April 1, 200916 yr I happened to catch WEWS Channel 5 news tonight. I missed the lead in to the story but it sounded like various Cleveland councilmen went to Chicago to learn more about MMPI. They sounded very upbeat about the whole concept now. They had clips from Polensek and Sweeney. Polensek couldn't get over how busy the Chicago skyline still is with cranes. Sweeney was impressed with the MMPI business model. I wonder if either councilman had ever been to Chicago before. They both came away impressed.
April 1, 200916 yr Chicago is a great town. I hope people across the country can feel the same way about Cleveland soon. Chi has crime, political corruption, unions etc and yet it's image does not suffer because of it's people believe in their city and they tell you so.
April 1, 200916 yr /\ Generally, sure...but Chicago is a much more transient/transplanted city than Cleveland...is ignorance bliss? Perhaps... Anyway, back on topic :)
April 1, 200916 yr The following is purely fiction - Happy April Fools! :-) ............. Oh geez, NOW they finally come out with this?!? Gotta say this is surprising! From cleveland.com: Forest City Enterprises offers alternate Convention Center site In the latest turn of events in the efforts to bring a Medical Mart and convention center complex to downtown Cleveland, executives at Forest City Enterprises have revealed yet another possible site - the long-neglected area known as the Scranton Road Peninsula. Dave LaRue of Forest City's Land Management group states "this is by far the most ideal site for both the city and the region". Formerly home to warehouses and a variety of interests serving industries linked to the Cuyahoga River, the Scranton Road peninsula is comprised of approximately 300 acres, mostly vacant. LaRue says the convention center and medical mart would be constructed in phases. A 400,000 square foot exhibition hall would feature walls of glass, opening up river and downtown views. The Medical Mart would occupy 100,000 square feet and be located near the Carter Road lift bridge. Perhaps the most striking difference in this latest plan is Forest City's proposal for a new office tower, located adjacent to the site that will serve as the company's new world headquarters. Plans call for a tower of thirty-five stories with a glass facade. "It's my firm belief that this will be a symbol of our willingness to invest in our headquarter city," Forest City Chief Executive Charles Ratner told Plain Dealer editors and reporters Tuesday. When asked about the company's current headquarters in the landmark Terminal Tower, Ratner stated "we've long considered that the Terminal Tower might be best suited for a residential conversion". He also emphasized that the Scranton Road site offers "extensive" opportunities for expansion as well as better "connectivity" than either the Mall site or the previously proposed site at Tower City's current parking facilities. An adjacent twin-towered hotel would be constructed east of the exhibition space. Renderings also show a pedestrian bridge, connecting the new facilities to Forest City's Tower City Center shopping mall. LaRue stated that architects have not been selected but that "with a project of this caliber, we'll be aiming high." Chris Kennedy, president of Chicago-based MMPI, said "considering the extensive effort Forest City has displayed with this latest proposal, it's only fair that we hear what they have to say". Mayor Frank Jackson was not available for comment. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
April 1, 200916 yr Congrats to Avogadro - he called it out first. Yes folks, happy April Fools :-D Sorry if anyone's feathers got ruffled - no harm intended - notice that I always post a link to any stories on cleveland.com (and this one didn't have a link). Honestly, the Terminal Tower being all residential?!? A 35-story office tower on Scranton Road?!? :lol: I've removed all the posts that followed the April Fools post (I've left that for anyone who missed it - but as I said, it's totally made up for April Fools). Back to our regularly scheduled discussion of the Convention Center/Medical Mart. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
April 2, 200916 yr April fools or not, I like that design...A pedestrian lift bridge would be awesome...
April 2, 200916 yr Yeah, that was just WRONG!! Lol especially when the design looks professional! But back to reality... I guess that since the mayor is officially supporting the mall site, that the selection process is over. Now we have to wait and see about contract agreements between the county and MMPI.
