Thanks to this post from the mothership at SBNation.com, I just spent the past 15 minutes or so pouring through Unrealized Stadium Concepts, part of stadiumpage.com.
↵One of the best known concepts around these parts was the ill-conceived dome stadium proposal from the mid-80's. There was a time, in what is now Progressive Field, that the City of Cleveland wanted to build a multi-purpose dome stadium in hopes of luring a Super Bowl to Cleveland. In 1986, the Cuyahoga County Commissioners put a $150 million bond issue on the ballot to get the dome built. It failed, miserably, and the next concept - 5 years later - was Gateway, what is now Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena.
↵There are also renderings of Art Modell's plans to renovate old Municipal Stadium. Modell went along with the Dome plan, though he preferred to remain down by the lake, and was against Gateway. Once the stadium and arena were built, however, and the Indians and Cavaliers enjoyed the comforts of a new home - not to mention the lost revenue from the Indians moving out of the Stadium, Modell gave the city an ultimatum - build the Cleveland Browns a new stadium or else.
↵We know how that went.
↵What I did fine interesting was the dome stadium concepts for Cleveland dating all the way back to 1968. Perhaps the City and the Browns should have took their time a bit when it came time to build the new stadium. Even today, there are rumblings the City would like to put a lid on Cleveland Browns Stadium in hopes of someday hosting a Super Bowl.
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