As fans of Drew Carey's former sitcom have long known, Cleveland rocks. But you don't need to take the TV comedian's word for it. Ask around. Over the past decade, Cleveland's tourism has doubled to more than nine million visitors annually, and its profile is shining more brightly than ever. Sprawling for 50 miles along the shores of Lake Erie, this former industrial hub of the heartland is on a roll.
George Washington once said that a great city would stand in the blessed spot where the Cuyahoga River met Lake Erie. Industrial success infused money into the city early on, as its steel and oil barons drew upon their vast fortunes to build a monumental downtown and a rich cultural legacy that includes the world-renowned Cleveland Museum of Art, Case Western Reserve University, and the Cleveland Orchestra. It was a solid foundation for the post-industrial urban vision, which took giant steps forward with the opening of Jacobs Field, the first of the nation's new wave of retro-modern Major League ballparks, at the gateway to downtown in 1994. A year later came I. M. Pei's splendid Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which mirrors Pei's own Louvre expansion with its playful pyramid-shaped design. The latest high-profile tenant to take up anchor in downtown Cleveland is the House of Blues, a 1,000-seat club and restaurant at East Fourth Street at Euclid Avenue.
Although Cleveland's industrial foundation is very much in evidence, downtown's steel warehouses and tool-and-die factories now house trendy clubs and restaurants, and its many bridges lead to gentrified neighborhoods fueled by the optimism that comes with a measure of achievement. The city still has some rough edges, but the message couldn't be clearer: Cleveland is striving for global recognition, and the droves of American and international visitors flocking to the re-energized city indicate that success is in the air.
