Cleveland, OH Event Planning

Key Highlights

Hotels	190
Total Sleeping Rooms	32,746
Largest Exhibit Space	278,000 Sq. Ft.
Average Hotel Room Rate	USD $101
Average Daily Meal Cost	USD $56
Average Weekly Car Rental	USD $259

Cleveland, OH Meeting Planning Overview

Looking for Cleveland meeting planning and event planning information? You've come to the right place! Cleveland is a convention-friendly town that prides itself in providing premium hospitality and accommodations for visitors, as well as plenty of Cleveland event venues. There are 22,000 first-class hotel rooms throughout the city, with more than 4,000 of those conveniently located downtown. Over twenty Cleveland meeting hotels with some 3,100 rooms are located near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Located at beautiful North Coast Harbor on Lake Erie, the Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center meets the needs of large-scale Cleveland meeting planning, with 230,000 square feet of space. The International Exposition and Conference Center next to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is one of the largest single-building exposition centers in the world, offering 1,600,000 square feet of exhibit space and parking for 10,000 vehicles.

Cleveland has been a favorite destination for conventioneers and vacationers for a long time. With a population of nearly 500,000, this warm, ethnically diverse city offers a wide variety of world-class cultural and entertainment facilities in addition to numerous family attractions. Music is Cleveland's middle name. Whether it is rock and roll, jazz, R&B or a Mozart symphony, Clevelanders are serious about their music and planners can easily incorporate this into Cleveland event planning. The world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra plays to packed houses at historic Severance Hall, an equal to the finest concert halls in the United States and Europe.

Cleveland is also the birthplace of the term "rock and roll" and the site of the first rock and roll concert. In honor of that heritage, Cleveland invested millions to build the internationally acclaimed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the only facility of its kind in the world. The stunning pyramid architecture is a signature shape on Cleveland's skyline.

Cleveland is one of the most vibrant cultural centers in the United States. Playhouse Square, with its historic performance spaces and 10,000 seats, is second only to New York. Most days and nights, audiences enjoy Broadway musicals, international dance groups, ballet, drama, comedy, opera, and symphony, as well as high-caliber regional and local performance groups.

Cleveland's famous University Circle is one of the nation's most well-developed cultural centers in the U.S. It is made up of a concentration of several acclaimed institutions such as the Cleveland Museum of Art which houses a world-class international art collection with masterpieces by famous artists like Van Gogh and Picasso.

Thanks to its melting-pot population, Cleveland has many terrific ethnic restaurants. Mallorca Restaurant is known for its tuxedoed wait staff, award-winning service and delicious house specialties such as Paella Valenciana. The city also has its share of exceptional, fine dining restaurants like Blue Pointe Grill, voted Cleveland's "Best Seafood Restaurant" every year since it opened, and Michael Symon's Lola Bistro & Wine Bar. Michael Symon was voted one of the "Ten Best Chefs in America" by Food and Wine Magazine.

Cleveland has a flourishing nightlife with hip clubs and bars scattered throughout the city and the many attractions of the Historic Warehouse District. The Historic Warehouse District includes hot spots, from the premier dance club Velvet Dog-complete with rooftop patio and downtown views-to the Spy Bar, a chic, upscale night club with four-star service and the finest DJs from around the world.

If your specific Cleveland meeting planning or event planning is to revolve around sports or has a sports theme, then you're in luck. Home of NFL's Cleveland Browns, American League's Cleveland Indians and NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland is a great sports town with a year-round schedule of professional and minor league games. The new Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex, a major part of the city's ambitious revitalization efforts, includes Progressive Field where the Cleveland Indians play and Quicken Loans Arena, home court for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Visitors find it easy to get around Cleveland with ample transportation services that include buses, taxis, light rail and shuttles. Taxi fares are metered at a rate of $2.00 per mile with the addition of a $2.25 trip fee. Taxi fares from the Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport to Downtown Cleveland (approximately 14 miles one-way) average $30.00.

About Cleveland, OH / Additional Info

Wrapping around the banks of the Cuyahoga River and the southern shore of Lake Erie on the north, Cleveland is the second largest city in Ohio, with a population of 478,403. The Greater Cleveland metroplex, with more than two-million residents, is the largest metropolitan area in the state. Established in 1796 near the mouth of the Cuyahoga, it became a burgeoning manufacturing center in the 19th century due to its strategic location at the head of numerous canals and railroad lines. As heavy manufacturing declined in the 20th century, Cleveland businesses diversified into financial services, insurance, healthcare and other service-oriented industries.

