Cross-posted in the Cleveland Gateway District developments/news thread...

 

 

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019

Downtown Cleveland hotel sells to NY-based REIT

 

Downtown Cleveland's Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 Carnegie Ave., sold on Dec. 9 to a New York City-based real estate investment trust that specializes in owning Marriott- and Hilton-branded hotels.

The 11-story, 240-room hotel, its adjoining Gateway Conference Center and the 2.85 acres on which the complex sets was sold for $28.16 million to MCR Cleveland LLC, according to Cuyahoga County records.

 

MORE:

https://neo-trans.blogspot.com/2019/12/downtown-cleveland-hotel-sells-to-ny.html

 

 

Edited December 13, 20195 yr by KJP

Cleveland will be hosting the 2024 ASAE  (American Society of Associaiton Executives) convention

 

https://www.asaecenter.org/about-us/news_releases/2019/asae-names-future-host-cities-for-2022-through-2027

 

"Among the association executives who attend the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition are those who select destinations for their own organization’s meetings and events. It is estimated that 20% of the delegates who attend the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition book their own conventions in the host city within five years."

USA Today fluff piece

 

https://www.10best.com/interests/explore/do-you-know-these-10-things-about-cleveland-ohio/ 

https://www.cleveland.com/business/2020/01/cleveland-area-hotels-have-so-so-year-as-occupancy-dips-rates-increase.html

On 12/23/2019 at 12:41 PM, MyTwoSense said:

USA Today fluff piece

 

https://www.10best.com/interests/explore/do-you-know-these-10-things-about-cleveland-ohio/ 

 

Some fluff piece:

 

"Although Cleveland has a big reputation, it’s actually not Ohio’s largest city (that honor goes to capital Columbus, with more than 870,000 people). Rather, Cleveland has a population of 383,000, giving its downtown and vibrant neighborhoods an almost small-town feel."

 

WTF?  I certainly will not--nor anyone I know--send this article on to someone with this useless---and degrading--sentence in it. 

Cleveland Marriott Airport at I-71 and W. 150 St. is set for auction later this month. It has 372 rooms.  It was apparently hurt by all the new hotel rooms Downtown:  "The property suffered as the Cleveland hotel market expanded rapidly the last few years, particularly with new hotels downtown. For decades before new hotels were built downtown in the 1990s the property was known for lodging visitors traveling here to do business downtown."

 

Though hotel rooms were added Downtown, the economy picked up as well--which should have balanced things out.  Not many non-Downtown hotels can claim easy rapid transit access to Downtown, University Circle, and Hopkins Airport.

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/auction-set-month-troubled-marriott-cleveland-airport?utm_source=afternoon-report

 

 

Except the Marriott Airport isn't in a very walkable area. A traveler actually needs a hotel shuttle to/from the Puritas RTA station. In fact, I've seen airline crews take shuttle buses between the RTA station and the Marriott, which is kind of weird because I'd rather just take a hotel shuttle all the way between the airport and the hotel. Point is, it requires an extra transfer to use the RTA station. So when I encourage visitors who are coming downtown to stay somewhere, and if they can't afford downtown hotels, I tell them to stay at the LaQuinta hotel next to the Puritas station.

Nice recap video from Destination Cleveland for their Annual Meeting. Always good to remember what progress has been made since the recession. From below 13 million, to their goal of 20 million visitors for 2020 (2 mil more than RNC/Championship/World Series 2016).

 

 

Edited February 24, 20205 yr by NorthShore647

Destination Cleveland outlines vision for 2020 at annual meeting

WKYC Staff - Mon. 2-24-2020

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cleveland/destination-cleveland-outlines-vision-for-2020-at-annual-meeting/95-edb6909c-9a7a-4470-95df-def466088990

 

There are some interesting stats in the article and video of the Live-streamed event via WKYC:

 

 

?

 

Two downtown Cleveland hotels have temporarily closed, a third closing, amid loss of business due to the coronavirus, tourism bureau reports

Updated 1:12 PM; Today 12:31 PM

By Peter Krouse, cleveland.com

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Two downtown hotels have temporarily closed and a third is expected to close Friday amid the loss of business from the coronavirus pandemic, said David Gilbert, president and CEO of Destination Cleveland, the region’s travel and tourism promotional arm.

