Cleveland boasts the second largest performing arts center outside of New York City, one of the world’s greatest orchestras, the sixth most visited national park in America, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, an amazing and iconic public market, an array of culinary innovators, a rich diversity of more than 100 ethnicities, several universities, three major sports teams (as well as an AHL hockey team and an arena football franchise) and $7.3 billion in infrastructure development completed or underway in the City since 2006. Among other honors, last year Cleveland was ranked among the “Top 25 Most Fun Cities in the Country” (Ritz Cracker FUNomenal Places Study), was 14th in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s “Business Travel Index,” had a new eco-friendly eatery—The Greenhouse Tavern on East Fourth Street—named one of the “Top 10 New Restaurants” by Bon Appetit, had its Cleveland Clinic ranked number one in the nation for heart care for the 15th year in a row by U.S. News & World Report (and number four in the list of best hospitals overall), got on the list of best cities for new college graduates compiled by Apartments.com and CBcampus.com, was recognized as one of “the most affordable cities for dating” by Match.com and the 14th best city for singles by Forbes.com, was included in Forbes.com’s list of “America’s Safest Cities” (#10) and made Travel & Leisure’s “America’s Favorite Cities” list (ranking particularly high for theater, museums, classical music and affordability). But it’s one recent dubious designation—that of Forbes.com’s most miserable city—that has Northeast Ohio residents up in arms.
In fact, the Cleveland Plus region didn’t fare well in the list with Canton at #9, Akron #12 and Youngstown at #18. “We’ve been bombarded with tweets, Facebook posts, links to blog entries, emails and voicemails that suggest Greater Clevelanders simply don’t think they’re miserable,” says Tamera Lash Brown, VP of Marketing for Positively Cleveland, the award-winning convention and visitors bureau (CVB) that has been marketing Cleveland Plus to business and leisure travelers for more than three quarters of a decade. “You expect a destination marketing organization like ours to point out great things about the region, but it seems that right now it’s the people who live here, work here, visit here and have roots here who most want to express their Cleveland Plus pride.”
So, in an uncharacteristic move, the CVB that spends its time sharing the region with out-of-towners is turning its attention to “insiders” and encouraging them to express their passion for Northeast Ohio for a chance to win one of three huge prize packages showing off the region’s assets. “You know what they say, ‘misery’ loves company,” laughs Dennis Roche, Positively Cleveland’s president. “This is going to be someone’s chance to invite a guest to discover how much really great stuff we have going on here and why nearly 14 million people travel to Cuyahoga County alone each year.” To enter, simply visit www.whattheforbes.com and post a comment about your favorite thing in the region, upload a pro-Cleveland Plus video (for a chance to have it shown at a Lake County Captains game) or share a photo you took at your favorite Northeast Ohio location. Those Cleveland Plus fans with Twitter handles can also tweet about their love of the region to enter by adding the hashtag #HappyinCLE.
Prize packages include:
Package C:
•West Side Market + West Side Market Café gift basket
•Four (4) tickets to Ohio City Home Tour
•Four (4) adult tickets to one of Buckin’ Ohio’s summer bull ridings (June 26, July 24, Aug. 20 or 21 or Sept. 18)
•Two (2) Cleveland Indians tickets to 2010 Opening Day at Progressive Field on April 12
Six-hour limo ride courtesy of Tom’s Cruz Limousine Service
•Four (4) tickets to see Simply Sinatra with Steve Lippia on Fri., April 9, 7:30pm at Lorain County Community College’s Stocker Arts Center
•$10 gift card to Melt Bar & Grilled
•Weekend stay At Residence Inn Downtown Cleveland
•Gift card from The Olive & The Grape
•A monthly park-n-ride pass from RTA
•Overnight stay and breakfast for two at Hilton Cleveland/East Beachwood
•$25 gift certificate to Maggiano’s Little Italy Beachwood
•Four (4) VIP passes to Ghostly Manor
•$100 gift certificate to Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
•A Cleveland Independents Deck (savings of $10 to 52 restaurants)
•Weekday stay at Fitzgerald’s Irish Bed &Breakfast
