Facilities & Destinations: CLEVELAND

CLEVELAND’S COMEBACK

THE DEBUT OF A NEW CONVENTION CENTER AND HEADQUARTERS HOTEL WAS A GAME-CHANGER FOR THE CITY’S MEETINGS INDUSTRY

By George Seli

If there ever was a watershed in a city’s meetings industry, it was Cleveland’s completion of the Huntington Convention Center and the ensuing major growth in its hotel infrastructure. Prior to the convention center’s opening in 2013, the home of the Browns had been “down and out” in the convention industry for nearly 25 years, with an outdated convention center and minimal lodging and entertainment options. Thanks to visionary planning by local leaders, all those deficits are now assets. Today, groups are drawn to Cleveland’s state-of-the-art convention center surrounded by 5,000 guestrooms in walking distance, including the attached Hilton Cleveland Downtown. Classic Cleveland attractions are also nearby, from the venerable Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to Playhouse Square — the largest performing arts center outside of New York.

“The increase in meetings business has brought more than a million visitors to our community, resulting in the creation of thousands of hospitality industry-related jobs [and] millions of dollars in economic development.” — George Hillow, Executive Director, Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Development Corporation

The civic leaders that catalyzed this transformation have seen the fruits of their labor in recent years. The revitalized meetings industry has been an economic powerhouse for the city, observes George Hillow, Executive Director, Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Development Corporation. “The increase in meetings business has brought more than a million convention attendees to our community, resulting in the creation of thousands of hospitality industry-related jobs, millions of dollars in economic development and contributed to a revitalized downtown with a sharp increase in downtown residency,” he relates.

And the escalation in meetings has not yet plateaued. “We continue to see significant year-over-year growth since 2012,” says Gordon Taylor III, Vice President of Convention Sales & Services, Destination Cleveland. “More recently, we are seeing a trend of business booking farther out, which ties in to our strategy.. We’ve been a city that typically is booking a few years out, and we now have a stronger focus on booking three to five years in the future to further elevate our business levels.”

There are numerous examples of meeting groups that have chosen Cleveland specifically due to the enhanced infrastructure. One is Experient’s EnVision conference in 2017. “The event planning company is headquartered in the region, but had not held their annual event here because the city didn’t have the tourism infrastructure in the past,” Taylor explains. “Similarly, Hyland hosted its annual Community Live event here in 2019 and brought more than 2,700 attendees to Cleveland, the company’s hometown. Other examples are the American Bus Association, which brought more than 3,000 attendees to town in 2017, and the PCMA Education Conference held in Cleveland in 2018.” Further affirming the city’s resurgence in the meetings market, Experient and Cvent have ranked Cleveland a Top 30 and Top 50 destination, respectively.

GETTING THE WORD OUT

But the new convention center and hotel growth alone haven’t driven this success. The promotional prowess of Destination Cleveland has been invaluable in raising awareness among meeting planners. “One way we’ve increased our exposure of our revitalized convention package is by targeting industry events that bring the influential meeting planners to town,” says David Gilbert, President/CEO, Destination Cleveland. “We know that seeing is believing, and getting people to experience Cleveland first-hand is an effective way to show all our region has to offer.” Gilbert’s staff looks forward to hosting more meeting planners and decision-makers at next year’s ASAE Leaders Retreat. “We’ve also utilized the exposure of high-profile events held in Cleveland to illustrate the city’s capabilities and effectiveness as a host city for large meetings and events,” he adds. “From the Republican National Convention in 2016 to the MLB All-Star Game in 2019 and the upcoming NFL Draft in 2021 and NBA All-Star Game in 2022, having our city in the national spotlight allows us to highlight the positive experience event organizers and attendees encounter when choosing Cleveland.”

“Once meeting attendees step outside the convention center, it’s easy to experience the city’s signature offerings of sports, culture and rock and roll.”—David Gilbert, President/CEO, Destination Cleveland

Part of that positive experience is the CVB’s attendance building assistance. “One of the most impactful ways we help build attendance is by providing one-on-one support to event organizers and offering materials and resources that are tailored to their specific audience,” Taylor says. “From customized pre-promote materials to a ‘Come Early, Stay Late’ campaign that encourages event attendees to explore the city based on their interests, our team helps organizers meet and surpass attendance goals.”

HUNTINGTON CONVENTION CENTER

Destination Cleveland’s marketing creativity is evident from the energetic videos used to promote the Huntington Convention Center, a facility with many virtues to extol. Managed by ASM Global, the Center houses 410,000 sq. ft. of function space, comprised of a 225,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall, 32,000-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom, 11,000-sq.-ft. Atrium Ballroom and 41 meeting rooms, including a high-tech conference center and executive boardroom.

