Master

Below, is some basic information about the organization and it's award. This is just a small portion of lots of information offered. I read most all of this information. Based on it's longevity, sponsors, the the fact that it is non-profit and non-partisan and other information I have read; this award may not be that small of a deal and may be recognized by some "Movers and Shakers" around the country. There are several benefits listed within the overally informaion that I read. These included Civic Pride. I feel this alone is worth the trouble of trying to win the award. I noticed Cleveland, Dayton, Cincinatti and Toledo's names mentioned as past participants in this program, as well. If anyone is interested, just pull up All American City and check it out. All-America City Award Fact Sheet BACKGROUND The All-America City Award is the oldest and most respected community recognition program in the nation. This year marks the 58th anniversary of the award that recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon results. Each year, only ten cities are selected as All-America Cities. These communities exemplify the true American spirit at work. Their citizens are actively committed to ensuring that their community is a safe nurturing place to live. Since the program's inception, more than 4,000 communities (neighborhoods/cities/towns/counties/regions) have competed and nearly 500 have been named "All-America Cities." APPLICATIONS Each year, the All-America City Award program receives applications from communities across the country. A Screening Committee of public and civic affairs experts reviews the applications and, following a careful and thorough examination, the Finalists are announced. At hearings before the All-America City jury in June, each Finalist community will present its application and answer questions posed by the jury. Once the jury has carefully considered all Finalists' presentations and applications, the ten All-America Cities will be announced at a special awards ceremony. CRITERIA For a community to be named an All-America City, it must be able to demonstrate successful resolution of community issues through collaborative effort. Award winning criteria include the following: active citizen involvement, effective and efficient government performance, maximized local philanthropic and volunteer resources, a strong capacity for cooperation and consensus building, community vision and pride, inter-group relations, community information sharing, and intercommunity cooperation. NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE The All-America City Award is a program of the National Civic League, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1894 to strengthen citizen democracy by transforming democratic institutions. NCL accomplishes its mission through technical assistance, training, publishing, research, and the All-America City Award, the nation's oldest and most prestigious community recognition program. The National Civic League is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Bhaa Humbug!! This may not be the biggest and greatest award of all time, but it is positive recognition for one of Ohio's cities. There will be no huge economic benefit, other than being able to make this part of Akron's marketing campaign. It is a nice thing to be able to say. But if Akron wins this award, it is because of positive things that are being done in Akron. This is not big news but it is good news. What's wrong with just saying congratulations and moving on, like everyone else? There is no need to diminish the small value that it has nor the positive feeling that it may give it's community.

Akron, Oh.-Born Baton Rouge, La. Akron, Oh, San Antonio, Tx. Wichita Falls Tx. Lompoc, Ca. Little Rock, Ar. Akron, Ohio, Cleveland, Oh. Canton, Oh. Winston-Salem, NC. -Current

2008 City of Akron NEWS Releases from the desk of Mark Williamson Akron is Finalist for 2008 All-America City Award (03/15/08) - The National Civic League has announced the finalists in the annual All-America City Award , and Akron is among 17 who will compete for the top national awards. It is also the only Ohio city selected for the final competition. Akron was selected twice before, in 1981 and again in 1995 as an All-America City...www.ncl.org www.newsnet5.com

Lot's of condo activity. How's the job market? Is the city growing, sustaining or decreasing in population? Any other economic information?

