^from a SABR blogger:

 

After having one beer, and being forced to leave due to an early closing time, we walked down to the 4th Street area, which is supposedly the heart of the downtown scene in Cleveland.

 

We found everything to be closed. No one was around. There wasn’t even a hot dog vendor on a street corner.

 

Cleveland is the butt of a lot of jokes, and obviously there’s some seed of truth to the jokes. I was very surprised to see that there’s essentially nothing going on around University Square in downtown Cleveland around midnight on a Thursday summer night.

 

I’ve never been to a large city that was deader than Cleveland at night. Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis, San Francisco, Omaha, Denver, Phoenix, Orlando, Albuquerque… all cities I’ve been to that are much more lively than Cleveland.

 

It’s only a couple nights, of course, but so far Cleveland isn’t impressing me much. Nice people, but the city is kind of… underwhelming.

 

Yeah, "University Square" downtown really isn't quite...oh, wait :-)

 

I think this is one of ajknee's friends!!  LOL

Gosh, it's not even worth getting worked up over this one.  Clearly uniformed, inaccurate ("University Square" wtf??? And because it's a square does that automatically mean there should be a hootenanny going on at midnight on a Thursday?), and bordering on dishonest in his writing. Harry Buffalo is open till 2:30AM Mon-Sat, and being that it was a game night last night I HIGHLY doubt they had an "early closing", nor would East Fourth be empty at midnight. 

 

Let bygones by bygones...I'm sure his opinion is in the vast minority of the visitors in town for this conference.  He should stick to...Omaha!  :?

This past Thursday was actually fairly busy for a Thursday night.  But East 4th isn't really the after midnight late-night district.  That is more W. 6th.

Just saw this. It's from last month and has an interesting chart at the following link:

 

http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2008_3rd/Sept08_ClevelandOverview.html

 

Hotel Online

News for the Hospitality Executive

 

Cleveland's Second Wind: 2008 Hotel Industry Overview

by: David J. Sangree, MAI, CPA, ISHC, Laurel A. Keller, and Robert Zjaba 

September 2008

 

In the first half of the 20th century, Cleveland, Ohio emerged as an important industrial center in both steel and manufacturing. Between the 1950s and the 1980s, the city of Cleveland watched its ranking among U.S. cities slip several notches as steel mills closed, manufacturing jobs were shipped out of the country, urbanites became suburbanites, and the city struggled to reinvent itself. A turnaround began during the 1980s and 1990s, earning Cleveland the title of “Comeback City” by the media. The Greater Cleveland Partnership estimates that approximately $2 billion was invested in new Northeastern Ohio projects during those two decades. As a comparison, approximately $6.2 billion has been or will be invested in new projects since 2006. This new injection of capital bodes well for the hotel industry, as demand for room nights correlates directly with an area’s economic prosperity. 

 

HISTORICAL HOTEL PERFORMANCE 

 

The Cleveland MSA includes hotels located in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties. The Cleveland MSA has recorded increases in occupancy each year since 2005, while average daily rate has increased steadily over the last four years. The following chart shows the Cleveland MSA’s historical and year to date lodging performance through July 2008 along with projections by Hotel & Leisure Advisors. 

 

 

Year to date, Cleveland area hotels have recorded a -3.5 point decrease in occupancy as compared to 2007, though average daily rate has increased by 2.4%. The drop in 2008 is due to reduced business travel because of the economic downturn as well as reduced leisure travel due to fewer major sporting events. In 2007 both the Cavaliers and the Indians were in playoff competitions which boosted demand. Employment trends are typically strong indicators of a region’s demand for hotel room nights. 

 

Since year-end 2003, total employment in the Cleveland MSA has remained flat. We project that increasing employment numbers caused by the new developments taking shape in the Cleveland MSA - outlined in the remainder of this article - will increase the local demand for hotel rooms in future years. The Cleveland market contains 187 hotels with 21,439 rooms according to Smith Travel Research and is divided into seven submarkets. The following chart shows the Cleveland submarkets historical lodging performance in 2007. 

 

 

In 2007 the strongest market in terms of occupancy was the Southwest market with occupancy of 64.6%. The strongest market in terms of ADR and RevPAR is the Downtown market with an ADR of $118.32 and RevPAR of $72.18. 

 

EMERGING INDUSTRIES 

 

The Cleveland MSA has recorded the majority of its business growth in hospitals and biotech/bioscience companies since the end of the industrial era. The Cleveland Clinic - one of the largest and busiest health care centers in the world - was founded in 1921 and has since become the largest employer in Cuyahoga County with over 37,000 employees including 16,000 on the main campus. The hospital system's growing payroll reached $1.9 billion in Ohio in 2006, according to a study done for the Clinic. In 2008, the Cleveland Clinic was ranked 1st in the nation for heart care and was ranked 4th best hospital in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. University Hospitals is the second largest employer in Cuyahoga County with 15,904 employees. In September 2008, the Cleveland Clinic christened a new 1.3 million square foot $506 million heart center as well as a $128 million  100-bed hospital addition . University Hospitals currently has $326 million worth of developments scheduled for completion in 2010. These include a new cancer center hospital, a 900-space parking garage, and a new emergency center. 

