3 Dog Pat

Thanks Michelle!

For future streetcars, do transit agencies do any "lessons learned" assesments from other cities? I live in New Orleans, and the street car is SO SLOW. I literally walk 3 miles to downtown from my house faster than the streetcar travels the same path. The main 3 things that slow it down are traffic lights (they do not have prioritized signaling), the time it takes to pay the fare, and the number of stops, like every 3 blocks. During special events like Mardi Gras, they replace the streetcars with busses. It is amazing how much quicker they are. One of my friends who rides transit religiously calls it a tourist Merry-Go-Round. I know that just because the NOLA Canal streetcar is not managed well (not sure about the uptown line) does not mean that streetcars are fundamentally flawed. What I hope is that when building new systems, we don't make the mistakes of other cities

CLUELESS! Thank you! Best news I've heard in a long time!

THANkS ExPatClevelandGuy! (I want that clock back)

Anyone know if it has ever been cleaned in the past? Maybe when the Breuer tower opened?

Millennium Park raised most of their money through corporate sponsorships

There is a wealth of studies by non biased academics on the topic of economic impact of stadiums. Cleveland State's own Michael Spicer, PhD has written articles and advised on the topic. Here's an interesting piece, contains other articles as well: http://www.minnpost.com/community-voices/2011/02/dumb-and-dumber-folly-taxpayer-handouts-professional-sports Same conclusion: a bad investment Literally hundreds of other studies and books — by individuals such as long-time sports economists Arthur T. Johnson in "Minor League Baseball and Economic Development" (1995), Mark Rosentraub in "Major League Losers" (1997), Kenneth Shropshire in "The Sports Franchise Game" (1995), Roger Noll and Andrew Zimbalist in "Sports, Jobs, and Taxes" (1997), and Michael N. Danielson in "Home Team" (1997) — reach the same conclusion: Public support of professional and minor league sports is a bad investment. In practically none of the cities these studies examined did new sports stadiums lead to any significant new private investment or provide for any significant economic benefits to the local economy besides the jobs generated by the initial capital construction of the stadiums. More important, the new stadiums generally were not even profitable or self-financing. Nor could cities point to rising land prices or economic development in the surrounding community. Even as tourist attractions, the stadiums either simply transferred sales from somewhere else or failed to demonstrate that the local hotels were filled as a result of the sports events. Finally, in terms of the much-ballyhooed job production, outside of initial construction and the salaries for the players themselves, part-time, seasonal, and no-benefit beer and peanut sales jobs were the fare for what the billions of public dollars produced. I think any study that does not take into account the ripple effects of economic impact on hotels and restaurants is fundamentally flawed. I have worked in bars and restaurants near stadia, and game days (even football) was a significant percentage of annual revene. However, the same can be said that one project is responsible for all economic activity (think Healthline). Again, if someone knows of a study where the author went in without a conclusion and did a dospationate review of revenue, I would love to read it (I'm a data nerd)

I wish there were non biased research into the investment communities put into sports facilities, and what the return on that investment is. It seems like all the published stories start out with a conclusion, then backfill with data. I'm pro stadia, pro sin tax, for the same reason I was pro convention center and pro casino*, I think the benefits outweigh the costs. But, it's not a slam dunk, so I appreciate hearing the opposing view. I think this is one debate where all sides are pretty honest about where they stand and why. (*casino: I'm still horrified on how the city let the casino bulldoze historic building for parking)

1.9 cents on a can of beer, 1.5 cents per ounce of liquor, and 4.5 cents on a pack of cigarettes The facilities fee of $3.25 per ticket would replace the same revenue without using public funds. The hundreds of millions of dollars saved could either be pocketed by the citizenry (no new tax) or used for some other purpose ( support infrastructure, economic development, public health, education, etc). Thank you. I don't smoke, but I do enjoy the drinking. If the sin tax is repealed, does anyone think a $6 pack of smokes will now be $5.95 Or a $3.50 bud at a bar will be $3.48. I understand a lot of the arguments against continuing the sin tax, and they have merit. The one argument I feel has no merit is "think of the poor" because I don't think this particular tax is passed on to the costumer all that often. (Not to mention it's a sin tax, not a food tax) I also think, if they the powers that be were smart, they should have thrown in a sweetener. Something like 10% of sin tax revenue would go to maintaining county rec centers, or something like that.

What is the data? How much does the tax collect per pack of cigarettes, per bottle of beer?

Let's keep the conversation on extending the Red Line

Angie Schmidt has weighed in the subject, I noticed it when it was tweeted by Aaron Renn http://rustwire.com/2014/04/14/is-cleveland-strong/

Is there data saying that most of the tax is absorbed by retailers? Is there a difference in price for smokes and booze between Cuyahoga county and Lake county?

^I <3 urbanohio.com

Thanks MayDay! It somehow looked smaller with the cladding (IMHO)

MayDay, do you have any pics of the old cladding?

Another way to look at the situation, I'm glad they decided to cover it, rather than tear it down.

So, what is in store for Phase III?

This is a great presentation from Kent State Cleveland Urban Design Collective on the potiential of the Opportunity Corridor, and how its current management falls short. http://www.cudc.kent.edu/projects_research/research/opportunity_corridor.html

^based on your picture only, it kind of looks like the same gold color as the arches. Is it the same, or an obviously different color?

Downtown Cleveland property owner claims damage from Horseshoe Casino street closures http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2014/03/downtown_cleveland_property_ow_2.html#incart_m-rpt-2 Michelle Jarboe McFee, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Another legal fight is brewing in downtown Cleveland's Gateway District, where the 2012 opening of the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland set off jostling over real estate that hadn't received much attention in decades. Now George Troicky, who owns a short stretch of buildings along High Avenue, is alleging that permanent street closures for the casino's Ontario Street welcome center and a prominent digital sign mounted on a casino parking garage have dinged the value of his property and hurt his prospects of attracting tenants. In January, Troicky and High Street Properties LLC, a company tied to his family, filed a lawsuit against the city of Cleveland and an affiliate of gaming group Rock Ohio Caesars LLC.

If it has exit and entrance ramps, you can't call it a boulevard, it's a freeway

Does that mean at grade intersections?

I don't begrudge any part of Ohio gaining population, I'm just focused on increasing Cleveland's. I'm hoping the next city estimate will show that the decades of population loss has ended, and the city will enter a new chapter of growth

I believe so, some of the hours have changed though. Pickwick & Frolic used to do lunch, but no longer does. Not sure if there have been any other changes. That is kind of incredible, in a great way