This revitalized Rust Belt city's approximately $3.5 billion investment in visitor-related infrastructure development is fueling meetings and conventions. A sleek new convention center and dozens of new and renovated hotels, along with an exciting nightlife and a thriving arts and culture scene make this a terrific choice for group travel.
Projections indicate that the unprecedented growth of travel and tourism in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County will continue this year. A successful campaign that has helped visitors rethink assumptions they may have had of the Ohio city included the launch of #ThisisCLE, a new hashtag and tagline created for Clevelanders to share their passion about their hometown.
Three new hotels were added to Downtown Cleveland's inventory last year, with nearly 5,000 guest rooms now available. The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland is undergoing a major renovation that includes updates to its 206 rooms, a reconfiguration of its lobby, and a larger, redesigned fitness area. The project is slated to be complete mid-year.
The $272 million, 600-room Hilton Cleveland Downtown opened last year with impressive views of Lake Erie from its bar on the 32nd floor. Connected to the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, the hotel offers more than 55,000 square feet of meeting space.
The 189-room Drury Plaza Hotel has been completely renovated and sits in the former Board of Education building. The $52 million renovation included 3,900 square feet of meeting space, a two-story lobby featuring restored murals from 1931 by Cleveland artist Cora Holden, and an on-site bar aptly named the Teacher's Lounge.
The 122-room Kimpton Schofield Hotel in the heart of downtown underwent a $50 million landmark restoration project and opened last year. The hotel includes 3,800 square feet of meeting space.
Next May, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton will open a four-star hotel with 243 rooms and a conference center. The property is part of the Hall of Fame's $500 million project, which will include an indoor and outdoor NFL activity center, an athletic training and education complex, and retail and restaurant offerings.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which tracks the evolution of popular music through more than 50 exhibits in a stunning I.M. Pei--designed building, now features a café and seasonal beer garden in its outdoor plaza set near six-foot-tall letters that read, "Long Live Rock." The first phase of the venue's renovation includes updates to its main exhibits and a redesign of the indoor café, which will feature dishes from Cleveland chefs Michael Symon, Jonathon Sawyer, and Rocco Whalen.
Located on the Cuyahoga River, the Flats East Bank area has undergone a significant rejuvenation. Phase two of the $750 million project added a wooden boardwalk with multiple dining and entertainment options. Country band Rascal Flatts will open their new restaurant in the area and a new brewery and brewpub will join the scene under the partnership of Cleveland restaurateur Zack Bruell and Great Lakes Brewing Co. veteran brewer Luke Purcell.
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This article appears in the May 2017 issue of Successful Meetings.