 

Cleveland and Northeast Ohio’s offering of world class medical facilities, universities, and manufacturing has made it an incubator for the growth and development of biotech and bioscience related companies. According to organizations Cleveland Plus and Bio Enterprise, Northeast Ohio’s health care related companies have attracted over $100 million in investments during each of the last five years. Health care startups from venture capitalists in the region raised $171 million in 2005, $87.9 million in 2006, and $241.8 million in 2007. 

Additional industries which are experiencing growth in the Cleveland market include nanotechnology, fuel cells, advanced materials manufacturing, and alternative energy. In 2008, Cuyahoga County commissioned a wind turbine feasibility study in order to analyze the scope, costs, and economics of constructing wind turbines offshore in the fresh water of Lake Erie. In the process, the study will draw attention to Cleveland as an attractive manufacturing site for wind turbine components for the growing U.S. market, creating new jobs in Northeast Ohio. The study’s results are scheduled to be published in early 2009. Ohio is currently home to more than 60 companies in the wind turbine supply chain, and has already become a leading supplier for the U.S. wind industry. In early 2008, Cleveland-based Parker Hannifin was awarded a $1 million grant by the Ohio Third Frontier Program for the commercialization of a hydraulic system developed by Parker for use in wind turbines. The Ohio Third Frontier Project program is a $1.6 billion, 10-year initiative aimed at building the state’s economy through technology. Nine additional companies in the Northeast Ohio region received $7.9 million in grants from the Ohio Third Frontier Project program for advanced energy research. 

 

In the 2008 Inc. Magazine ranking of America’s 5,000 fastest growing privately owned companies, 67 Northeast Ohio companies made the list. To qualify, firms needed to have 2004 revenue of at least $200,000 and 2007 revenue of at least $2 million. 

 

NEW INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

 

Medical Mart and Convention Center: In October 2007, Cuyahoga County raised its sales tax by 0.25% in order to help pay for Cleveland’s long-awaited new convention center (estimated to cost $536 million). In March 2008, Cuyahoga County’s Commissioners reached an agreement with the Chicago-based company Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) to construct a new Medical Mart and convention center complex in Cleveland. The company plans to build the convention complex as well as operate it for the first 20 years. In return, Cuyahoga County plans to pay MMPI at least $103 million over the 20-year period. MMPI has pledged to contribute $20 million toward the development. This major new project will most likely be situated attached and adjacent to the Terminal Tower Complex along the Cuyahoga River. The Medical Mart and convention center are expected to bring up to 50 medium to large conventions per year, each averaging 6,000 attendees. The new convention center and Medical Mart are projected to boost demand for hotel rooms, particularly in the downtown market beginning in 2011. 

 

Flats Redevelopment: In 2008, developer Scott Wolstein broke ground on a massive downtown redevelopment plan encompassing the east bank of Cleveland’s Flats District along the Cuyahoga River. The $522 million Flats East Bank project boasts 975,000 square feet of office space, a hotel, public park, 1,200-foot boardwalk, and 430 residential units to include apartments, lofts and condominiums. The development will also include a new movie theater, gourmet market, retail shops, and a 20-story office building to house Ernst & Young and Tucker Ellis & West, among other companies. Eaton Corporation, which is currently headquartered in downtown Cleveland, is considering a move to either this development or to the suburb of Beachwood. Most components of the project are scheduled to be completed by late 2010. 

 

Port of Cleveland Relocation: In March 2008, the Cleveland City Planning Commission approved the long-term relocation of the Port of Cleveland from downtown to a proposed new site at East 55th Street. The existing port lies immediately north of the lakefront railroad line on prime lakefront real estate just north of the Flats. The plan would free up much of the downtown lakefront for future development, put the port next to Interstate 90 and major rail lines, and obviate the need for a costly new truck route along the west side of the Cuyahoga River to serve the port had it expanded there. The port relocation is slated to begin within the next 10 years. 

 

Euclid Corridor: Major redevelopment is taking place along the Euclid Corridor, the 4.5 mile strip that extends from Public Square in downtown Cleveland past Cleveland State University, Playhouse Square, and the Cleveland Clinic to University Circle. University Circle is home to Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance Hall, and numerous other cultural attractions. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's $200 million Euclid Corridor overhaul is reshaping Euclid Avenue around RTA's "Health Line" which features new diesel-electric buses designed to maneuver through special lanes with coordinated traffic lights at intersections. As a direct result of this project, the price of land in the long-blighted Midtown area has doubled in the past five years from approximately $200,000 to $400,000/acre, according to the nonprofit Cleveland-based Midtown, Inc. Formerly blighted sections of Euclid Avenue are projected to fill with renovated apartments, retail shops, research labs, and medical and cultural facilities. Several projects are scheduled to break ground in 2009, just after the Euclid Corridor is finished. 