 

In an interview Thursday with cleveland.com, Gilbert identified the two closed hotels as the Westin Cleveland Downtown and the Kimpton Schofield Hotel and the one closing Friday as the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2020/03/two-downtown-cleveland-hotels-have-temporarily-closed-a-third-closing-amid-loss-of-business-due-to-the-coronavirus-tourism-bureau-reports.html

Bed, Sales Tax Revenues Hit Shortfalls

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio- The impact of COVID-19 and stay at home orders has hurt the hotel and tourism industry. The tax revenue that comes from the industry supports many organizations that help define local communities. 

 

https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2020/04/18/bed--sales-tax-revenues-hit-shortfalls

 

This comes as no surprise, I’ll be interested to see once the dust settles how much money was lost in tourism due to Covid-19.  Really makes you feel for places like Las Vegas or Myrtle Beach who’s primary means of generating revenue is through tourism.  While tourism has been on the rise in Cleveland the economy here is still carried on the back of the medical and biotech fields.

Don’t blame me, I voted for Zach Reed.

Edited June 4, 20205 yr by Sapper Daddy

  ^ Look I know Mayor Jackson probably has not had an easy life. He fought in Vietnam probably saw things that nobody should see. But it's time. Time to find someone anyone who can run against this guy, somebody younger please.

6 hours ago, freethink said:

  ^ Look I know Mayor Jackson probably has not had an easy life. He fought in Vietnam probably saw things that nobody should see. But it's time. Time to find someone anyone who can run against this guy, somebody younger please.

I agree, we need to vote in a new Mayor, however he's not wrong. Cleveland has a horrible perception nationwide and even locally, even if undeserved. It does a horrible job selling itself and doing things to shed its unflattering image. Things have gotten WAY better in the last 4 or 5 years, but that's for or five years versus 4 or 5 decades.

Yeah, I mean I can't say I care too much he said this. It's not a lie. Should a Mayor say butthole, I guess not, whatever.

Coronavirus causes a record number of hotels to default on their loans: report

 

 

Almost a quarter of hotels were delinquent on their mortgage payments in July, the highest rate on record, according to a new report.

Some 23.4% of commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS) loans, which finance many hotels, were more than 30 days late in July, totaling $20.6 billion. Only 1.34% of hotel CMBS loans were in default in July 2019, according to Trepp, a New York City-based data, analytics and technology company.

 

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/a-record-number-of-hotels-are-defaulting-on-their-loans-report-162800156.html

Ritz-Carlton in downtown Cleveland plans to cut 74 jobs

https://www.bizjournals.com/cleveland/news/2020/08/31/ritz-carlton-to-cut-74-jobs.html

Destination Cleveland lays off nearly half its staff, refocuses tourism campaign

Susan Glaser - Sep. 23, 2020

 

"Destination Cleveland, the agency that promotes the region to visitors, is laying off nearly half its staff, as the tourism industry continues to struggle amid the ongoing health pandemic.

The agency said Wednesday that most previously announced furloughs, effective in April, would be made permanent. Full-time staff will drop from 65 to 36."

 

https://www.cleveland.com/business/2020/09/destination-cleveland-lays-off-nearly-half-its-staff-refocuses-tourism-campaign.html

1 hour ago, NorthShore647 said:

Destination Cleveland lays off nearly half its staff, refocuses tourism campaign

Susan Glaser - Sep. 23, 2020

 

"Destination Cleveland, the agency that promotes the region to visitors, is laying off nearly half its staff, as the tourism industry continues to struggle amid the ongoing health pandemic.

The agency said Wednesday that most previously announced furloughs, effective in April, would be made permanent. Full-time staff will drop from 65 to 36."

 

https://www.cleveland.com/business/2020/09/destination-cleveland-lays-off-nearly-half-its-staff-refocuses-tourism-campaign.html

 

Destination Cleveland had 65 full time staff?   Jeeze...

