It’s a business deal

If we’re looking at hospitality, this is a transformational project. What I mean is this is the biggest thing to happen potentially for conventions, trade shows, hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues in this generation. This project, in terms of economic impact, is bigger than Gateway, bigger than the Browns Stadium, bigger than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame individually. This has the potential to deliver enormous economic impact to this community. It is, in fact, a business. It has a business model; its success will be based on whether it creates and sustains jobs. That’s why it matters.  

Which makes it a business deal. Medical Mart is a business proposition and, like all business deals, there’s a clock running. We have now been talking about this concept for a little over two years; this concept was developed in Cleveland. It started with the Cleveland Clinic and over time has grown into a real business opportunity. So, there’s a call to action on this one. This community needs to commit to this project to get this project done before another community does what we are trying to do and, frankly, takes this away from us. We are trying to give this away in some corners of this town and that’s an attitude and a mindset, frankly, that leads to getting what you deserve. You do nothing – you get nothing.     

I hope people who are impacted by the proposed project, and that’s everyone from concierges to chefs to the guy who owns a hotdog stand near Public Square, will come out on Thursday at 10:30am and rally to show their support for what this project could mean to the future of Cleveland. And, if your mind is not made up, study the arguments, attend the hearing and really understand what’s at stake.

Dennis Roche
President, CVB of Greater Cleveland