 

New Hotels: As a result of the forthcoming development of a new convention center and Medical Mart in downtown Cleveland, an 800 to 1,200-room convention headquarters hotel has been proposed as well as a possible 300 to 400 room expansion of the existing 491-room Renaissance Cleveland Hotel (both in the preliminary planning stages). Additionally, the InterContinental Hotel Group has signed an agreement with K&D Group to redevelop the Ameritrust Tower on East 9th Street and Euclid Avenue into a Hotel Indigo. The new hotel would be part of a mixed-use development including a 140-suite boutique hotel, 165 to 180 apartments, and 200,000 square feet of office space. A new 126-room Staybridge Suites hotel has been proposed at the former Channel 3 building on the corner of Rockwell Avenue and East 6th Street. Additionally, Charter One Bank is financing the renovation of the Tudor Arms Hotel near the Cleveland Clinic. The developer is proposing a mixed-use development containing a 157-room hotel and 53,000 square feet of office space. University Hospitals has begun seeking proposals from hotel developers to construct a new 160- to 200-room hotel on the corner of Euclid Avenue and Cornell Road. Additional smaller hotel projects are proposed for suburban areas. 

 

Though each of the aforementioned lodging projects is still speculative in nature, we project that construction of new hotels in the downtown Cleveland area will inevitably commence once the completion date for the new Medical Mart and convention center is formally announced. 

 

TOURISM 

 

Cleveland is a culturally-rich city situated on the southern shore of Lake Erie offering numerous natural, recreational and cultural attractions for visitors to explore and enjoy. In 2007, visitors to Northeast Ohio generated $13.9 billion in tourism sales and sustained 170,728 tourism-related jobs according to Positively Cleveland, the city’s official tourism promotion agency. Cuyahoga County brought in 45% of Northeast Ohio’s tourism sales, accounting for roughly 14 million visitors. 

 

Since the early 1990s, Cleveland has added and improved many cultural and recreational amenities appealing to tourists and residents. These include the development of Quicken Loans Arena (Cleveland Cavaliers home arena and 20,500-seat concert venue); development of Progressive Field (home field of the Cleveland Indians); development of Cleveland Browns Stadium; addition of the Rainforest to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo; development of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (host of an annual induction ceremony every third year beginning in 2009); development of the Great Lakes Science Center; restoration of the Playhouse Square Theater District; and the six-year, $258 million expansion and renovation of the Cleveland Museum of Art. 

 

The availability of these unique attractions will be a strong selling point to groups holding meetings at Cleveland’s new convention center, once constructed. As Northeast Ohio continues to attract new industries and developments, the area’s numerous tourism venues, restaurants, and lodging facilities will benefit from the increase in visitors to these demand generators. 

 

CONCLUSION 

 

While Cleveland embraces the new energy and enthusiasm which accompany evolution and growth, the city and its hotel industry will meanwhile continue to benefit from numerous existing local resources including top-notch health care, an abundant fresh water resource, award-winning parks system, three professional sports teams, ethnic diversity, economical housing, manageable traffic, and easy interstate access to the rest of the nation. Though the current economic downturn has negatively affected all industries in Northeast Ohio, the influx of new large-scale developments provides a source for optimism in upcoming years. The Euclid Corridor project, Flats redevelopment, Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals expansions, emergence of new industries, reclaiming of the lakefront via the port’s repositioning, and the development of a new Medical Mart and convention center are all contributing forces to the second wind currently felt on the shores of Lake Erie. 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Authors 

David J. Sangree, MAI, CPA, ISHC is President of Hotel & Leisure Advisors, a national hospitality consulting firm. He performs appraisals, feasibility studies, impact studies, and other consulting reports for hotels, resorts, waterparks, golf courses, amusement parks, conference centers, and other leisure properties. He has performed more than 1,000 hotel studies across the United States and Canada. Since 1987, Mr. Sangree has provided consulting services to banks, hotel companies, developers, management companies, and other parties involved in the lodging sector throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. He has spoken on various hospitality matters at seminars throughout the United States and on Good Morning America and CNBC. He has written numerous articles for, and is frequently quoted in, magazines, television, and newspapers covering the hospitality field. He can be reached via telephone at 216-228-7000 ext. 20 or via e-mail at [email protected]. 

 

Laurel A. Keller is a Senior Associate with Hotel & Leisure Advisors and holds a Certified Real Estate Appraiser’s License in the state of Ohio. She has performed appraisals, market feasibility studies, and impact studies for a wide variety of hotels, timeshare resorts, golf resorts, ski resorts, indoor waterpark resorts, restaurants, and other leisure and hospitality oriented income-producing assets in over 25 states. Ms. Keller is a graduate of Purdue University’s Hospitality Management program. She has held management positions in the food and beverage, front office, and sales departments of hotel and country club properties in Ohio and Illinois. She can be reached via telephone at (216) 228-7000 extension 22 or via e-mail at [email protected]. 

