From an interview by Tim Zaun

I think there’s no better catalyst for Northeast Ohio’s potential than the Medical Mart/Convention Center Project. We’re in a very tenuous state here. Some people are saying we need to put the project on a Referendum and vote on the syntax increase. I don’t think people realize that if this happens, the likelihood of the two facilities being built isn’t good.

The benefits, I believe, far outweigh the negative aspects. Here we have a core competency in our marketplace with the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals’. They continue to show spectacular growth, positioning Cleveland as a medical hub. We have an opportunity to seize the mantle as a medical Capital. How often is it that a Convention Center can be built with private equity such as the Medical Mart as an anchor? Also, providing a steady stream of trade shows, adding to the economic vitality of our city’s core. The project could be the catalyst to attract people to invest in downtown Cleveland. I think this is an opportunity right in front of us and it just has to happen. I pray that it all works out and continues to evolve as we realize the vision.

We have some incredibly talented people like Fred Nance and Chris Kennedy who’ll work to make the best Medical Mart deal. Having lived in Chicago, I’ve seen what they’ve done firsthand with the Merchandise Mart. They’re the best in the business.

I’m hoping that the Medical Mart and Convention Center come to be the catalyst for our region’s renaissance. Ten years from now, we’ll be able to reflect and recognize that the project was the spark that engineered Cleveland’s turnaround and made it a world-class city.

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