As a result of an ambitious downtown revitalization and urban renaissance, Cleveland has transformed itself from a former factory town to a sparkling, cosmopolitan center now known as "The New American City." Cleveland's dedication to re-inventing itself has earned it the distinction of being the only city in the country to be voted an "All-American City" five separate times.

The Cleveland skyline is dominated by three architecturally distinct buildings. Built in 1991, the 57-floor Key Tower is the tallest building in Ohio and formerly the tallest building between New York and Chicago. Designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli, the sleek, post-modern skyscraper helps define the Cleveland skyline. When Key Tower was built in 1990, it surpassed the historic 1930 Terminal Tower which had been the tallest skyscraper for 60 years. At 52 stories tall, Terminal Tower is a beloved shape on the city's skyline. Built in 1985, the third tallest skyscraper is the 200 Public Square building. At 45 stories, the imposing building was originally headquarters for Standard Oil of Ohio.

A major banking center, Cleveland is home to The Fourth District Federal Reserve Bank, one of twelve in the nation, and headquarters for many Fortune 500 companies, including National City Corp, KeyCorp, Sherwin-Williams, Medical Mutual of Ohio and American Greetings. Dozens of hospitals and medical centers are also located in Cleveland, including the internationally recognized University Hospitals of Cleveland, The Cleveland Clinic and the MetroHealth Medical Center.

Cleveland's cultural scene rivals that of much larger cities with distinguished collections at the Great Lakes Science Center and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The Cleveland Art Museum, with 40,000 works of art, is known for its definitive pre-Columbian, medieval Asian and European art collections including masterpieces by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and Michelangelo.

A centerpiece for Cleveland's performing arts culture is Playhouse Square, the largest theater restoration project in America. Five historic 1920s vaudeville and movie palaces, Ohio, Allen, State, Palace and Hanna, have undergone extensive renovations and now give theater goers world-class experiences on par with New York and London, such as Broadway blockbusters, Jersey Boys, Wicked and The Color Purple. With a total of 10,000 seats, Playhouse Square is second in size to New York.

Cleveland, OH Key Stats for Meeting Planners

Time Zone: Eastern Time (ET)
Convention Center(s):

Hotel at Convention Center? No

Airport(s):

Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport

Destination Type(s):

Beach Destination
Smoke-free Restaurants

Special Event Venues
105
Population
2,250,871
Restaurants
1,100
Country Code
1
Sales Tax
7.75%
Currency
U.S. Dollar
Standard Tipping Practice
10-20%
Electricity
120V / 60Hz
Official Languages
English

Credit Cards and Travelers Cheques widely accepted? Yes

All average costs based on U.S. Government Per Diem rates as published by the U.S. General Services Administration.

Cities Near Cleveland, OH

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Akron, OH	38 mi	45 min	2 hr 33 min	USD $500+
Canton, OH	59 mi	1 hr 7 min	2 hr 33 min	USD $450+
Toledo, OH	118 mi	1 hr 57 min	4 hr 50 min	USD $350+
Pittsburgh, PA	133 mi	2 hr 19 min	55 min	USD $350+
Columbus, OH	142 mi	2 hr 25 min	47 min	USD $350+
Cincinnati, OH	250 mi	4 hr 9 min	1 hr 10 min	USD $250+
Indianapolis, IN	315 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 12 min	USD $350+
Washington, DC	374 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 15 min	USD $200+

Cleveland, OH Climate Information

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg. High (°F)	34	36	46	58	69	79	83	81	74	63	50	38
Avg. Low (°F)	19	21	28	38	48	58	62	61	54	44	35	25
Rec. High (°F)	73	69	82	88	92	104	100	102	101	89	82	77
Rec. Low (°F)	-20	-15	-5	10	25	31	41	38	34	19	3	-15
Rainfall (in)	2.6	2.3	3.0	3.4	3.5	3.5	3.6	3.4	3.2	2.6	3.2	2.9

Cleveland has a traditional Midwest climate with cool and crisp Falls, frigid and snowy Winters, short Springs and hot, humid summers. On average, summer temperatures range from 70°F - 90°F with the warmest temperatures occurring in the month of July. Cleveland's all-time record high was set on June 25, 1988 when temperatures soared to a boiling 104°F.

Located on the shorelines of Lake Erie, Cleveland experiences the Lake Snow effect from mid-November through early February, which causes snowfall totals to range across the city. The airport tends to receive very limited amounts of snow while areas within the "snow belt" (Eastern Cleveland through Eastern Suburbs and up the Shoreline of Lake Erie) may receive as much as 100 inches in a given season. While cold winter weather is the typical, Clevelanders also often enjoy a winter mild spell where temperatures may rise into the 70s for several days. Cleveland receives approximately 38.7 inches of rain received every year.