 

Robert Zjaba is an Associate with Hotel & Leisure Advisors and a graduate of Florida International University and the Culinary Institute of America. He has held management positions with various Marriott and Renaissance Hotels. He can be reached via telephone at (216) 228-7000 extension 25 or via e-mail at [email protected].

http://blog.cleveland.com/cribnotes/2009/01/downtown_cleveland_hotel_conve.html

 

Downtown Cleveland hotel conversion complete

Posted by Michelle Jarboe/Plain Dealer Reporter January 08, 2009 18:14PM

The Hotel GroupA $15 million renovation to turn the Holiday Inn Select in downtown Cleveland into a DoubleTree included new workout facilities. The DoubleTree conversion officially took place Dec. 30.

 

The New Year marked the official conversion of downtown Cleveland's Holiday Inn Select hotel into a DoubleTree.

 

A $15 million facelift turned the aging hotel into the more upscale brand, with 180 revamped rooms, improved meeting space, workout facilities, a restaurant, a renovated swimming pool and a new main entrance.

 

In a year when the hotel industry expects revenues and occupancy rates to fall, this could be some of the only news about new hotels in downtown Cleveland.

is there a link?

some of the only news about new hotels in downtown Cleveland.

 

Really??? From what I hear work the plans for Indigo are still looking like a go.

^^try this

http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_US/dt/hotel/CLELSDT-Doubletree-Hotel-Cleveland-Downtown-Lakeside-Ohio/index.do;jsessionid=462EE571E81CB252210158DD5A983FB7.etc21?brand_id=DT&brand_directory=/en/dt/&xch=334009953,YGC310RUMBX4CCSGBJC4D4Q

http://www.hotelinteractive.com/article.aspx?articleid=13591

 

The Hotel Group Officially Opens Doubletree Cleveland Downtown

After a $15-million renovation, the new Doubletree Hotel Cleveland Downtown/Lakeside celebrates its Grand Opening with music and style.

Friday, May 08, 2009

 

The Doubletree Hotel Cleveland Downtown/Lakeside celebrated the completion of a $15-million renovation and rebranding yesterday with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony held at the property, located at 1111 Lakeside Ave. Hotel owners Edmond and Barbara Lee, along with management company The Hotel Group of Seattle, Wash., and a host of Cleveland dignitaries were present at the milestone event. Immediately following, a “Get Your Groove On at the New Doubletree Hotel” gala was held to introduce more than 500 local businesses and politicians to the new 379-room hotel. Formerly a Holiday Inn®, the Doubletree Hotel Cleveland Downtown/Lakeside is operated by Cami Hotel Investments, LLC and managed by The Hotel Group under a franchise agreement with a subsidiary of Hilton Hotels Corporation.

 

Douglas Dreher, president and principal of THG, said this is a solid time to be investing in Cleveland and its lodging market, especially with development of the Medical Mart on the horizon. 

 

“Doubletree was the ideal brand to bring to this flagship hotel because it represents quality, comfort, and class – qualities this property had been lacking in the past, and key attributes of hospitality,” Dreher said. “Harboring the best location in downtown Cleveland, this revitalized hotel sits at the gateway to some of the best music, sports, arts and entertainment venues in the nation, not to mention a growing medical community.

 

“We encourage all travelers, meeting planners, local businesses and residents to come and see what our new Doubletree Hotel Cleveland Downtown/Lakeside has to offer,” he said. “The multi-million dollar transformation is sure to ‘wow’ everyone who walks through our doors.”

 

Tamera Brown, vice president of marketing for Positively Cleveland, a destination marketing organization that promotes greater Cleveland to convention and meeting planners and to leisure travelers, acknowledged the work that was put in to transforming the hotel.

 

“It’s the only hotel in downtown Cleveland with lake views,” she said, adding that the hotel looks great. “The upgrade to the Doubletree brand fits the prime location. The Hotel Group has brought the hotel up to a higher standard with the Doubletree brand.”

 

The hotel also is poised to take advantage of several high-profile demand generators. It is ideally situated within walking distance of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland National Air show and a variety of summer festivals.

 

“The hotel and its management team have been a huge part of our efforts to promote Cleveland,” Brown said. “They have hosted a U.K. writers group, sales and training seminars for local businesses and a familiarization tour for the Roll and Rock Hall of Fame and Museum. It’s been great working with them.”

 

The Doubletree Cleveland Downtown/Lakeside hotel features more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 5,600-square-foot grand ballroom. Seven breakout rooms are retrofitted with wired and wireless Internet access, whiteboards, projectors and wireless microphone system. A state-of-the-art fitness facility and indoor swimming pool with whirlpool also are provided.

 

The contemporary guestrooms feature the Sweet Dreams® by Doubletree Sleep Experience; complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access; MP3-compatible, stereo alarm clocks; Wolfgang Puck® in-room gourmet coffee service and 32-inch, flat-screen televisions. Guest bathrooms feature new marble vanities, Neutrogena® bath and body products, upgraded lighting and a curved shower rod that allows for 20 percent more space in the shower. As an added amenity, the hotel has added a new lounge on the 18th floor, where executive guests can enjoy complimentary breakfast in the morning and complimentary appetizers in the evenings, while taking in spectacular views of Lake Erie.