I can't dispute the figures, but I don't think that we should put this migration in a context where we say that Summit County took what belonged to Cuyahoga County. People are not a commodity. They have freedom of choice and used free will to move to an area that was either more attractive or beneficial to them. Lets be thankful that we had quality suburbs to contain that migration within this region. Cleveland Proper, was unable to keep them within their borders. The majority of those Cuyahoga County losses were from Cleveland Proper and not it's suburbs. And more of the people who left Cleveland Proper, migrated to Cleveland's suburbs rather than out of the county. The problem is inner Cleveland Politics, not that any other suburb or city is somehow robbing Cleveland. Cleveland, as a city, has a responsibility to make itself more competitive and attractive than the suburbs that surround it and the other cities in this country. With all do respect, pointing at everyone but itself is not the answer. Of-course Cleveland has fallen victim to some extraneous forces, just like the entire state of Ohio. Each individual city and Metro handled things their own way. Cleveland may have made some poor decisions, which made it less attractive than it's own suburbs. Small business is the source of the regions economic growth, yet Cleveland is doing very little to encourage small business growth within it's borders. Spending billions on attracting major downtown development that results in relatively few jobs, force people to move to areas where they can get a job. Trying to discourage small business to locate in the burbs instead of encouraging them to locate in the city, doesn't work. The people of North East Ohio are still in the region, for the most part. Lets focus on pulling them back into the city by solving the inner city problems and making it more attractive than the burbs. In order to do this, you must, sometimes, actually work with the burbs. The key words are jobs and neighborhoods. Cleveland needs to stop spending billions on big ticket and spectacular downtown development and reallocate those resources to Job Retention, Job Creation and The Revitalization of it's Neighborhoods, where people live. Akron has worked with Summit County, in a more regional approach, to help the mortgage climate with a program aimed at lowering the county Foreclosure Rates. This is an example of a regional approach on a specific issue; to use regional resources to help everyday people. I love Cleveland, but this is one example of what Cleveland could be doing better. Again, I'm not a proponent of all out Regionalism but most everything has positive aspects, in moderation. Moderation is the key, when it is feasible. :lol:

I agree, Cleveland has lost a bigger share, in the last decade. But Akron lost a bigger share all at once when rubber bailed. Rubber was the primary industry with tens of thousands of jobs, which vanished all at once between 1975 and 1990. Eighty Thousand People went with them. Cleveland, because of it's size, had a much more diverse base and more manufacturing and people to loose. It has been a long and continual leak, compounded by NAFTA, Unfair Foreign Tariffs, The Snow Ball Affect, resulting in population loss and now The Mortgage and Real Estate Industries. During this time, Cleveland has focused on Downtown Development which has allowed the neighborhoods to decay. Akron's suburbs have not taken anything from Cleveland. I don't think finger pointing is the way to go (Not saying that was your intention). Akron has joined it's suburbs to help them sustain the inner core while it works out it's inner city problems and now the inner city is finally in a position to begin a growth pattern. Sure, there has been some suburban sprawl, but it was, unfortunately, necessary for the survival of the inner city. Until recently, there were absolutely no jobs in Akron (Slightly exaggerated, of-course). That suburban sprawl kept inner city dwellers working and it kept migraters out of the city, from migrating too far. This sustaining affect has given Akron time to reinvent: Polymer Industry, Incubators, Education, Research and Development, Rebuilding Neighborhoods and now, working with the college and hospitals to rebuild downtown. This, hopefully, has resulted in the strengthening of the inner core to attract people back into the city and lure small and big business development, which would end the urbanization of it's burbs. Temporary Sprawl: Call it a necessary evil. Cleveland, in my humble opinion, could follow Akron's example. The result will be a stronger Cleveland Core, in the long run. Unfortunately, Cleveland's size is to it's detriment. It is also so focused on being big that it seems to have forgotten what makes a city livable. It is still overly focused on winning big time developments downtown and fighting suburbs, who are neighbors and have stake in the community, as well. Most of those huge developments were responsible for few jobs in comparison to the expenditures. The also drained resources needed for neighborhoods. Right now, Cleveland should focus all resources on making sure National City or it's new owner stays in Cleveland. Everything else needs to be put on hold. This is a page out of Akron's book, as well.