April 2, 200916 yr Distrust of success: Still strong in Cleveland and going national -- Kevin O'Brien by Kevin O'Brien / Plain Dealer columnist Thursday April 02, 2009, 8:33 AM Americans are all worked up about "corporate greed." Business is bad, and the bigger the business, the worse it is. When it comes to making money, success is a sin and envy a virtue. More at http://www.cleveland.com/obrien/index.ssf/2009/04/distrust_of_success_still_stro.html
April 2, 200916 yr Hopefully, FCE has left the dance. I am now hoping for some good faith negotiations on the part of the City and the PeeDee publishing 4 days a week, as that is about the amount of news they are able to find to publish.
April 2, 200916 yr I bet FCE would get a lot more public support if they offered pix of MayDay's Scranton Peninsula joke-plan instead of the generic CC image posted on their signs throughout Tower City... which were still up yesterday.
April 2, 200916 yr I bet FCE would get a lot more public support if they offered pix of MayDay's Scranton Peninsula joke-plan instead of the generic CC image posted on their signs throughout Tower City... which were still up yesterday. DON'T GIVE THOSE F*CKWADS ANY IDEAS!
April 2, 200916 yr I bet FCE would get a lot more public support if they offered pix of MayDay's Scranton Peninsula joke-plan instead of the generic CC image posted on their signs throughout Tower City... which were still up yesterday. I bet FCE would get a lot more public support if they offered pix of MayDay's Scranton Peninsula joke-plan instead of the generic CC image posted on their signs throughout Tower City... which were still up yesterday. DON'T GIVE THOSE F*CKWADS ANY IDEAS! You know what's messed up about the joke played beautifully yesterday? It's actually a GOOD idea.
April 2, 200916 yr Some folks just don't get a joke. It loses it's humor when you have to explain it. Let us move on.
April 2, 200916 yr ^well let's just say it was better than what forest city is proposing. It still wouldn't deal with the abandonment of the mall issues, or the fact that it would feel completely isolated unless scranton penninsula was fully developed all at once. But it's still significantly better than their current proposal of trying to squish 12 architectural eggs into a 3 egg river bank.
April 2, 200916 yr ttp://realneo.us/content/medcons-chris-kennedy-publicist-sends-statement-realneo-admin forwarded message ---------- From: <sweiss [at] mmart [dot] com> Date: Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 11:05 PM Subject: [info, Ideas, Feedback] Medical Mart To: info [at] realneo [dot] us Sweiss sent a message using the contact form at http://realneo.us/contact. March 30, 2009 I was greatly dismayed to read Sunday’s Cleveland Plain Dealer article regarding my views on Cleveland, its business climate and its leadership. I wanted to reach out to you directly to correct inaccuracies in this story and reiterate I and the team at MMPI are as excited as ever about working with the county, the city, and the local business community to make the Medical Mart and Convention Center the premier location for medical industry showrooms and events. During the interview that led to this article, I commented on the current state of REIT investor activity in Cleveland. Somehow, this statement was misconstrued as a comment on the city as a whole, and I want to be clear that this was neither my statement nor my intent. Specifically, I noted that no major Real Estate Investment Trusts were currently investing in the city, and that this lack of investment could be seen as a negative signal by other REITs. As an example of this alarming trend among REITs, I noted a major residential REIT sold its portfolio of buildings in Cleveland that were earning 10%, reinvested in cities like Washington D.C. at 5%, and was applauded by financial analysts. I said that with the exception of Forest City, Cleveland seemed to lack outside investment by the leading REITs. This comment was presented in the story -- not as a commentary on the REIT industry -- but instead as an attack on the entire community. Of course, Forest City and the Wolstein family remain very active, and now MMPI can help reverse this trend with the major investment we intend to make in the city. While a relatively new member of the community, I reiterated our commitment to the people of Cleveland and the long-term success of this project. During the conversation, the reporter suggested that in Cleveland he had observed what he termed a fear of failure in regard to big projects. I responded by saying that the hope of success needed to be greater than the fear of failure. Taken out of context as it was, this statement could be further misconstrued to create the false impression that we are anything but enthused about the opportunity