 

Just one-half mile from the Burke Lakefront Airport and 12 miles from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the Doubletree Hotel Cleveland Downtown/Lakeside is located at 1111 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, United States 44114. For more information about the property, visit www.clevelanddowntownlakeside.Doubletree.com or call l-800-222-TREE or direct at 216-241-5100.

Superman-themed comic book convention coming to Cleveland this summer

Posted by Michael Sangiacomo/Plain Dealer Reporter May 27, 2009 14:56PM

Categories: Breaking News, Entertainment, Real Time News

 

 

 

CLEVELAND — Villains Lex Luthor and Doomsday come to Superman's hometown in July but don't worry, Supergirl will be in the city to stop them.

Actually, actors Michael Rosenbaum and Sam Witwer, who play Luthor and Doomsday on the television series "Smallville," are coming with only the best of intentions -- to headline a Superman-themed comic book convention.

 

The Screaming Tiki Cleveland Super-Con will be July 10-12 at the Halle Building on Euclid Avenue as part of the fifth annual Ingenuity Festival.

 

 

More at Cleveland.com http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/05/supermanthemed_comic_book_conv.html

already posted by moi!  :P

already posted by moi!  :P

 

Yeah you beat me by a good 12 min...shoulda looked.  Still big converntion news though for a convention business thread!

This is a great conference to continue to cement Cleveland Clinic into the minds of the rest of the country:

 

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-24-2009/0005049944&EDATE=

 

2009 Medical Innovation Summit at Cleveland Clinic to Highlight the Latest Developments in Cancer Care

 

CLEVELAND, June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Cancer therapies and diagnostics, including new technologies, enhanced biotech and drug developments, and the consumer market for genetic testing, will be at the center of Cleveland Clinic's 7th Annual Medical Innovation Summit, Oct. 5-7.

 

The Summit will bring together more than 900 leaders from throughout the healthcare industry to learn about the latest innovations in cancer care, exchange perspectives and gain actionable insights.

 

This year's Summit will highlight new technologies in the oncology field, giving attendees access to the latest innovations in cancer therapy, diagnostics and management. Drawing international CEOs, leading venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, renowned physicians and top technologists, the summit will examine in detail the hottest new cancer technologies, prospects for new cancer innovation, and forces shaping the markets for new cancer technology.

 

"This Medical Innovation Summit will bring together some of the most important thought leaders in the world of healthcare, cancer technology and venture investment. In light of the current economy, it is more important than ever to discuss the future of innovation and our increased need to support new technology," said Christopher Coburn, Executive Director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations. "Everyone has been touched in some way by cancer, and we are excited to highlight the many clinical innovations taking place in this field."

 

The 2009 Medical Innovation Summit will feature more than 40 international leaders, including CEOs Sam Palmisano, IBM; Daniel Vasella, M.D., Novartis; David Brennan, AstraZeneca; Richard Clark, Merck; Fred Hassan, Schering-Plough; Greg Lucier, Life Technology, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, M.D.; network correspondent Maria Bartiromo, CNBC; and the CEOs and venture investors of numerous emerging technology companies. For a complete list of speakers, visit http://www.clevelandclinic.org/innovations/summit/agenda.htm

 

Summit highlights will include live surgeries, Meet the Doctor Roundtables, and sessions featuring: "Key Issues in new Cancer Technologies," "The Market for Consumer Genotyping in Oncogenomics," "the Grand Challenges in Contemporary Cancer Treatment," "The Revolution in Radiotherapy Technology," "Corporate Venturing in a time of Financial Crisis," "Maximizing Innovation in Pharma," and "Enabling New Technologies and New Therapies," and much more.

 

In addition, for the fourth consecutive year, Cleveland Clinic experts will present their selection of the "Top 10" medical innovations that will break through in 2010. This year's session will be led by Michael Roizen, M.D., Cleveland Clinic's Chief Wellness Officer, and New York Times bestselling author. AlixPartners will again be conducting the selection process.

 

The 2009 Medical Innovation Summit begins Monday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. Premier sponsors of the 2009 Medical Innovation Summit include The Wall Street Journal, PhRma and Premium Sponsor, General Electric

I wonder how much entertaining MMPI will be doing around town this fall :)

Crain's picked up on the story...must have saw I posted it on UrbanOhio...or they got the press release above....

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20090625/FREE/906259961/1007&Profile=1007

 

Cleveland Clinic's Medical Innovation Summit to focus on cancer

10:14 am, June 25, 2009

 

Cancer therapies and diagnostics, including enhanced drug developments and the consumer market for genetic testing, will be at the center of the Cleveland Clinic's 7th Annual Medical Innovation Summit, set for Oct. 5-7.

 

The Clinic said the latest summit is expected to convene more than 900 leaders from throughout the health care field to learn about the latest innovations in cancer care.

 

"This Medical Innovation Summit will bring together some of the most important thought leaders in the world of health care, cancer technology and venture investment,” said Christopher Coburn, executive director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations, the commercialization arm of the Cleveland Clinic. "Everyone has been touched in some way by cancer, and we are excited to highlight the many clinical innovations taking place in this field."

