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Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald.

(Peggy Turbett, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald is expected on Thursday to propose tying distribution of 20 percent of the county's sin tax to on-the-field performance from Cleveland's professional sports teams, according to sources briefed on the plan.

The 20 percent -- estimated to be at least $2.6 million a year -- would be awarded to FirstEnergy Stadium, Progressive Field or Quicken Loans Arena based on the success of the teams using the facilities.

The sources did not know how the on-the-field-success of the teams would be judged. The other 80 percent of the money would be allocated to the stadiums in a process that would not take into account how well the Browns, Cavs and Indians play.

FitzGerald has scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. Thursday at the county's temporary headquarters at 310 West Lakeside Avenue.

His administration has not publicly shared any details of his plan.

Voters in May approved a 20-year extension of the countywide tax on alcohol and cigarettes, which is estimated to raise at least $260 million. The tax language specifies what the tax can be spent on -- stadium improvements and the county's stadium debt -- but doesn't describe how the money will be allocated.

Responsibility for splitting the money ultimately lies with Cuyahoga County, but county officials have said negotiations will include Cleveland City Hall and officials with the Gateway Economic Development Corporation, the landlord for Progressive Field and the Q.

The new tax will begin in August 2015.

FitzGerald's idea is similar to one floated in January by Ohio Sen. Shirley Smith, a Cleveland Democrat who unsuccessfully ran in May to succeed FitzGerald as county executive.

"This should be a win-win situation for everyone," Smith said at the time. "We have not had a winning team and there are no consequences."

FitzGerald, a Democrat, is challenging Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich rather than seeking re-election.

Reached by phone earlier Wednesday, Democratic County Councilman Pernel Jones, council's point person on the sin tax, said that whatever FitzGerald proposes will be a starting point for discussions.

Jones said last week that council likely would begin hearings in July on how to allocate the sin tax.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson has said the money should be split evenly between the three stadiums, a formula supported by the teams. Some county officials have pushed back against that idea, saying that each facility has different needs.

FitzGerald endorsed the sin tax, but kept a low profile during the sin tax campaign. He offered a heavily qualified statement of support in January shortly before council passed legislation -- which he later signed -- placing the extension on the May ballot.

"As flawed as the sin tax may be, at least the revenue from the sin tax is not where we are cutting human services to fund the upkeep of these stadiums," FitzGerald said at the time.