I've never done it, but sometime I'd like to do a "staycation" at one of the local hotels.  Maybe some of the hotels in Cleveland should promote that idea to try to fill some of their rooms until things get back to normal.

40 minutes ago, skiwest said:

I've never done it, but sometime I'd like to do a "staycation" at one of the local hotels.  Maybe some of the hotels in Cleveland should promote that idea to try to fill some of their rooms until things get back to normal.

 

I suggested that to my wife -- getting a suite at the Ritz. She laughed at me. So much for that idea....

43 minutes ago, skiwest said:

I've never done it, but sometime I'd like to do a "staycation" at one of the local hotels.  Maybe some of the hotels in Cleveland should promote that idea to try to fill some of their rooms until things get back to normal.

I did this at the 9 last year and had a great time with the various restaurants and bar nearby. Also the 9 has the vault which has a great old fashioned.

1 hour ago, skiwest said:

I've never done it, but sometime I'd like to do a "staycation" at one of the local hotels.  Maybe some of the hotels in Cleveland should promote that idea to try to fill some of their rooms until things get back to normal.

I did this with my kids last Fall at the Hilton. Since I am a Cuyahoga County resident, and therefore a part owner of the hotel, I figured I should do my due diligence and check up on our collective investment. We had a great time! Of course my kids loved the pool more than anything else, but we enjoyed the whole hotel and wandering the area. At some point I’ll get around to posting those pix. 
 

And also, Destination Cleveland IS heavily promoting exactly what you are suggesting - “Hey people in the area, come visit downtown!”  I’ve also seen some of the downtown hotels with those types of ads, suggesting working or virtual school from a hotel room for a change of scenery 

My wife and I have done this a few times the past few months and it was a lot of fun each time.  A nice way to see different hotel properties and also to experience the city in a different way.  But it will be harder to do as the weather gets colder and there are less safe outdoor dining options.

Get people to ride bikes from Summit and Stark county on the Towpath and stay Downtown. The ride from Akron is all downhill (Akron=Acropolis)to Cleveland (except for that Tremont hill), and that is a good staycation. Stop at the Mustill Store on the Towpath in Downtown Akron to see a diorama of the elevation change from Akron to to the Lake Erie Shore. The Hotel could provide a shuttle to the train the next day to Rockside with your bikes. Get creative people.

Edited September 26, 20204 yr by metrocity

11 hours ago, metrocity said:

Get people to ride bikes from Summit and Stark county on the Towpath and stay Downtown. The ride from Akron is all downhill (Akron=Acropolis)to Cleveland (except for that Tremont hill), and that is a good staycation. Stop at the Mustill Store on the Towpath in Downtown Akron to see a diorama of the elevation change from Akron to to the Lake Erie Shore. The Hotel could provide a shuttle to the train the next day to Rockside with your bikes. Get creative people.

Great idea! 

It's a shame CVSR has not yet been extended to downtown. ?

On 9/26/2020 at 3:06 PM, skiwest said:

It's a shame CVSR has not yet been extended to downtown. ?

 

I'll respond here.....

 

 

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2020/10/cleveland-to-host-1st-2nd-rounds-of-2025-ncaa-mens-basketball-championships-among-other-college-sports.html
 

Some pretty nice gets. The 2025 1st and 2nds of men’s basketball but the bigger ones are the 2024 women’s final four and then 2026 D1 wrestling championships.

Very anecdotal story but there could be some tangible benefits for more sports tourism in the Cleveland area in the future if this repeats with other sunbelt families. 

   A ski instructor friend said she taught a Puerto Rican family from Houston at Boston Mills now owned by Vail. They wanted to go skiing and found the prices to fly and stay much more affordable than their other locations in Colorado and Utah.  So they flew to Cleveland and went skiing for MLK jr weekend. 

5 hours ago, audidave said:

Very anecdotal story but there could be some tangible benefits for more sports tourism in the Cleveland area in the future if this repeats with other sunbelt families. 