MayDay, your point is well taken. Egos are everywhere. I'd like to clarify that I am all for strong central core cities and suburbs should be suburbs. However, our core cities are not attracting the large companies that they should be attracting. Unfortunately, the inner cities aren't desirable to people or businesses right now. If it weren't for our awsome suburbs, almost the entire population of this region would have left. Because people enjoy our suburbs, they have been willing to locate their small businesses there, close to where they live, for convenience. These small businesses are where the majority of our economic growth in this area is coming from. People who can't find a job in the city, drive to the burbs to work. Our big cities are not attracting these small businesses. Because our cities are in survival mode, we need to appreciate the fact that the burbs are and have been sustaining them for a long time, now. This must continue until our inner cities are able to begin to make themselves attractive to the small business owner, again, and to big business, as well. There is no competition between the burbs and the inner cities for big business because the burbs don't want them and the cities can offer more incentives. The burbs would rather not have mid size businesses but accept them for the benefit of the region. We all need places to work. Until we can make our inner cities competitive with other inner cities for big and small business, we need to thank God for the burbs! The question is how do we get our inner cities back on track. I think that a more regional approach is part of the answer. The key phrase being a more regional approach. Here are examples of what I mean: The partnership between Akron and Cleveland to bring visitors from Isreal to the area. This was awsome! No fighting over who should win projects. They showcased the best that both cities had to offer and some companies will choose Cleveland and some Akron, depending on many different factors, like which city is closer to potential suppliers, etc. If Akron wins a company, the company will do business with Cleveland Companies and employees will go to Cleveland Sporting Events to spend money. It is a win-win for both cities and the region. Another example is the colaboration between Cleveland and Akron Hospitals for research and development, etc. Each hospital has it's own strengths to bring to the table. Why compete when they are stronger as a team? If a piece of land stretches across a border, why not agree to cooperate on how that land should be developed instead of each town or city trying to develop it's own small portion. One may have resources and the other doesn't. The result is undeveloped land. This is what I mean by a more regional approach, not all out rediculous suburban sprawl and urbanization. I know this was lengthy and not really on the point, but I just wanted to clarify.

You are right. That is a major part of Akron's relative success. However, I do think Akron suffered relatively the same manufacturing hits that Cleveland did. I remember Goodyear and Firestone with nearly 20,000 employees each and B.F. Goodrich with nearly 15,000. General Tire was up there, as well, not to mention Akrons, Auto Parts and Machine Tools Industry. Goodrich, General Tire and Firestone are all but gone and Goodyear is down to less than 3,000, which almost disappeared. Akron is trying to save the last of Firestone, now. Akron began a program of Urban Renewal where it quickly demolished most all old and delapedated buildings through the 70's, 80's and 90's, resulting in less delapadation and more open and available land. That is why large portions of Akron has lost it's building density. They ignored Downtown and focused on revitalizing neighborhoods. Cleveland seemed to ignore neighborhoods and delapadation to focus on Downtown Development. The result is that Akron has beautiful, clean and neat neighborhoods and a weak Downtown that is finally recovering. Cleveland has a much more vibrant Downtown and because of it's size, has a backlog of delapadated buildings and less than desirable neighborhoods, which are recovering. However, there are so many areas with so much to do, that it's taking a much longer time and much more investment for Cleveland to recover. Today, Akron is replacing every or nearly every public Primary and Secondary School with the new Learning Centers, which are designed to generate parent participation in afterschool activities and education. Akron U is exploding and the three primary hospitals are rapidly growing, as well. The city has a successful Business Incubator Program that they have now adapted to attract foreign ventures. They have The Medical Cooridor to attract medical research and development companies and Joint Economic Development Districts with the suburbs as a regional approach. Plusquelic has proposed a plan to lease it's sewer system to finance every graduate of Akron Public Schools to go to college. After the student has exausted all means of getting grants and scolarships, the program would take up the slack. I love Cleveland and Akron! I have spent about equal years in both. I feel that Cleveland could learn some things from Akron. I think that Cleveland should check it's ego and work on a more regional approach with Akron for the benefit of the region, as a whole. Akron has pusued this more vigorously over the years than Cleveland has.