Apart from its diversity of spaces, the facility excels in the key areas of sustainability, technology, logistics and F&B. Hillow notes that the “12.5-acre green roof has become a magnificent park space for downtown residents and visitors” and points out the extensive use of natural light. “Our LEED Goldcertified building features magnificent light spaces through the installation of glass panels in the Global Center Atrium, the Lakeside Avenue entrance and the floor-to-ceiling glass on the far north end of the building. This use of natural light lessens the demand for artificial lighting and maintains views to Lake Erie.” On the technology front, significant upgrades have been made by the in-house IT team since the Center debuted in 2013. Regarding logistics, move-in for shows is “much easier and more economical” thanks to the 20 loading docks and Exhibit Hall floor access, according to General Manager Ron King. Coordinating sessions outside the Center is simplified with additional meeting rooms at the Global Center for Health Innovation and connected Hilton Cleveland Downtown and Public Auditorium. When it comes to food service, the Huntington Convention Center caters to attendees favoring locally sourced ingredients with an onsite farm, known as The Real Farmville, that houses chickens, bees, pigs and goats, as well as a variety of produce. The local sourcing also extends into the city and region. Says King, “Our team creates a world-class culinary experience, focusing on locally sourced meats, cheeses and produce from Cleveland’s vibrant food scene, including West Side Market and Farmer Lee Jones and Chef’s Garden, a sustainable, 350-acre family farm in Huron that provides chefs worldwide with seasonal specialty vegetables, microgreens, herbs and edible flowers.”

“Our team creates a world-class culinary experience, focusing on locally sourced meats, cheeses and produce from Cleveland’s vibrant food scene.” —Ron King, General Manager, Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland

The value that the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland delivers in all these areas has resulted in a steady rise in business, with profits more than $1 million ahead of projections as of this summer. Travis Poppell, the facility’s Director of Sales, notes that “the three strongest markets for Cleveland in 2019 were Communication/IT, Education and Medical/Healthcare, followed by Consumer Goods & Retail Trade, and Sports, Travel and Amusement. As a community, our strengths are healthcare and manufacturing, and the conventions that book Cleveland are indicative of those strengths.”

East Fourth Street’s dynamic entertainment and dining scene is ideal for attendees’ free time.

Organizations in all fields and industries, particularly those bringing in thousands of delegates, can benefit from a campus that includes several facilities beyond the convention center. “We have hosted several large conventions and tradeshows (more than 5,000 attendees) that utilized our entire campus, including meeting and sleeping rooms in the Hilton hotel; our entire building, including Exhibit Halls and 35 meeting rooms; the Global Center meeting rooms; and Public Auditorium spaces for meetings and additional exhibit space,” Poppell explains. “Our Convention Center District also includes three adjacent hotels, the Westin, Drury, and Marriott at Key Tower, that provide nearly 1,000 hotel rooms alongside the 600-room Hilton. It’s a very connected, easy-to-reach destination that also is right in the middle of a vibrant downtown.”

HILTON CLEVELAND DOWNTOWN

The Hilton is the centerpiece of the city’s lodging industry from a convention standpoint, but it is also a top performer within the Hilton brand, having won the 2018 Connie Award in the “500 Rooms or More” category. The honor indicates excellence in Overall Guest Experience and Overall Guest Service, as well as a high Quality Assurance Score. Several clients of the Huntington Convention Center experience the Hilton’s meeting services as well. With over 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 20,825-sq.-ft. ballroom, the hotel is an ample resource for such groups. “Many groups that have more robust general sessions/ exhibits in the center will elect to host smaller board or regional meetings with our hotel or utilize the Hilton for receptions and dinners,” explains Hilton General Manager Teri Agosta. “Some recent examples are Associated Wire Rope Fabricators, Special Libraries, AAMI-Association for the Advancement of Medical Instruments and Content Marketing Worldwide.”

Agosta highlights the amenities meeting groups appreciate most about the hotel: “the connectivity to the convention center, our team members, the views from our guestrooms and meeting space, our outlets including Bar 32 and Eliot’s Living Room for networking opportunities, and all of the public space seating available for checking emails and making calls on breaks in between meetings.”

The Hilton Cleveland Downtown’s 600 guestrooms are part of an inventory of 24,000 in the Greater Cleveland region, representing a great variety in hotel brands and price points. Since 2016, many new properties have opened in Downtown Cleveland and several have undergone major renovations. Properties opened this year include Tru by Hilton Cleveland Midtown Hotel and Residence Inn by Marriott, both near the Cleveland Clinic. In 2018, the 400-room Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower completed a transformation that enhanced the lobby and added the Trilogy Spa & Fitness Center and the new St. Clair Ballroom. Part of the property’s 17,918 sq. ft. of function space, the ballroom accommodates up to 300 guests and features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Lake Erie. Also last year, the 205-room Crowne Plaza Cleveland at Playhouse Square completed a $6 million renovation adding 36 Chandelier Suites, mimicking the adjacent Playhouse Square chandelier. The WorkLife guestrooms are ideal for meeting groups, who also have 13,079 sq. ft. of meeting space at their disposal.