Meeting Planning in Cleveland, OH

Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center

Designed to bring buyers and sellers together, this Cleveland meeting facility combines permanent medical showrooms, a Class-A exhibition hall and state-of-the-art conference facilities tailored to the needs of the both the medical and mainstream marketplace. The one-million square foot LEED silver-certified facility will be open for business in 2013, and will be a dynamic new space for every convention and meeting need. Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center will be designed with approximately 230,000 square feet of high-quality exhibit space, featuring high ceilings and industry-standard column spacing. The conference center will feature approximately 60,000 square feet of high-tech, flexible meeting rooms of varying sizes to accommodate keynote sessions, seminars and panel discussions, which are the core offering of many conferences, meetings and conventions. It will also feature a 30,000 square foot Grand Ballroom offering stunning views of Lake Erie.

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International Exposition Center

Located near the Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, the I-X Center is one of the largest single-building meeting, convention, and exhibition centers in the world. It offers 1,600,000 square foot of exhibit space and parking for as many as 7,000 vehicles. It contains 902,000 square feet of exhibit space, 800,000 of which is in a single exhibit hall.

An ideal facility for consumer events and trade shows, the I-X Center has a 85,000-square-foot Conference Center. The I-X Center houses 26 meeting rooms and a beautiful 16,000 square foot ballroom. Full in-house catering is available, including banquet and concession services. Cutting-edge technology services such as high-speed internet and a 60-ft tall outdoor ExpoTron video display have been built into the facility. Perhaps the most unique feature of the I-X Center is its 35 foot tall ferris wheel that soars through the roof of the glass atrium. The I-X Center ferris wheel is the largest indoor ferris wheel in the world, spinning in a 125-foot circumference.

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Cleveland, OH Meeting Venue Spotlight

Positively Cleveland

Positively Cleveland, the highly acclaimed award-winning Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland, works diligently to help convention planners find the best Cleveland meeting facilities for their events.

Cleveland has a wealth of space for conventions and events, from traditional convention space to unique locations such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Playhouse Square, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo or a Great Lakes sightseeing cruise.

The staff of Positively Cleveland will work closely with meeting planners, from initial planning through implementation and advance marketing of the next annual event. Per meeting planners' requests, Positively Cleveland will notify area hotels of specific meeting requirements so that they can submit competitive proposals that offer dates and rates for consideration. A convention bureau representative will arrange appointments, introduce meeting planners to the staff of hotels and meeting facilities, and coordinate location tours.

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Cleveland, OH Airport Information

Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (CLE)

Approximate taxi fare: $38 USD

Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (CLE) is located ten miles southwest of downtown Cleveland. Serving almost 12 million passengers annually, it is the largest commercial airport in Northeast Ohio and the 35th busiest airport in the nation. There are more than 325 daily nonstop flights to over 85 destinations. International flights include direct air service to Paris, London, Canada and Mexico.

Continental is Cleveland's hometown airline and hub carrier, with over 250 daily departures and service to 80 nonstop destinations. In early 2008, Continental added 27 new flights to 12 nonstop destinations including international service to Paris, France. Continental continues to offer international service to London, England on a seasonal basis.

Airline carriers serving the airport

Air Canada Jazz
American Eagle
Continental
Delta

Midwest Connect
Northwest
Southwest

United
USA3000
US Airways

Cleveland, OH Train Information

Amtrak

The Amtrak station is located in downtown Cleveland across from Cleveland Browns Stadium at 200 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway. There are two major Amtrak routes that go through Cleveland and connect to Chicago, Washington D.C., New York City and Boston. Connections can be made to any destination in the United States from these routes.

Capitol Limited Route

Amtrak's Capitol Limited runs daily between Washington, DC and Chicago. The route follows the historic B&O line through the Potomac Valley, past historic Harpers Ferry and the Allegheny Mountains into Pittsburgh, across Ohio heading north to Cleveland, and then across Ohio and Indiana into the center of Chicago.

Lake Shore Limited Route

Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited travels daily along some of the country's prettiest shorelines between Chicago on the west and New York City and Boston on the east. The route meanders along the south shore of Lake Michigan, the Mohawk River, and the Erie Canal, following a famous Native American Highway. In New York State, the route continues through the Finger Lakes region to Albany, New York, where it branches off to New York City and Boston.