Excuse me for butting in! 1. It seems that, lately, with the growth of Akron-Canton Airport and the overall growth of the surrounding area, there are some new patterns developing. Clevelanders are utilizing that airport more and more. Judging by the traffic between Akron and Canton, I would guess that those patterns are already established between those two cities and between Akron and Cleveland, as well. But probably not between Cleveland and Canton. I think there are probably few ties between those two cities, other than the airport. 2. Does anyone think there may be Federal Government pressure to not include all three because of the increase in Fed Dollars that would have to be forked out to the area?

The Federal Government needs to re-prioritize! Hopefully, our new persident will do as they all promise and work toward decreasing this huge trade deficit, which has all but destroyed Ohio's manufacuring base. We need to initiate some serious changes in NAFTA and increase tariffs on inports until we are treated more fairly by other countries. There needs to be a huge push to buy American and we need to focus on our education system. We can find billions of dollars to fund a war that results in getting our children killed but can't find billions to improve thier education. If we had the most well educated graduates in the world, which we should, companies from around the world would be forced to locate within our borders because this is where the talent would be. It is also where the spending would be because of the abundance of well paid consumers. There would be more high paying jobs, less crime due to education, more jobs and less need for jails, which is a drain on local economies. I think Ohio should focus on lobying for the pre-mentioned changes and re-focus on the education of it's youth. Just opinions.

Based on some of the economic projections, if they are legitimate and realistic, I believe that an agressive marketing campaign, which emphasizes the benefits to the community, might sell Summit County residents. I think Cuyahoga County may be tired of sin taxes. I would like to see this project somewhere in N.E. Ohio.

Go Legends!!

Go Gladiators!!

Wow! I've never been there. Always wanted to, though.

How could I possibly have numbers? These are just my opinions based on limited information. That is all I can offer. And that is all you can offer, as well. If you want numbers you are asking the wrong person. If you want an opinion, I have one just like everyone else. At-least it is based on some common sense and experience, even if it is wrong. The concept is all I can comment on and those are my opinions. When I see some figures I will have more opinions. For whatever they are worth.

I do not know what the numbers are. But as a Program/Project Manager in Marketing for over 20 years, I have some observations and opinions. I, of-course, am no expert on this type of project but have dealt with large marketing budgets up to $275,000.00 per month. Again, I'm no genius and this type of project would be out of my league, but for what it's worth: I have been observing Mr. Wolstein and although many don't agree with his projects, he is no dummy. If he proposed a stadium in Macedonia, I do not believe he would waist his time and other resources to make that proposal without, at-least, some considerable research being done. I, of-course, don't know what the results of that research may have been. I believe that the following would have been concerns: 1. Population Density: Without doubt, it is well known that there are approximately 4.5 million people within a 50 mile radius of Akron, which is roughly the 7th most dense 50 mile radius in the country. A 50 mile or less drive is considered a reasonable drive for a "Special Occasion" or "Event", like a major league sporting event. Any location in the area between South Akron and Lake Erie with some eastern and western boundaries will support almost any event, as far as population goes. That is; as long as there is good access to that location and sufficient interest for people to go. Understanding that many other considerations would come in to play, as well. 2. Access to Location: I'm sure they considered that 3. Land Quality for the structure and Infrastructure: I'm sure that was considered 4. Interest: Soccer Fans (Not population). This is where I'm most skeptical. I find it hard to believe that research wasn't done on this. 5. Method of Financing: This had to be considered. There are, of-course, many other considerations. But I'm just sure that this longtime professional, has done enough basic homework to make an initial proposal to see if there was sufficient interest from the community. More detailed and costly research would be done if the community showed sufficient interest, which they have not. Marketing is not all about the numbers, it is also about gut instinct and common sense. If I were involved for the first time with a project like this, I would tend to shy away from Downtown Cleveland because Soccer would take a back seat to Football, Baseball and Basketball. I would need some hard data that would convince me Downtown was the best place demographically or that it was the most cost effective place to locate. I feel that Macedonia or some other centrally located site between Akron and Cleveland would generate more excitement in The Akron Area, which the team would not get from Cleveland, alone. It would be huge in Akron. It would generate intrest from Clevelanders if the name was The Cleveland-Akron___________. Cleveland being the first name. Akron would be excited to have their name mentioned. Now that it appears that this community is not interested, I am interested in seeing if any other communities offer proposals or if The Site Selection Committee finds another area location. Why would the area get international exposure? Soccer is an international sport. Soccer is brocasted on international TV. There will be international games with Spain, etc. These teams will occasionally visit this area. And the area will be on display. How will this fill hotel rooms? I said it will help fill hotel rooms. It will help Occupancy Rates. If this was planned as a multiple use stadium, it could be marketed to attract all sorts of national and international major and minor sporting events, concerts, shows, etc. When people come to town, they need somewhere to stay. The proper restaurants, shopping and entertainment could market the area as a destination for vacationers who visit this region. I would love to attract this to our area. I would support it wherever it was built, that was feasible. I just disagree with those who say that it is not feasible if it's not in Downtown Cleveland. I think it could work in Downtown Cleveland, but would actually work better in the burbs for premonitions reasons.

