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Old 07-01-2012, 06:19 PM
 
Location: livin' the good life on America's favorite island
2,221 posts, read 4,389,805 times
Reputation: 1391

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Facilities
I remember hearing about this 'pie in the sky' idea many years ago about building this sports academy and I am very suprised and pleased to hear that it has come to fruition. I have only viewed their website and some news articles. Very impressive what the local owners have done and their vision of building such a substantial project... and I understand it is debt free! I will be in the area next week and hope to get a tour and have my son shoot some hoops there. I'd be interested in any comments of others that have visited Spire or live in the area about any sucess this place is having. I doubt there is any other multi-sport facilty in the country like it and I would expect they get some world class athletes training here. Good for a little town like Geneva...
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Old 07-02-2012, 10:10 AM
 
58 posts, read 127,094 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZnGuy View Post
Facilities
I remember hearing about this 'pie in the sky' idea many years ago about building this sports academy and I am very suprised and pleased to hear that it has come to fruition. I have only viewed their website and some news articles. Very impressive what the local owners have done and their vision of building such a substantial project... and I understand it is debt free!
I'm not sure where you heard Spire is debt-free - they have owed Hughes Roller 8.5 million dollars since late last year, when Hughes filed a lien for non-payment of the debt. Spire also owes other businesses smaller amounts. Last month attorneys for Hughes and Spire agreed on a repayment plan. (This is according to an article referenced in Crain's Cleveland Business from the Ashtabula Star-Beacon.)

I wish them well, and the facility looked spectacular when it was featured in the Plain Dealer, but the main thing I hear from Cleveland-area parents of kids who use the facility is groans about the time it takes to get there - 45 minutes each way from the near east side. I hope they can draw plenty of folks who don't mind the location, so they can start turning a profit.
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Old 07-02-2012, 12:13 PM
 
Location: livin' the good life on America's favorite island
2,221 posts, read 4,389,805 times
Reputation: 1391
Quote:
Originally Posted by hipp View Post
I'm not sure where you heard Spire is debt-free - they have owed Hughes Roller 8.5 million dollars since late last year, when Hughes filed a lien for non-payment of the debt. Spire also owes other businesses smaller amounts. Last month attorneys for Hughes and Spire agreed on a repayment plan. (This is according to an article referenced in Crain's Cleveland Business from the Ashtabula Star-Beacon.)

I wish them well, and the facility looked spectacular when it was featured in the Plain Dealer, but the main thing I hear from Cleveland-area parents of kids who use the facility is groans about the time it takes to get there - 45 minutes each way from the near east side. I hope they can draw plenty of folks who don't mind the location, so they can start turning a profit.
Ahh, digging deaper I guess there are some money issues. http://www.crainscleveland.com/artic...SUB1/303059991 What I read on their website was there was 'no bank debt', most likely because no bank wants to lend on suck a speculative project, it has been financed by private donors. Spire is a non-profit entity.
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Old 07-02-2012, 12:37 PM
 
58 posts, read 127,094 times
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Originally Posted by ZnGuy View Post
Spire is a non-profit entity.
Actually, when I Googled Spire I noticed that in March the state tax commissioner rejected Spire's application for tax-exempt status. (Source: Star-Beacon again.) An appeal is apparently underway.
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Old 10-26-2012, 03:41 PM
 
Location: livin' the good life on America's favorite island
2,221 posts, read 4,389,805 times
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With the big ambitions and tens of millions $s spent on this facility it doesn't seem like you hear much (good or bad) about Spire. Has there been any news about this place. I toured the place during the summer and it was pretty impressive but not many people using facility... although it was the July 4th holiday weekend.
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Old 10-27-2012, 10:02 AM
 
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Unfortunately it seems like this place is too far from Cleveland. The NCAA was planning on holding its winter national championship "festival" for Division II (including swimming and indoor track) at Spire this upcoming spring, but had to move it I believe because of the availability of hotels near the facility. The Big Ten is still planning to have its indoor track championships at Spire next year, though.
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Old 11-25-2013, 07:51 AM
 
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It's too far from anywhere! I've had the misfortune of schlepping my son to multiple swim meets there. Good hotels are 30 minutes away. That's a long drive if you're leaving finals after 9:00 pm and looking for food before you get back to your hotel. The parking lot has been unpaved since it opened several years ago. The electronic scoreboard has a mind of its own (when it's working), and the cardboard pizza and dried out eggs in the cafeteria are, well, chewy. Outside food is verboten!
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Old 06-08-2015, 04:25 PM
 
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If you are looking for a place I would recommend Geneva on the Lake (GOTL). It is abo0ut 10 minutes from the Spire and has many nice places to stay. There aren't many hotels near by but there are cottages and the lodge here. Cottages of which many are actually houses are a great cheaper option. Many of them are newly remodeled quaint places to rent. Many even rent in the winter months. if you go into Geneva there are also food options available all year. Capos Pizza & Old Mill Winery are just a couple of options.
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Old 06-09-2015, 09:30 AM
 
Location: livin' the good life on America's favorite island
2,221 posts, read 4,389,805 times
Reputation: 1391
It's now been a few years, would you consider the Spire Institute a success? I don't get in the area very much so kind of in the dark if it is making money or any kind of a success. I still would think the location has to make it difficult to succeed long term IMO.
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Old 06-13-2015, 09:58 PM
 
Location: Ak-Rowdy, OH
1,522 posts, read 2,999,467 times
Reputation: 1152
Bigger question than for just this facility, but what is the thinking when organizations and developers keep dumping new development further and further out? Why is dropping a facility like this almost to Ashtabula a good idea?
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