 

The Clinic said the summit will feature more than 40 international leaders. Among the expected presenters are CEOs Sam Palmisano of IBM; Dr. Daniel Vasella of Novartis; David Brennan of AstraZeneca; Richard Clark of Merck; Fred Hassan of Schering-Plough; and Greg Lucier of Life Technology. Food and Drug Administration commissioner Margaret Hamburg also is schduled, as are various venture investors.

 

I haven't been inside for over a year, but...

 

Renaissance Cleveland Hotel Unveils New Lobby & Restaurant Renovations

 

CLEVELAND, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Renaissance Cleveland Hotel has recently unveiled a newly renovated lobby and restaurant to great anticipation. Guests will enjoy being greeted by a space that perfectly blends historic charm and fresh design with a new "old world" style that encompasses all the classic luxury of the Renaissance.

 

The Lobby and Lobby Court Bar have been updated with new carpeting, wall vinyl, and stylish furniture. The perfect place to unwind before or after the day's business, the new communal table in the bar is perfect for meeting with friends or colleagues while the new lobby court menu offers happy hour specials and local micro brews to whet your appetite.

 

Now a fully renovated restaurant in Cleveland, Brasserie serves breakfast and lunch in a new bistro-like setting.

 

 

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/renaissance-cleveland-hotel-unveils-new-lobby--restaurant-renovations-95318424.html

I just took a tour over there to see some of the updates, a couple of weeks ago.  Since I hadn't been there in awhile, I couldn't really discern what the difference was since they (smartly) kept things to the theme and style of the property.  But two very positive changes were that they have fixed their ancient, incredibly slow elevators, which was a complete overhaul and took forever, and the Brasserie restaurant, which was really cute.

Is the Sans S. restaurant still there?

 

Is the Sans S. restaurant still there?

 

Yep.

^Do you mean the space is physically there...I heard it closed a while ago which bummed me out because I thought they had great food (really liked this angel hair pasta in a light lobster cream sauce) and it was a good spot to people watch on the square.

 

I don't know this for sure as I have not been in the hotel in quite some time.

The restaurant is still there.  They had closed Brasserie in the lower level for the renovation project. 

S.S. gets alot of mixed reviews now (some tings are very good and other things eh), since they lost their original chef a while back to DC, and currently have a rather inexperienced young girl running the show.  Its still a lovely place though. 

if they closed they forgot to tell everybody :wink:

 

http://www.sanssoucicleveland.com/

Isn't the CC proposing a new hotel too?

 

From Crains:

 

Cleveland: A hotel hotbed?

 

By STAN BULLARD

4:30 am, August 5, 2010

 

 

Proposals for new hotels are cropping up in downtown Cleveland and nearby University Circle at a ferocious rate.

 

That would be the order of the day in a normal time, when a new convention center and casinos go in — though in Cleveland, the new convention center is cast as a medical merchandise mart and Ohio voters approved plans for just one casino each in Cleveland and two other cities.

 

 

However, these are not normal times. Hotels are suffering in the recession. The hotels developers are building or proposing in or near downtown also are in the 100-room range rather than the single 500- to 1,000-room hotel the city might need if both the convention center and casino prove wildly successful — at some point in the distant future.

 

However, local hospitality experts and hotel operators are not working up a sweat over the six hotel proposals that have surfaced so far, in part because these are not normal times for realty development plans.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20100805/SUB1/308059997

 

 

^The Crain's link is subscriber only.  Could you provide the gist of the remainder of the article?  Thanks!

Isn't the CC proposing a new hotel too?

 

CC meaning the Clinic?  I don't think so... just the other two at UH.

 

^The Crain's link is subscriber only.  Could you provide the gist of the remainder of the article?  Thanks!

 

A good review of the current spike of hotel planning, but not a lot of new info.  Gist is that existing hotel occupancy rates are low, so existing hoteliers might be expected to fear new inventory.  Some hoteliers are skeptical much of these plans will ever come together.  And casino and MM/CC mean the market could grow, so inventory could be absorbed by rising occupancy rates.  And further, all the new proposals are for small, boutique sized hotels, some of whch will appeal to certain niche markets, so probably won't change the overall hotel market much.

 

The 6 proposals include the Tudor Arms Doubletree, Schofield and Flats East Bank [all seem probable at this point] but also the one next to the UH cancer hospital [not sure of status] and Cleveland Athletic Club and Huntington Bldgs [sound more like investors thinking out loud than anything else].

I'm not so sure this is necessarily a bad thing.  If we had to raise taxes anywhere, I'd much rather it be here.  Besides, should we be worried for being known as a place with "high bed taxes?"

 

Cuyahoga County may boost bed tax, making rate among highest nationwide

Published: Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 8:00 AM   

Laura Johnston, The Plain Dealer

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Visitors to Cleveland already face the highest tax burden in the state: taxes on hotel rooms, taxes on parking, taxes on tickets to a Browns game or the Cleveland orchestra.

