Cleveland, OH – The Cuyahoga County Commission approved the purchase of the Cleveland Convention Center to make way for the new medical mart and exhibition hall to be built on the downtown site by Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI).
The Cleveland City Council is expected to approve the sale of the aging city-owned venue to the county and MMPI next week, which will allow the county and MMPI to move into the construction phase of the project.
The purchase agreement, announced May 4 and approved by the commission three days later, includes provisions for the hiring of Cuyahoga County construction workers and job training for residents. It also mandates that the city’s hotel tax will continue to be collected, although the proceeds won’t be used for convention center operations.
Commissioner Pater Lawson Jones said it was “full speed ahead” for the project. “The Medical Mart & Convention Center Complex is now well on its way to becoming a reality and a major force in the revitalization of our regional economy,” he said.
Reach Dennis Madden, executive director, Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center, at(216) 592-2295 or dmadden@mmart.com
