The Browns played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium until 1999, when their current venue FirstEnergy Stadium was opened. FirstEnergy was designed by Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, and built on the site of the old stadium out of respect for tradition. Ground was broken in 1997, and the new stadium was completed two years later at a cost of $283 million. FirstEnergy hosted its first game on Sept. 12, 1999, against the Steelers. Although the loss to Pittsburgh was possibly not auspicious, the stadium's architecture, in concrete and glass with natural stone accents, is considered distinctive and called a crown jewel of the area.
FirstEnergy has 4 gates, located at the northeast and northwest corners and the southeast and southwest corners. There are 12 ticket windows, and the Team Shop stands at the south of the stadium. As in the old stadium, the playing field runs east and west, and the field is grass, specifically Kentucky bluegrass.
However, FirstEnergy Stadium combines tradition with modern amenities. The seating capacity is over 73,200, with over 10,000 seats in the beloved Dawg Pound, or bleachers. There are 8800 Club seats, and over 1400 wheelchair-accessible seats. You'll never have to go hungry at FirstEnergy, since there are 30 concourse concession stands, 8 stands near the Club seats, and 70 portable commissaries. And restrooms shouldn't be a problem, since there are 32 for men, 41 for women, and 12 for families.
FirstEnergy has two new scoreboards that are the 4th largest in the NFL. There's one at each end zone, and they measure 94 feet long and 27 feet high. As well as scores, they show stats, instant replays, and live video. The stadium also has two exterior 90-foot x 25-foot video boards that show time, temperature, and local information. FirstEnergy Stadium is located at 100 Alfred Lerner Way, Cleveland, Ohio 44114. The stadium's phone number is 440-891-5001. FirstEnergy can be reached by Amtrak or the Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, and is near I-90. You can get directions to the stadium at the stadium's website. On this same page, you can also buy single-game or season parking passes that guarantee you a parking spot. So the excitement of NFL football plus FirstEnergy means a winner for the Cleveland Browns.