It seems to me that the proponents of this stadium, evidentally, saw no good reason to locate their new stadium anywhere in this region other than in Macedonia, where the land was already owned. From my understanding, no other location within Cleveland or Akron was ever seriously considered. Correct me, if I'm wrong. This tells me that the area isn't all that desireable, in their eyes, for the team, but if they could save enough money they'd be willing to try it. If Cleveland wants it, they need to get off their dead ass and put together a financially interesting proposal, quickly! If Cleveland doesn't have the ability or desire to make a proposal that would interest them, then why put down a suburb because they have something to offer them; even if it is only a piece of land that is already owned. This project is valuable to this region, as a whole. It will offer international exposure to the area and undoubtedly attract some additional events. These events will fill hotel rooms and people will spend money in the area. There are many intangible benefits, as well. The spin-off jobs and snowballing effect will be a healthy boost to the area, if it is successful. I trust that, as professionals, they have done the research required to determine that their selected site has the potential. A site had been chosen. The area that was chosen will be urbanized to some degree. The question is; Is it more beneficial to have a major league soccer team or more beneficial to protect the current personality and ecology of that area. In my opinion, we are not talking about a strip shopping center but a major project that the area needs. In my opinion, we build it where they want to build it and work everything else out. We don't argue about who's city or town it should be in because they want to build it there. Unless we have a better offer for them to build somewhere else. I haven't heard one. If the surrounding cities need to help out, then we help. Let's win these projects and stop bickering! The suburbs are full of good people who want a good life for their families. They wouldn't move out of the cities if the cities offered the quality of life that their families deserved. Instead of blaming the burbs, the cities need to appreciate them for keeping people in the area while the cities get their act together and begin to supply the high quality of life that will draw people back in. Without quality burbs, people would leave the area altogether. They are sustaining the area. We need to appreciate that and assist in that. We all need to get along and work as a team to reinvent the inner cities, to strengthen the corp to offer a competitive quality of life so that the suburbs can be suburban and the inner cities can be attractive enough to attract and retain it's citizens and businesses. Regional thinking is good, not bad. The cities need help. The Burbs need the cites to be strong. They must find ways to work together instead of condemning each other.