in Cleveland. MMPI has made every effort to respond to media and local leaders requests for information on the progress of the Medical Mart/Convention Center project. Despite our efforts to provide as much information as we could in a timely and factual manner, much of the recent dialog around this project has been negative, inaccurate, and in some cases, personally offensive. Despite these challenges we remain committed to providing complete and accurate information and updates regarding the development of the Medical Mart and Convention Center. We look forward to meeting with local media and community leaders to provide updates, and as a critical stakeholder in the success of this effort, we will keep you updated directly. We remain fully confident that the people of Cleveland will be happy with the progress of this project and the positive impact it will bring for so many. As you know, we run many large and successful trade shows and facilities around the country, including The Merchandise Mart in Chicago, and each year we attract a million visitors to the cities in which we operate. We look forward to leveraging this experience and expertise to make the Medical Mart and Convention Center the next great chapter in the ongoing renaissance in downtown Cleveland. In the meantime, I hope that you will give me a call with any questions or concerns you might have to ensure the greatest success of our partnership with you. Best Regards, Christopher Kennedy President, MMPI ttp://realneo.us/content/medcons-chris-kennedy-publicist-sends-statement-realneo-admin
April 2, 200916 yr what does any suppose the odds are that plain dealer prints this. I have Vegas on the line as I type this!
April 2, 200916 yr Again, I find it interesting that both MMPI and the County seem to feel the need to take avenues other then the PeeDee to reach out to the public. I can not believe that the PeeDee is unaware of this message, yet they fail to publish it..
April 2, 200916 yr that's probably because the PD takes everything they say and twists it to screw them. I would work around the PD if I had to deal with that crap also. And I'm sure the PD couldn't give two craps about that letter, and won't print it because it has positive notations about this city.
April 2, 200916 yr Cleveland's mayor reiterates position on convention center, med mart By JAY MILLER 1:26 pm, March 31, 2009 Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson showed off the refurbished Public Auditorium Tuesday — as a work crew readied the hall for Saturday’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum induction ceremony — and reiterated his intention to safeguard the interests of the city and the region when it comes to the planned convention center and medical merchandise mart. More at http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20090331/FREE/903319956
April 3, 200916 yr "We own the essential asset" NO. The citizens of Cleveland own it and can not market it in it's present condition. It is a LIABILITY to the community as it stands Either he wants to sell it or not. "He wants to make sure what ever is built will be a economic asset to the city and the region" What does he think MMPI is trying to do, start a pig farm in the center of downtown? The political posturing make him appear like a buffoon in a election year. He thinks it makes him look engaged. That the Mayor's Association is standing with him and not the Commissioners gives some indication of the pressure being applied by GCP/FCE on the County. The message is they are very unhappy that FCE was not chosen and there will be a political price to pay. Note that Joe Roman was at this event on dais.
April 3, 200916 yr Hypothetically let's say the city reams the county. It would be money flowing inward, a nice change. I don't know what other political price they could have to pay. If it gets strictly design reviewed, I'm all for that anyway.
April 3, 200916 yr Hypothetically let's say the County decides not to provide the 6 million dollars that the City needs every year to keep the Centers doors open. What would be the City's plan then? Which way would the money be flowing then? How would Jackson axplain that to the citizens and council members? What would be his grand plan for maintaining this "essential asset" in that case ?
April 3, 200916 yr Geez, silly me. I don't know what political price they could have to pay. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/04/cuyahoga_county_reform_proposa.html "Parma Heights Mayor Martin Zanotti lent his support to Mayor Jackson’s position and even called the Cleveland leader “the caretaker of the public’s interest” in the new center." Joe Roman standing beside him?? I wonder, but maybe....the peedee's in depth analysis by their crack reporters might be "selective reporting".