ACCESSIBLE ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING

A city’s “walkability” is a big selling point in today’s meetings market. Attendees don’t want to incur the time and expense to reach offsite dining and entertainment venues located far from their meeting venue. In Cleveland, a short walk will take delegates to Lake Erie, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Playhouse Square theater district, East Fourth Street entertainment district and major sports venues including FirstEnergy Stadium (home of the Cleveland Browns), Progressive Field (home of the Cleveland Indians) and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The latter debuted a $185 million transformation this fall, adding 22 unique meeting and banquet spaces.

“Cleveland’s renaissance and recent investments in visitor-related infrastructure offers an exciting downtown that is convenient for visitors to explore,” Gilbert says. “Once meeting attendees step outside the convention center, it’s easy to experience the city’s signature offerings of sports, culture and rock and roll.” He points to a few new developments in the city’s entertainment offerings: “The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has introduced an immersive Power of Rock theater experience, an All-Access Café with specialties from popular Cleveland chefs, and a reimagined Hall of Fame Experience. On the riverfront, the Flats East Bank entertainment district has undergone a significant rejuvenation, including an expansive boardwalk and a number of dining, nightlife and entertainment options for visitors.”

On the dining front, Cleveland blends the culinary traditions of more than 100 diverse ethnicities. New options this year include Lindey’s Lake House, with views of the Cuyahoga River; Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink, by Miami-based Chef Michael Schwartz; Sawyer’s, by James Beard Award winner Jonathon Sawyer; Goma, a Japanese fusion by award-winning chef Dante Boccuzzi; and Zhug, featuring Israeli dishes from Doug Katz, chef/partner of Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

MEETING THE DEMAND

Cleveland is keen to maintaining and augmenting its newfound level of success in the meetings market. Accordingly, Destination Cleveland has grown its Convention Sales and Convention Services teams to ensure it can fulfill the needs of its clientele. “Since 2012, we have doubled the size of our Convention Sales team to leverage the positive meetings momentum and increased interest that the organization is experiencing,” says Gilbert. “This includes an enhanced presence in other markets with the addition of two national sales managers serving the association market in Washington, DC, and a national sales manager in Chicago.” As for the expanded Convention Services team, its members are “experts in all things Cleveland and help partners create a flawless event,” he adds. “They can assist with elements like programming development, arranging unique venues, customized airport greetings, performances or food trucks at events and leveraging partnerships to maximize cost savings.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a visual and cultural icon of Cleveland

With the city’s convention game in full swing, it makes sense that Destination Cleveland is bringing more players online. And while the emphasis now is on promoting Cleveland’s new virtues as opposed to further infrastructure development, there is always room for improvement. “We are relatively new in the convention industry and will continue to pursue additional connectivity to other hotels,” Hillow says. As it stands, Cleveland’s first-rate convention center, hotel portfolio and overall downtown package have become a force to be reckoned with in the national meetings market.

“PLAYING BALL” WITH CLEVELAND

The resurgence of Cleveland’s meetings industry over the last seven years has spawned many successful events beyond association and corporate meetings. A stellar example is Major League Baseball’s PLAY BALL PARK, held July 5-9 at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland. The largest indoor and outdoor interactive baseball theme park in the world, PLAY BALL PARK was visited by nearly 150,000 people during All-Star Week. The indoor portion was hosted in the Convention Center Exhibit Halls, meeting rooms and Grand Ballroom, while the outdoor portion was hosted on the facility’s roof, Cleveland Malls B & C.

“The PLAY BALL PARK event for MLB this year was held both indoors and outdoors, so it was great to have the flexibility to make changes,” says Jacqueline Secaira-Cotto, Director of Special Events, Major League Baseball. “The meeting space was great and the Convention Center team was so flexible and open to working with MLB when we had different things come up that we originally didn’t think that we’d need. To have the staff be open to working with us and be flexible was very beneficial.” Secaira-Cotto not only commends the Huntington Convention Center, but all the other stakeholders in the planning process as well, including the City of Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and the Cleveland Indians. “We worked closely together for a long time to put this event together,” she says. “We were really happy that the All-Star Game and PLAY BALL PARK were in Cleveland and that it was so successful. “ —G.S.