   A ski instructor friend said she taught a Puerto Rican family from Houston at Boston Mills now owned by Vail. They wanted to go skiing and found the prices to fly and stay much more affordable than their other locations in Colorado and Utah.  So they flew to Cleveland and went skiing for MLK jr weekend. 

 

That's like attracting a family from Kansas for surfing on Lake Erie!   I'm glad they came here, but really they should expand their horizons!  

4 hours ago, Cleburger said:

 

That's like attracting a family from Kansas for surfing on Lake Erie!   I'm glad they came here, but really they should expand their horizons!  

They would have expanded their horizons at CLE’s loss but consider the key fact in the post topic is “prices to fly and stay much more affordable”.  
 

The local/regional economies need as much out of town/non-local green($) dollars as possible...bring it! Enjoy limiting your horizons in way more bang for your buck Cleveland!
 

it is funny though...but CLE should promote winter visits, “skiing” included. Vast areas of the Midwest, especially CST zone prairie states don’t even have an incline let alone what CLE has within its area and to its east (real mountains) within a couple+ hours.

 

Edited January 25, 20214 yr by CLENYC

How common is it for people to come to CLE because we have (some form of) skiing here?  Was that family just a one-off or it a 'thing'?  Is this a result of the sale to Vail Resorts that CLE is now on the national skiing map?

I guess the point I was making is that there are many attractive attributes to an area that is easily accessible with diverse sporting pursuits.  This can be kayaking the Cuyahoga, skiing, and mountain biking in the country’s first mountain bike trail in a national park. 

   For someone that has never skied, going to high altitude if you are coming from the coast, its going to be a significant challenge just breathing for the first few days while getting used to being in ski equipment. Lessons can easily cost $150+ an hour out west.   Ski lessons in Colorado are pretty much the same lesson in Ohio in terms of what is taught minus the scenery.  Lessons, equipment rental, flights, hotel, transportation to the resort it could be a $3000-5000+++ vacation out west for a family of 5 vs a $1500-2500 vacation to fly to Ohio. Being on the Vail and EPIC pass website people see there are options besides the usual glitzy mountain resorts. They can still say they “skied Vail” when they get back to Houston. 

 

I can see only places that have direct flights from the coastal sunbelt to CLE and CAK being the possible traffic blip for MLK and Presidents day weekends which are big “ski holidays” for family skiing. Flights to DIA and SLC are famously expensive those weekends. 

 

There are plenty of side trips of people being in Ohio for business or pleasure also adding skiing to their itinerary throughout ski season. For example a few years ago,  I was at the bar on a Friday afternoon at Boston Mills speaking with an attractive female from Tampa Bay that was there on business working as a consultant for First Energy in Akron. Having the giant marketing of Vail with probably a million people that have EPIC passes, there likely are more people coming to Cleveland than ever before to ski/learn to ski. 

1 hour ago, audidave said:

   For someone that has never skied, going to high altitude if you are coming from the coast, its going to be a significant challenge just breathing for the first few days while getting used to being in ski equipment. Lessons can easily cost $150+ an hour out west.   Ski lessons in Colorado are pretty much the same lesson in Ohio in terms of what is taught minus the scenery.

 

However skiing in Cleveland is like apples to oranges.   Its typically very icy here, which in some ways is a great way to learn if you grow up skiing on it.  But for a beginner on day one, it's less than ideal, especially for snowboard students.   

 

With this being said I am with you 100% pro Cleveland tourism and welcome the Vail Resorts marketing.   Let everyone come ski our ice!  

 

 

1 hour ago, Cleburger said:

 

However skiing in Cleveland is like apples to oranges.   Its typically very icy here, which in some ways is a great way to learn if you grow up skiing on it.  But for a beginner on day one, it's less than ideal, especially for snowboard students.   

 

I wouldn’t call what we ski on as ice although some people out west might. I would say the snow has a higher water content than out west and is generally called hardpack.  The quality of snow made by the fan snowguns is much superior to the previous generation.   If one hasn’t been to the local hills in 15 years, the assumption is its an ice ball.  Its not unless you go on a day that is really cold with no new snow for several days after a lot of freeze thaw cycles. 