April 3, 200916 yr Author If Chris Kennedy was just trying to save face the PD would have been all over him about it. The reporter would have provided his recording of the conversation, or interview other people in the room to prove he did not take those quotes out of context. What has the PD said about the letter? Silence. Which if further proof that the PD is just out to kill this project. Why else would they twist his words so egregiously to make it sound like he was insulting Cleveland. I hope the PD’s silence continues.
April 3, 200916 yr If Chris Kennedy was just trying to save face the PD would have been all over him about it. The reporter would have provided his recording of the conversation, or interview other people in the room to prove he did not take those quotes out of context. What has the PD said about the letter? Silence. Which if further proof that the PD is just out to kill this project. Why else would they twist his words so egregiously to make it sound like he was insulting Cleveland. I hope the PD’s silence continues. I may be getting cynical in my old age. If they tell me the sun is shining, my first reaction is to look out the window.
April 3, 200916 yr The PD's silence will probably expand soon. To everything. I don't like that our choice is between a no-good hostile local paper or none at all. I don't like that this could be their swan song. It would be nice to see the PD's character arc come around before the end of this.
April 8, 200916 yr County releases Med Mart development agreement Posted by Joseph Guillen Click here for the actual agreement
April 8, 200916 yr I wonder how hard it will be to calculate what the next news story will be after this release...
April 8, 200916 yr Everyone and their brother..plus the bugs in their houses will want to make a comment on the content of the contract....good or bad. https://www.instagram.com/cle_and_beyond/https://www.instagram.com/jbkaufer/
April 8, 200916 yr The big print giveth and the small print taketh away. Thus sayth the lawyer. Amen.
April 9, 200916 yr Oh good. Light reading for the morning. I am disappointed that it is only 60 pages. The radio made it sound like it was a thick legal documnet. Anything under 100 pages is fluff in the contract world...:) EDIT: My bad, the attachments are not included in the 60 pages.....That is just the body of the agreement.
April 9, 200916 yr The actual document is over 200 pages. Copies were given out to news outlets and the City. I haven't seen it, but that is my understanding.
April 9, 200916 yr Interesting tid bits from the contract: 1. Developer is required to submit 3 distinct exterior design options during Conceptual Design Plans and the county will choose one of the exterior options. 2. MMPI will be reimbursed for any pre-development costs over $1.5M, the first $1.5 will be credited towards the funds they are required to pay. 3.1% contingency allocation in budget (seems low) 4. The County is administrating the whole process, the only time the city is mentioned is when they talk about securing building permits. 5.MMPI or the County are responsible for securing Parcels of land for the project. 6.Within 1 year of the contract or 60 prior to construction MMPI needs binding agreements with 10 manufactures for showrooms and 5 organizations to hold shows or conventions with the first 12 months of operation. 7. MMPI to pay $20M 8.County will lease the site for $1 a year 9. MMPI is entitled to all revenues from the operation of the facility except for Naming Rights 10.The County will lease back for monthly payments of $3,333,333.34 or $40M.yr plus a supplemental $6M for the first 3 years , and then a supplemental $5.1M for year 4, which looks like this payment will increase 3% each year after that, subject to meeting benchmarks. 11. MMPI is not responsible for property taxes 12.Historical Tax credits received as proceeds or credits by MMPI are reduced on a dollar for dollar basis from County Payments, if not included in the bond calculations. 13. County has the right and obligation to purchase the facility for $1 at the termination of the lease. 14. MMPI has an option for managing the facility for up to an additional 40 year negotiated term That's it for now I need to do some real work.
April 9, 200916 yr I also found it interesting that the county will retain "naming rights" to the facility and can use the proceeds from that in any manner they wish.
April 9, 200916 yr I also found it interesting that the county will retain "naming rights" to the facility and can use the proceeds from that in any manner they wish. That should be a nice chunk of change to off set expenses.
April 9, 200916 yr Author I think it might be a trump card for the county for people worried about the $6M operating money
April 9, 200916 yr Are the 10 retailers and 5 shows going to be a problem? I know nothing about the convention business. I figure MMPI shouldn't have a problem with the retailers but would you book a show for facility before it begins construction?
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