Greater Cleveland Partnership

Filing Period

Jan 1, 2010 to Dec 31, 2010

Signed

Nov 8, 2011

Return Version

2010v3.4

Gross Receipts

$8,807,012

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

Advocacy: the northeast ohio business community has a tremendous advocate in the greater cleveland partnership. With our network of partners, we speak with one voice when it comes to what is best for business, the economy and job creation in the region. This enables us to communicate the business community's strategic priorities to elected officials and public-sector leaders to help them marshal the resources needed to meet current challenges and improve the long-term outlook of the region's economy.the gcp worked with nine ohio metropolitan chambers of commerce to produce the "redesigning ohio" report that recommended sweeping changes designed to help the state improve economic performance and reduce costs. The gcp was part of the leadership team that created and led a coalition of more than 200 organizations that supported passage of issue 1 to renew funding for the ohio third frontier (otf) initiative on the may ballot. Our efforts first helped ensure that this important issue was put before ohio's voters, who approved authorization of the $700 million, four-year bond issue. With the passage of issue 1, the otf, which finances start-up companies, supports research and funds technology development, is assured funding through 2017. Launched nearly a decade ago, the otf has helped create more than 55,000 direct and indirect jobs in ohio with northeast ohio receiving considerable assistance from this program. As one of the leading voices in favor of county government reform, the gcp helped inform voters about candidates running for cuyahoga county executive and the cuyahoga county council in both the august primary and november general elections. The gcp is a member of the great lakes metro chambers coalition to advocate for issues impacting the great lakes region including the potential infiltration of asian carp into the great lakes that threaten to displace the indigenous fish, and alter the lakes' ecosystems. The gcp played a key role in advancing legislation that created sales and property tax exemptions for the cleveland medical mart project. This action allowed the project to move forward without delay and toward groundbreaking by year-end. Our work in columbus also included advocating on behalf of an important casino regulatory measure, which was passed following marathon sessions in the ohio house and ohio senate. The gcp will continue working to maintain the viability of the nasa glenn research center and plum brook station and seek opportunities that leverage these assets to advance the mission of the agency, economic development and new and emerging industries. Nasa glenn is an economic development engine for the region and the entire state, and retention of its skilled and highly educated workforce must be a top priority.

Activity 3

Physical development: recognizing the importance of strategic collaboration among public, private, and non-profit organizations, gcp concentrates significant resources toward reinvestment in greater cleveland and northeast ohio. In 2010, progress continued on four catalytic real estate development projects in the central business district - the flats east bank neighborhood, the cleveland horseshoe casino, the medical mart/convention center, and the new innerbelt bridge. The gcp provided strong private-sector support for all four projects, which are part of a $2.0 billion investment in downtown cleveland. These game-changing projects are included in the more than $6 billion of new economic development projects that have broken ground, or will break ground, in 2011 in cleveland. Construction began in late 2010 on the $275 million first-phase of the flats east bank project. Set to open in spring 2013, the project will extend downtown cleveland to the waterfront and include the central business district's first new multi-tenant office building in more than two decades. The capital investment made in the cleveland horseshoe casino is anticipated to provide the city of cleveland and cuyahoga county with millions of dollars of revenue specifically designated for economic, business and real estate development opportunities. The $400 million first phase is currently under construction in the historic higbee building on public square, with an anticipated opening date in 2012. The gcp was the first group in the region to support the medical mart/convention center project and the original sales tax vote by the county commissioners that paved the way for the project to move forward. In late 2010, cuyahoga county and its private-sector partner mmpi signed closing documents, which was followed shortly by the start of construction of the $465 million facility. Tenants and events are already on the books for the facility, scheduled to open in fall 2013. Construction on the innerbelt bridge project is well underway, which is being touted as the most expensive transportation project in the state's history. When finished in 2013, the new $287 million span will carry both eastbound and westbound traffic while a second bridge is constructed in the footprint of the existing bridge to the south. Once the second span is completed around 2016, the first bridge will carry westbound traffic and the second will service eastbound traffic.

Filer

EIN

34-0149250