•One-night stay at Hyatt Regency Cleveland at The Arcade and dinner for two (2) at 1890
•Two (2) passes to the Western Reserve Historical Society
•Passes to a Cleveland Institute of Music event
•Two (2) tickets to a Cleveland Orchestra concert
•4-pack of vouchers from Cleveland International Film Festival
•Kent State University 89.7FM WKSU merchandise
•Gift certificate to Marengo Luxury Spa
•Dichotomy Popcorn from Campbell’s Popcorn Shop (West Side Market)
•"Night at the Movies" package for two (2) at Embassy Suites Cleveland-Rockside, including overnight accommodations, free in-room movie with candy, sodas, complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and nightly manager’s reception featuring complimentary beer, wine and cocktails
Package L:
•Mid-Ohio Race Tickets for 2010 season
•Two (2) tickets to Polar Bear snow tubing at Brandywine/Boston Mills
•Italian item courtesy of La Bella Vita
•Dinner for two (2) aboard the Nautica Queen cruise ship
•Overnight stay w/complimentary parking and breakfast for two (2) at Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre
•Overnight stay at Courtyard by Marriott Beachwood plus $50 gift card to Mitchell’s Fish Market
•$10 gift card to Melt Bar & Grilled
•Two (2) tickets to Rabbit Run Theatre
•Tickets to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and RainForest, including admission to the Dinosaurs! exhibit
•$25 gift certificate and T-shirt from B.A. Sweetie Candy Company
•Two (2) tickets to either The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (March 26 – April 25) or The Producers (July 16 – Aug. 22) at Beck Center for the Arts
•Cleveland merchandise from The Only Cleveland Store
•A Cleveland Independents Deck (savings of $10 to 52 restaurants)
•Four (4) tickets to the Cleveland Children’s Museum
•Overnight stay to any Red Roof Inn
•Four (4) tickets to any production at Cleveland Public Theatre
•Four (4) tickets to Lake County Captains baseball game plus opportunity to throw out the first pitch
•Two (2) tickets to Great Lakes Theater Festival’s Bat Boy: The Musical or A Midsummer Night's Dream
•$100 gift card to PlayhouseSquare
•4-pack of vouchers from Cleveland International Film Festival
•Four (4) admission tickets to the Akron Art Museum
•Dichotomy Popcorn from Campbell’s Popcorn Shop (West Side Market)
•Signed Mark Klaus sculpture from "Holly"wood Christmas Movieland
•Four (4) admission passes to Cleveland Botanical Garden
Package E+:
•Four (4) passes to Pro Football Hall of Fame
•Two (2) tickets to Cleveland Opera’s opening night of Lucia Di Lammermoor at the State Theater on Thurs.,
May 20
•Four-hour limo ride courtesy of Shima Limousine
•Lunch/dinner for two (2) at Hard Rock Café Cleveland
•Hotel suite and dinner for two (2) at Table 45 at InterContinental Hotel Cleveland
•One-night stay for two (2) at the Radisson Hotel Cleveland-Gateway with complimentary valet parking, breakfast and a $10 voucher to RJ Boland's Restaurant & American Saloon
•One-year family/dual membership to the Cleveland Museum of Art
•$25 Box O’ Fun from Big Fun
•$25 gift certificate to Crocker Park
•Free delivery (value up to $200) of lots purchased at Gray’s Auctioneers
•Weekend stay at Doubletree Hotel Cleveland Downtown/Lakeside
•Free two-night weekend stay for four (4) at Country Acres Campground’s Boat House
•Two (2) passes to Lolly the Trolley’s two-hour city tour
•Save $10 to 52 restaurants with the Cleveland Independents Deck
•$50 gift certificate to AMP 150 restaurant in the Cleveland Airport Marriott
•Overnight stay at Holiday Inn Cleveland Airport
•Four (4) passes to Something Dada Improvisational Comedy
•Two (2) tickets to ONE-MAN LORD OF THE RINGS, April 14-18 at the Cleveland Play House
•Four (4) golf passes with cart for 18 holes at any Cleveland Metroparks golf course
•4-pack of vouchers from Cleveland International Film Festival
•$100 gift certificate to Ambiance, The Store for Lovers!
•Dichotomy Popcorn from Campbell’s Popcorn Shop (West Side Market)
•Overnight stay for two (2) with breakfast at Cleveland Marriott East
•Bottle of wine and $20 gift certificate to Grumpy’s Café
This The Happy in CLE+ promotion was created by Positively Cleveland members. Positively Cleveland reserves the right not to post objectionable entries. Three winners will be chosen at random on Thurs., March 11 and notified by email or phone. For more information on the region, visit www.positivelycleveland and www.clevelandplus.com.
# # #