generate $435 million in funds over the next 15 years. Of that money, $202 million is expected to be spent on significant renovations for the ballpark, which are expected to begin no earlier than the conclusion of the 2022 MLB season.
“Today heralds a new era of professional baseball in Cleveland, and on behalf of the Dolan family and the Guardians organization, I want to express my deepest appreciation for all of our supporters who helped ensure the continued success of baseball in Cleveland,” Guardians Owner, Chairman and CEO Paul Dolan said in a statement.
“We feel very fortunate to live in a community that is unified in maintaining momentum in Northeast Ohio and building for a better tomorrow. We take very seriously the role we can play in maximizing the potential of this great city, and we are confident that this agreement will create a more compelling fan experience and keep this facility modern and relevant for many more years to come.”
The agreement, which was approved by the Cleveland City Council in November, will not include a tax increase for residents. The City and County collectively will contribute $17 million annually, the State will contribute $2 million annually and the Guardians will contribute $10 million annually for measures including "fan friendly and baseball/front office operations improvements and necessary funding for capital repairs, maintenance, Gateway operations, and property taxes."
While the renovation of Progressive Field is expected to last "several years," the team has released the following timeline following the announcement of the finalized agreement:
- 1st quarter 2022: Select architect, construction management firms, finalize sequence of proposed projects. As always, our process is being conducted in an unbiased manner to select the right partners to achieve our objectives.
- 2nd quarter 2022: Begin design and construction documents
- 3rd quarter 2022: Continue design and construction documentation
- 4th quarter 2022: Targeted start of construction