 

And now, to pay for operating a proposed medical mart and convention center downtown, Cuyahoga County's lame-duck commissioners might boost the county's 4.5 percent portion of the tax on rooms.

 

Commissioners can increase its bed tax by as much as 2 percent without approval from voters, county Administrator James McCafferty said, though he doubts they will push the tax that high.

 

They are still negotiating with hotels and the city's tourism bureau, Positively Cleveland, McCafferty said. Positively Cleveland receives its main source of operating money, about $5.1 million, from the bed tax.

 

Commissioners imposed a quarter-cent sales tax increase to finance the $425 million medical mart and convention center in 2007. But the county still must come up with $6 million a year for Chicago-based developer MMPI to manage the project.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-county/index.ssf/2010/08/cuyahoga_county_may_boost_bed_tax_making_rate_among_highest_nationwide.html

I think it is a bad thing.  If marketing the convention center being shifted to MMPI does not relieve any budget outlays on Positively Cleveland, it must mean that Positively Cleveland has spent no money marketing the current center.  If that is the case, they don't deserve a lot of money to begin with.

As much as I think PC is an important group. I may tend to agree. On another note, they are really slack with feedback for idea suggestions. This is really offputting.

True, although according to Tami Brown in the article above, leisure tourists, rather than convention goers, make up 76% of Cleveland's annual visitation. The bed tax currently raises $5.1 million for Positively Cleveland, which will still bare the primary responsibility for marketing to this 76% of the tourism market (not that I'm saying they are responsible for those 76% coming, but I'm sure they reach a sliver of that audience and also encourage increased local purchasing when people do visit). The Merchandise Mart folks will be getting $6 million to run the other 24% (and, with any luck, expanding that visitation considerably. To me, I don't know that a $5.1 million budget that marketed both conventions and leisure tourism in a, what, 16-county area, is all that unreasonable. I hope they retain a decent portion of their bed tax support.

Hopefully we can see a rise in conferences like this...meaning Healthcare:

 

 

 

Conference on human research trials to be held in Cleveland

Published: Saturday, September 11, 2010, 9:00 AM

Evelyn Theiss, The Plain Dealer

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Human research trials can be a sensitive subject, but it's often how medical progress is made -- and sometimes the only way for patients to avail themselves of cutting-edge treatments.

 

A daylong conference on the topic will draw 400 medical professionals to Cleveland on Thursday to discuss the finer points of working in the human-subject research arena.

 

Cleveland's wealth of large healthcare institutions means that at any given time hundreds of medical research trials involving human subjects are being done here, says Philip Cola, vice president of research and technology at University Hospitals-Case Medical Center.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2010/09/conference_on_human_research_t.html

 

 

U.S. nuclear power conference to be held in Cleveland

 

Cleveland will host a national conference on Tuesday on nuclear power in the United States.

 

The conference, entitled ''The Future of Nuclear Technology in the U.S.,'' will run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel.

 

Keynote speakers include Patrick Moore, co-chair of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition and a co-founder and former leader of Greenpeace, and Karen Alderman Harbert, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for 21st Century Energy.

 

The conference will focus on nuclear energy technology, common misconceptions about nuclear power, global investments in nuclear energy and the future needs of the domestic nuclear energy industry.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/102963159.html

<A Href="http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=170487&catid=3> Cleveland: Tudor Arms building being restored </A>

 

CLEVELAND -- A piece of Cleveland history is coming back to life. A developer with a vision is restoring the Tudor Arms building to its former glory. The transformation will be nothing short of a labor of love.

 

 

The Tudor Arms was built in the late 1920's- early 30's and it has been many things over the decades, from the exclusive Cleveland Club to the Tudor Arms Hotel to the Cleveland Job Corps offices.

 

When developer MRN Limited got their hands on the Tudor Arms building, they say it was in amazing condition.

 

The $22 million renovations are expected to be done in March 2011. That is when the Tudor Arms building will reopen as a 157-room Doubletree Hotel.

 

 

 

This is great news, adding a hotel so close to the Clinic & University Circle area, plus bringing new life back to a great old building.  I'm curious how MRN is getting financed for projects like this right now.  Other developers I've spoken with have said finance plans for these things are pretty much gone.

I don't think this has been posted about anywhere, so I'll pass along something I heard:

 

A friend of mine works at the Crown Plaza downtown and said that the hotel is being sold to Westin and will get a $100 mill+ makeover.  Now he's not a high up so I'm not sure of the validity, but he's not one to make up things either. 

 

I would imagine if true, it would be a direct result of the med mart.

That would be awesome! But is Westin supposed to open in the flats?

^An Aloft is planned for the Flats which is a member of the same family as Westin but of course not an actual Westin.

 

^^100 mil is a bundle but it would probably take that much to turn the Crown Plaza into a Westin brand, although you would think you could build a whole new hotel at that price.  Maybe they are just planning on tearing it down and starting from scratch...although like you suggest maybe your friend does not have his facts right...100 mil is a huge investment.