  I’d say the snow making in Ohio is better than what Holiday Valley or Seven Springs use since they are using the old style systems of compressed air/water mix. 

It is unrealistic to think people will be flocking to Cleveland in the winter for skiing.  But if they are visiting the area for another reason, adding a winter activity such as skiing, tobogganing, etc. to their agenda is a possibility.

*** Cleveland.com Subscriber Exclusive ***

New details emerging about NFL Draft in Cleveland: 20 top prospects expected to attend, nightly fireworks, concerts, red carpet & more

Susan Glaser - Cleveland.com - Mar. 31, 2021

 

 

 

"David Gilbert, president and CEO of Destination Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, urged members of the city’s travel and tourism industry to start gearing up for the event, which he called 'a slingshot opportunity for us to get that swagger back. It’s going to put Cleveland at the very top-of-mind as a place to go,' said Gilbert, speaking on a conference call Wednesday with about 300 representatives of the city’s hospitality industry. He called the draft 'the biggest week in hospitality in Cleveland in more than two years.' ... In response to a question, Walton still could not estimate the number of people who are expected to attend the event, other than to say 'tens of thousands.'"

Coold video by @mack34and an interesting comment about hotel space availability during the draft....

 

 

 

With sponsors on board, WTA tournament is heading to Cleveland this summer

Kevin Kleps - Crain's Cleveland Business - Apr. 13, 2021

 

"Jacobs Pavilion, an open-air amphitheater, will serve as the main stadium court and have a capacity of at least 3,000. Five additional playing surfaces (two for matches and three practice courts) will be constructed on a nearby parking lot at the Nautica complex, which includes the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, Shooters Waterfront Cafe and the Improv. ... The sports commission estimates that the event could draw 40,000 total fans and produce $2 million in direct spending. ... The WTA event will be billed as much more than a tennis tournament. There will be food trucks, a beer garden, a farmers market, an art show and live music."

 

 

Tour-level pro tennis returns to Cleveland for the first time in 36 years

Bret McCormick - Cleveland Business Journal - Apr. 13, 2021

 

"The event brings tour-level tennis back to Cleveland for the first time since the 1985 Society Bank Open, a stop on the Grand Prix tennis circuit that preceded the ATP. And it fills a key spot in the WTA Tour’s flow by falling the week between Cincinnati’s Western & Southern Open and the U.S. Open, both of which draw sizable fields of prominent players who also could play in Cleveland."

good news — hotel demand is expected to bounce back in the second half of the year:

 

 

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/demand-may-exceed-supply-as-ceo-of-one-of-the-worlds-biggest-hotel-groups-sees-surge-in-bookings-11618999201

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Cleveland (And Why It Should Be On Your Travel List)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/judykoutsky/2021/04/30/7-things-you-didnt-know-about-cleveland-and-why-it-should-be-on-your-travel-list/

46 minutes ago, KJP said:

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Cleveland (And Why It Should Be On Your Travel List)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/judykoutsky/2021/04/30/7-things-you-didnt-know-about-cleveland-and-why-it-should-be-on-your-travel-list/

 

Nice detail:  "There are more than 100 diverse ethnicities found throughout Cleveland, which means there are plenty of culinary options." 

Who wants to take a crack at writing a Cleveland based series:   https://www.huffpost.com/entry/florida-beach-town-writes-amazon-series-tourists_n_60d20466e4b09031406529e2

perhaps someone with a Crain’s subscription can give us a brief overview of this offer for the downtown Cleveland Westin?
 

 

 

^An ‘upscale’ hotel management company called HEI have made a ‘stalking horse’ bid, meaning theirs is the bid to beat through the auction process. However, there’s little to no disclosure on the actual amount they’ve put forward, other than to say that the filing states that the sale process will yield "a minimum recovery with a value in excess of $40 million” and HEI will get a kickback from the receiver of $230k if a better offer than theirs is accepted. Nothing about timelines, or any other meaningful detail. 

Is the Westin still in operation in the meantime?

 

2 hours ago, YABO713 said:

Is the Westin still in operation in the meantime?

 

Yes.