Get ready.... cle2032, Of-course The Burbs need a strong core to survive. But times have changed and the day of huge 15,000 employee businesses are, mostly, gone. This is due to technological advancement. Computers and Machines can do the work of many people. Because businesses are much smaller, quieter, neater and more ecologically friendly, The Burbs are now willing to accept them in their neighborhoods. People like to live close to their jobs and people who are decisionmakers in business have enough money and prefer to live in The Burbs, these days. So they try to buy their house in The Burbs and locate their small business nearby. Right now, areas like N.E. Ohio's job growth is comming from small business and mostly in the suburbs. There is very little attraction for small business, which is where our economic growth is coming from, to locate in the city. We are, currently, unsuccessful at attracting big business, who we can offer all the incentive in the world, to locate in the city. In order for the inner city to survive, they need the jobs that the suburbs are now providing, until the inner city can get it's act together and attract the big businesses back. I am all for a strong inner core and quiet, quaint suburbs with different personalities. Unfortunately, The Burbs are keeping the inner cities in N.E. Ohio alive, at this time. One cannot survive without the other. The innercity should support anything The Burbs can win for this area, right now, because the inner city is not the strong core that we all would like it to be. Regionalizing will not destroy this area, it will sustain it while the inner cities reinvent. This is being done. It is being done quicker in Akron than Cleveland because Akron is working with it's Burbs through Water Agreements, Joint Economic Districts, etc., and because of it's focus on Education and Quality Neighborhoods. Of-course, t is also smaller and has less decay. I think that a pro stadium anywhere we can get it, is better than no pro stadium at all. Where ever they feel it will work, based on their professional judgement, is where we need to support it being built. We can not afford to loose big projects, simply because of ego (It should be in Downtown Cleveland!). Come on you guys! And every town, city and neighborhood is important. Anyone who doesn't think so, is unimportant to me.

Has anyone considered taking some pictures around Five Corners and The Wahaven Area? There are some great neighborhoods north and south of West Market St., from Highland Square, toward the west, all the way out toward Fairlawn.

I think the fact that it appears to be a cold winter day, was part of the reason for the absence of activity. And there have been a couple business that have moved out, I heard. The neighborhood has always survived and I'm sure it will this time, as well.

Would it have been that hard to fix it yourself? You have an edit button you know. No, I didn't know. I didn't mean to ruin your day. I know, now. I didn't even realize it had repeated until I read a response.

I here you jam40jeff. Peace! The core cities will always compete in the long run because they have the population, resources and incentives to offer. Mid-western cities are temporarily loosing to the burbs because of their long reliance on manufacturing, which has and still is bailing. As the core mid-western cities re-invent themselves, they will become the centers for economic development, again. I happent to think that regionalization will help that happen faster. I could be wrong. Cities like Cleveland will still have quiet suburbs, they will just be further out. The inner ring of suburbs are doomed to be urbanized. Hey pope, Are you sure you aren't the one on a cross?

I think that Macedonia and Richfield do matter. I think that every little city, township, etc., has something different to offer people, companies, sports teams or whoever. Some people like sprawl, some like quaint, some like traditional or historic and some like contemporary. When Cleveland markets and supports Cleveland only and when Akron markets and supports Akron only, they can only offer what they alone have to offer. By regionalizing, we offer every thing that every square inch of this region has to offer. We can pool resourses and really promote the area, as well as offer better incentives for business relocation. Who cares who gets the business or the sports team? Some will choose Akron, because it offers them something in particular, some will choose Cleveland and some will choose Parma or Barberton. In the long run, we will be more competitive and economically feasible as a region than we are as individual localities who think each other don't matter. This is how cities like Atlanta and Dallas have done so well. Macedonia and Richfield do matter. One is a retail and industrial power house where Clevelanders and Akronites work and shop and another is a the location of quite a few trucking operations like Ward and Yellow, etc. People from all areas of the region work there and businesses ship and receive through those companies. There is a reason that each of those cities attract those types of development. What ever those reasons are, we need to support them and help them use those reasons to attract more of the same.

Its probably a fair assumption that those questions have been answered by Wolstein or whomever is trying to pull this together. Average forumer on the street? Ha, funny. Exactly. And evedintally, based on considerable research, I'm sure, they thought that his property in the northeastern suburbs of Akron could be a feasible location. Evidentally, his team and other supporters involved, didn't agree with you that Akron is too much of a hick town to consider for the project. Don't feel bad, I do agree that Cleveland is a bigger city. I just don't think Akron is as small as you do. And I think that Cleveland will continue to get smaller and smaller until they get off of their high horse and help to promote this region instead of trying to be the only city that matters around here.