^Thanks

 

And I would love to see a new building there but I dont see that actually happening

Is the Crowne Plaza connected to the Penton media building? 

(if its true) Could the hotel be connected to the new CC, or at least Public Hall?

:clap: :clap: :clap:

 

Cleveland, West Side Market tapped to host International Public Markets Conference in 2012

Published: Monday, March 21, 2011, 5:04 AM

By Michelle Jarboe, The Plain Dealer

 

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland has edged out competitors -- including London and Toronto -- to host an international conference focused on public markets in 2012.

 

The Project for Public Spaces, a nonprofit group based in New York, will announce today that it has tapped Cleveland as the host city for several days of discussions, events and tours.

 

The conference promises national and global attention for Cleveland's growing local food scene and the West Side Market, which will celebrate its 100th birthday late next year.

 

Stephen Davies, senior vice president with the Project for Public Spaces, lauded Cleveland's pitch as the best of 20-something applications from potential host cities. The West Side Market and its upcoming centennial were key factors in helping Cleveland beat out finalists Seattle; Charleston, S.C.; along with Toronto and London.

 

"It was huge," Davies said. "It's one of the most stunning indoor public markets in the country, and there are not many left in the United States. There are some 150 of them, and Cleveland's historically is probably the grandest of them all."

 

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/03/cleveland_west_side_market_to.html

And one more article:

 

Public markets conference in Cleveland expected to be good for local economy

Published: Monday, March 21, 2011, 4:13 PM    Updated: Monday, March 21, 2011, 4:25 PM

By Michelle Jarboe, The Plain Dealer

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Roughly three dozen people gathered Monday at the West Side Market to hear the Project for Public Spaces announce plans for an international conference in Cleveland next year.

 

"In 2012, we are going to say to everyone, 'Welcome to our table,'" City Councilman Joe Cimperman said.

 

The Project for Public Spaces, a nonprofit based in New York, chose Cleveland over London, Toronto, Seattle and Charleston, S.C., to host several days of tours, seminars and events in fall 2012. The group's eighth International Public Markets Conference will occur 25 years after its first such gathering - and will coincide with the 100th birthday of the West Side Market, a key factor in bringing the conference here.

 

Local politicians and community leaders described the conference as a small but mighty economic engine, driving global interest in Cleveland's growing local-food scene, its farmers markets and the venerable indoor market. The event, held every few years, attracts roughly 300 people, including market managers, planners and designers.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/03/public_markets_conference_in_c.html

Sage Hospitality, Optima Ventures plan to buy, rebrand the Crowne Plaza in downtown Cleveland

 

"CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Colorado hospitality company and a major downtown investor plan to buy the Crowne Plaza in downtown Cleveland, transforming it into a four-star hotel before the nearby medical mart and convention center open in 2013. Sage Hospitality and Optima Ventures recently agreed to acquire downtown Cleveland's second-largest hotel from defunct financial-services giant Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. The 472-room hotel, which is bleeding money, could undergo more than $45 million in renovations and be recast as a Westin or another high-end brand. And the potential owners are exploring ways to connect the hotel, at 777 St. Clair Ave., to the convention center and medical-device showplace with an overhead walkway."

 

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/03/sage_hospitality_optima_ventur.html

The Crains version mentions renewed talk of a tunnel, which would deifnately be [preferable to a bridge connecting to Public Hall.  Although according to some, the tunnel already exists..

 

Crowne Plaza sale talks awaken prior tunnel plans

Bidders eye connection to convention center By STAN BULLARD    4:30 am, March 28, 2011

A potential sale of the Crowne Plaza City Centre in downtown Cleveland has revived talk of building a tunnel beneath East Sixth Street that would connect the property at 777 St. Clair Ave.

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20110328/SUB1/303289986

 

A Westin, huh?  Sounds good to me!

Good tip MorningTheft!

 

Wow, I had no idea the Crown Plaza had 472 rooms.  Great to hear that some of that investment will go into the facade- that building is pretty hideous in its current form.  This is really good news!

 

Also in the article:

Sage might explore building an overhead walkway between the hotel and the historic hall, providing guests with indoor paths to the auditorium, the convention center and the medical mart.

 

I really hope it's safe to assume that an overhead walkway interfering with the Group Plan axis view of City Hall is a non-starter...

 

EDIT: Thanks Willyboy, tunnel sure would be a lot better.

I continue to be amazed at the pace of acquisitions by Optima.

More great news for downtown! This should help the Medical Mart in attracting conventions

This is excellent news.  The boost in downtown business just from all the construction activity will be a nice bump.  From the article, this building is going to get a major makeover, inside & out.  Should be fun to watch the transformation

 

Great news.

The chances of E. 6th St becoming a premier street are increasing all the time.

^ I was just going to say how the new hotel could add some life to this part of downtown.

Really exciting news, although I find the idea of an overhead walkway to be really troubling. I'm not even sure how this would work with a below-ground conference center between the hotel and the convention center. An underground walkway I could understand, but surely we're not talking about a two-block long walkway above the mall??? :-/