I don’t know about logistics or how the space configuration could help or hinder the project but it seems like an ideal space. Espcially in today’s $4.00 a gallon economy.
If we had amtrack or light rail running again couldn’t tower city be a central terminal for that traffic? (I admittedly have no understanding of the rail system here) It would be shorter and less costly to take a train from places like Chicago, NYC or DC then to take a flight. Not to mention the costs here are far less then in those locations.

Lastly, it’s going to be built why not do it right. Too often Cleveland settles for less because govt get’s in the way. ie the Innerbelt Bridge Project.
We should build a state of the art showplace that can be multi-functional, has all the newest technologies and is built with self sustaining technolgies. Let’s show off and create something great… not just another convention center.

Toi Studio On The Convention Center

Also, Cleveland Design City has a running aggregation of opinions of the issue here:

Cleveland Design City On The Con Center/Med Mart

Why are we doing this again?

The County is now in disarray. The PD has started a useless “reform” in that it is rushing a decision based on no factual basis.

The paper is looking for its “score” on this matter, a very bad way to reform anything.

It’s up to citizens to organize to see that some rational method of making County government more responsive.

Keeping the three commissioners – Hagan’s proposal and the PD’s dubious seconding makes for bad reform.

The best action that could be taken by citizens is a banding together to put the mart/convention center on hold until a new, more viable county government could be formulated.

There is absolutely no reason to go ahead with a badly planned mart and convention center simply because the tax has been passed and the money flows.

There would be many needs for that money without it being wasted.

ANd I will warn that the mart/convention center will elicit cries from the usual organizations that frame Cleveland’s needs. Foundations, Greater Cleveland Partnership, et. al.

The frame will demand new hotels, highly subsidized. AT least one and maybe two parking garages, paid for by taxpayers and money losers from the day they open.

Cleveland needs citizen’s organizations and this issue provides what should be such an impetus for such organization.

The only benefit that a concenter will bring to Cleveland is bankruptcy.

And we need to bottom NEO out sooner rather than later.

“Fail often, Fail fast” is the healthy mantra.

So, since we know already that a concenter is a failed strategy of econ. dev. , let’s just shoot ourselves in the head and get it over with.

Like Eight Belles – in the Derby – Cleveland needs it’s present management “put down” – and bankruptcy will help do that.

I support the sales tax, buying 800 million in bonds, and then publicly BURNING the bond revenues in Public Square (let the Ratners and Millers and Forest City have box seats).

This type of self confident flamboyant bravado will let the world know that CLEVELAND HAS IT ALL, TOGETHER!

You think I’m kidding?

That would save the $800 million, would save us from building money-losing parking garages, save us from an empty old convention center, save us from having to subsidize a new, luxury hotel, save us from turning the IX center back to the Park Corp. at a huge loss.

Indeed, it might save us from NOT looking at the problems that exist and need correction.

I’m reflecting comments by my brother, Hunter, who was the city planner in Cleveland for about 20 years. He has studied the issue carefully.

His view is in line with Steven Litt’s, as linked by Vince. (Thanks, Vince!)

The key element is staging. Hunter points to San Diego as one convention center with leading edge logistics.

The interesting aspect of all this to me: The City Planning Commission and the Cleveland Convention Center Facilities Authority are completely out of the picture.

This civic process is tortured, to say the least. It’s hard not to view this process as forcing one outcome: a convention center at Tower City.

In my view, the finger prints of Sam Miller and Arnold Ratner are all over this goofball, upside down approach to building a convention center.

Does a massive public investment in a convention center still make sense in an unprecedented era of $4.00 per gallon gasoline, the acceleration of Internet collaboration tools, and lasting cutbacks in corporate travel?

We have no idea, of course, because there is no reliable, updated market analysis. Here’s what an analysis would look like, if someone did one. Download a Powerpoint on Pittsburgh.

In my view, the County Commission is responding to political pressure from Forest City, not market realities.