CLEVELAND (AP) Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam are paying more than $2 million to have five Cleveland-area high school fields renovated with synthetic surfaces.
The Haslams announced the project at FirstEnergy Stadium on Monday with Mayor Frank Jackson and surrounded by students. Two of the fields will be completed by the start of the fall season.
Dee Haslam called the undertaking ''one of the most exciting things we've done since coming to Cleveland.'' The Haslams have funded a similar project in Tennessee.
Former Browns tackle Roman Oben, who now works for the NFL in youth football development, hopes the Haslams' donation will prompt other NFL teams to make commitments to rehabilitating fields in disrepair.
Jimmy Haslam said he was excited about the team's recent draft. The Browns selected a record-tying 14 players.
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Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
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