What needs to be done to make Cleveland "fun" again? (Lakewood: hotel, homes)

[UntamedOhioan]

Originally Posted by costello_musicman

I agree with this whole-heartedly. You can make fun no matter where you are. In regards to Cleveland, I feel the people who say Cleveland is boring are the ones who never explore the city or know what's going on. Cleveland has a summer festival somewhere every weekend...and if I ask these people, they'd have no clue. I swear some people don't realize we have comedy clubs, concert venues, FREE museums, Playhouse Square, festivals festivals festivals, events, sporting events, history, groups to be apart of......etc

For these people, this was my motivation of creating my events list page: //www.city-data.com/forum/cleve...-2010-a-3.html

I remember this one girl in my British Lit class complaining about how much NE Ohio sucks and she can't wait to graduate so she can move to Florida.

I asked her if she's ever heard of places such as playhouse square, little italy, named off some of the clubs downtown, some of the many festivals, visited amish country, cedar point...

The only thing she did was visit cedar point "once a few years ago". Well no sh*t Sherlock, if you sit around, watch TV and eat junk food, ANYWHERE would suck. Times Square would suck. Hollywood would suck. Miami would suck.

[BelieveInCleve]

Originally Posted by UntamedOhioan

I remember this one girl in my British Lit class complaining about how much NE Ohio sucks and she can't wait to graduate so she can move to Florida.

I asked her if she's ever heard of places such as playhouse square, little italy, named off some of the clubs downtown, some of the many festivals, visited amish country, cedar point...

The only thing she did was visit cedar point "once a few years ago". Well no sh*t Sherlock, if you sit around, watch TV and eat junk food, ANYWHERE would suck. Times Square would suck. Hollywood would suck. Miami would suck.

Yeah, I agree and I hear this so much.

If peoples lives are bad or boring around here, they'll always blame it on the area. "Oh this town (or insert area, or state) sucks it's so boring".

I've noticed that it has become so cliche and a sad attempt at making the person who says it look "cool" or above the area they're in. Even in these forums, I remember one high school kid who lived in a rural area of SW Ohio and because he was unhappy and had no social life he blamed the entire state for his misery, and yes he was dead serious. I just have to shake my head at stuff like that it's so ridiculous. People never consider that it could be them and not the area, just as you said they sit around and don't even attempt to do anything while watching celebrities and reality shows on TV and think if they move there, their life will automatically be just like those peoples, it's hilarious.

I think it's obvious that these people haven't traveled much. If they did they would realize in the majority of the country the only activity to do is go to the 1 bar in town or go cow-tipping lol. Cleveland/NE Ohio may not be as active as NYC, LA, CHI, MIA, etc. but it's still the 16th largest CSA in the country and has more to do than over 9/10 areas of the country.

[raubre]

I visited Cleveland right before Memorial Day and I thought it was a fun city. I do agree with the other poster who said that the Lakefront area needs developed with shopping,dining and entertainment options. I'mnot sure if this was the area by Brown's Stadium and the RNR Hall, but there could be some more dining options in that area.

I also noticed that Euclid could use more shopping and dining. I saw too many vacant storefronts near the City Club. I know there are stores inside Tower City, but many people hate malls and would much rather walk down a street and shop outside in a main street atmosphere. I don't see why they can't open a Barnes and Noble or a small independent record/CD store there. It would do pretty good there with House of Blues down the street. More dining options would be great as well (Panera's would be perfect!) or small independent coffeehouse (not that dreaded Stabucks!) or even an ice cream/Italian ice/smoothie shop.

[Cleveland_Collector]

Originally Posted by UntamedOhioan

I remember this one girl in my British Lit class complaining about how much NE Ohio sucks and she can't wait to graduate so she can move to Florida.

I asked her if she's ever heard of places such as playhouse square, little italy, named off some of the clubs downtown, some of the many festivals, visited amish country, cedar point...

The only thing she did was visit cedar point "once a few years ago". Well no sh*t Sherlock, if you sit around, watch TV and eat junk food, ANYWHERE would suck. Times Square would suck. Hollywood would suck. Miami would suck.

How true. I, for one, think Times Square, much of Hollywood, and most of Miami sucks either way. I've been to all of them and always wonder what people think is so damned great about any of them.

IMO, Cleveland needs more retail and a better lakefront. Let the "No s**t, Sherlock" statments commence.

[Cl3v3land]

Originally Posted by raubre

I visited Cleveland right before Memorial Day and I thought it was a fun city. I do agree with the other poster who said that the Lakefront area needs developed with shopping,dining and entertainment options. I'mnot sure if this was the area by Brown's Stadium and the RNR Hall, but there could be some more dining options in that area.

I also noticed that Euclid could use more shopping and dining. I saw too many vacant storefronts near the City Club. I know there are stores inside Tower City, but many people hate malls and would much rather walk down a street and shop outside in a main street atmosphere. I don't see why they can't open a Barnes and Noble or a small independent record/CD store there. It would do pretty good there with House of Blues down the street. More dining options would be great as well (Panera's would be perfect!) or small independent coffeehouse (not that dreaded Stabucks!) or even an ice cream/Italian ice/smoothie shop.

Goods points.....the city is planning to develop the lakefront in phases to at least have some sort of lakefront living because it will take about 20 years to move the port to east 55th street. I agree that there needs to be more shopping on Euclid, but I can't agree with you on the need for more dining because East 4th street on Euclid has a majority of Dining which is between 5-10 restaurants and one of them has a bowling alley. The warehouse district also has a lot of dining options. There is an independent coffee shop called erie coffee shop on east 4th which sells smoothies. I'm not sure if there is an ice cream shop downtown As far as the book stores is a bookstore downtown I believe it's called University Bookstore, and a couple bookstores down the street from downtown Cleveland on Euclid. So there is a lot dining, bookstores, a coffee shop, and even a bookstore downtown but you may have missed it.

Also Cleveland State University's "North Campus" project will include shopping and entertainment, if you travel down to University Circle the Uptown project will have apartments, retail and entertainment as well.

http://www.cleveland.com/business/in...ghborhood.html
http://www.cleveland.com/business/in...g_for_fir.html

[UntamedOhioan]

Originally Posted by Cleveland_Collector

How true. I, for one, think Times Square, much of Hollywood, and most of Miami sucks either way. I've been to all of them and always wonder what people think is so damned great about any of them.

IMO, Cleveland needs more retail and a better lakefront. Let the "No s**t, Sherlock" statments commence.

Oh, I completely agree. Our city is run by a bunch of incompetent morons, with perhaps a few exceptions. If the environment were more business-friendly, perhaps we'd have more entrepreneurs moving here and bringing new & creative ways to turn our downtown into a more vibrant, walkable place.

It would make my life complete to see a boardwalk on Lake Erie someday. But, alas, I suppose I'll have to keep dreaming :/

[Peregrine]

Originally Posted by raubre

I visited Cleveland right before Memorial Day and I thought it was a fun city. I do agree with the other poster who said that the Lakefront area needs developed with shopping,dining and entertainment options. I'mnot sure if this was the area by Brown's Stadium and the RNR Hall, but there could be some more dining options in that area.

Every one of us will agree with that statement.

I am sure we all have stories like some of the above dealing with people that don't know how to find things to do where they live.
Last summer I went to the USS Cod. That was very cool. Told a friend of mine:
"Yea so I finally did that USS Cod thing".
"The what?"
"The USS Cod... the sub downtown?"
"The wh-at?"
"Sub.... Submarine... y'know there's a small sub docked over by Burke????"
"No way!"

[Cleveland_Collector]

Originally Posted by UntamedOhioan

Oh, I completely agree. Our city is run by a bunch of incompetent morons, with perhaps a few exceptions. If the environment were more business-friendly, perhaps we'd have more entrepreneurs moving here and bringing new & creative ways to turn our downtown into a more vibrant, walkable place.

It would make my life complete to see a boardwalk on Lake Erie someday. But, alas, I suppose I'll have to keep dreaming :/

I don't think you can 100% blame the city officials for all of the woes. If you do, you must certainly commend them for the successes. Cleveland really isn't that unfriendly to businesses. Per-capita, the Cleveland area has one of the largest (if not the largest) centers for Fortune 500 activity. There is also plenty of entrepeneurial spirit around town. What we as residents have to realize is that our problems are not unique and that no urban area is really that much better off these days. I actually think the biggest problem with Cleveland is the defeatist attitude that is often demonstrated by many of the misinformed in the area. It breeds contempt. It's also a sentiment that is largely left over from the "burning river" days. It has been 40 years...time to let it go and ask what you can do to make the place better instead of pointing the finger at the easy targets.

[marence]

Originally Posted by Cleveland_Collector

I actually think the biggest problem with Cleveland is the defeatist attitude that is often demonstrated by many of the misinformed in the area. It breeds contempt. It's also a sentiment that is largely left over from the "burning river" days. It has been 40 years...time to let it go and ask what you can do to make the place better instead of pointing the finger at the easy targets.

Defeatist spirit - a corruption of the "gotta be tough" mentality. We suck, so what, we're tough.
The other component is the apathy. If you can spend 4 hours checking Facebook after work, why can't you spend 15 minutes with Google searching on Cleveland and whatever your interest is, rather than blithely stating Cleveland has nothing going on?

This past weekend, I had lots of fun at the Clifton Art Fest & afterward listening to live music on a patio with drinks and friends. The weekend before was Parade the Circle and the Gordon Square Arts District Festival. Other family members went to a picnic at Edgewater, attended a punk band festival, got the Scoop on Poop at the Zoo, and did a lot of swimming at community pools over the past two weeks. Sounds like fun to me!

[ericmc783]

Originally Posted by marence

got the Scoop on Poop at the Zoo...

That doesn't sound very entertaining. In fact, it sounds gross.