RTA Rapid Transit

In 1968 RTA's Red Line was the first rapid transit service to an international airport in North America. The heavy-rail system provides regular service between Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport and downtown Cleveland via the Tower City Station at the former Cleveland Union Terminal. The trip takes 22 minutes. Trains depart from the airport Mondays through Saturdays every fifteen minutes from 4:29 am - 7:45 pm and approximately every 20 minutes from 7:45 pm - 1:05 am. On Sundays, the Red Line operates from 4:32 am until 1:14 am. RTA's airport station is located on the lower level of the main terminal and can be reached by the elevators or escalators in the center of the ticketing and baggage claim levels.

The RTA system comprises three lines-the Red Line (heavy rail rapid transit) and Blue and Green lines (light rail). All three lines join downtown at Tower City Center, the former Cleveland Union Terminal. From Tower City to East 55th, the three lines share track and stations. This sharing of one route between light and heavy rail is quite unusual; and, the shared stations have platforms of varying heights to accommodate the two kinds of trains.

Built between 1913 and 1936, the Blue and Green Lines were grade separated lines closer to downtown and surface lines along street medians in the streetcar suburb of Shaker Heights. The two lines part ways at Shaker Square, an historic urban community, just west of the Shaker Heights border. The Green Line continues east along Shaker Boulevard until it reaches its terminus at Green Road. The Blue Line veers southeast along Van Aken Boulevard until reaching its terminus at the intersection of Warrensville Center Road, Northfield Road and Chagrin Boulevard. The Waterfront Line, opened in 1996, extends the Blue and Green Lines from Tower City north to Lake Erie and northeast along the lakeshore. The Waterfront Line provides access from Tower City Center to the Flats Entertainment District, Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Great Lakes Science Center, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Burke Lakefront Airport.

Effective January 7, 2008, rapid transit fares are $1.75 with a reduced rate of $.75 for seniors and disabled persons.

Cleveland, OH Public Transportation

Bus Service

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) services the greater metro area with over 100 bus routes, including thirteen Community Circulator bus routes.

Cleveland Downtown Loop

RTA provides trolley service in the Downtown Loop which includes the Muny Lot to Public Square Loop, the E-Line Trolley and the B-Line Trolley.

Bus and trolley fares are $1.75 with a reduced rate of $.75 for seniors and disabled persons.

Free Circlelink Shuttle

Ride RTA to the University Circle station and take the Circlelink, a free shuttle service to major University Circle destinations such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Severance Hall, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland Institute of Music and others. Service runs every 15 minutes from 6:15 am - 5:30 pm, Monday - Saturday and noon - 5:00 pm on Sunday.

Hotel Shuttles

Free Circlelink Shuttle

Check with your hotel first. Many downtown hotels and airport hotels offer free airport shuttle service for guests.

Shuttle service to and from the airport is provided by many hotels and is located on the airport's lower roadway island. It can be reached from the baggage claim level outside Doors 2 through 5. Car rental shuttles and taxis are located outside the Baggage Claim (lower) Level. A hotel courtesy phone center at the Traveler's Information Center provides information and reservations for area hotels. The Traveler's Information Center boards are located at the north end of baggage claim near exit Door #2 and at the south end of baggage claim across from the Concourse C escalator between exit Doors 5 and 6 and Concourse A escalator between exit Door numbers 2 and 3.

Private Shuttles

Shuttle services are available through several reliable private companies.

Car Rentals

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) has a consolidated rental car facility located off the airport grounds. Shuttle service is available to take all rental car customers from the main terminal to the rental car facility. Shuttles are located on the lower roadway island and can be accessed by exiting from Door #5 on the baggage claim level of the main terminal. For travelers needing assistance, a telephone center with rental car information is located near the door.

The shuttle bus ride from the terminal to the rental car facility takes approximately 5 to 7 minutes. The shuttle busses run continuously from 5:00 am until 12:30 am (EST), seven days per week, 365 days per year.

Taxi Cabs

Several reliable taxi services provide transportation between downtown hotels and the airport. Taxi fares from the Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport to Downtown Cleveland (approximately 14 miles one-way) average $22.00. The airport taxi stand is located at the South End Baggage Claim Level, adjacent to carousel No. 11 of the terminal.

Taxis can be hailed on the street or found at Public Square, major hotels and transportation hubs. Call ACE Taxi Service at 216-361-4700.

Taxi fares are metered at a rate of $2.00 per mile with the addition of a $2.25 trip fee.

Distance To...

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Akron, OH	38 mi	45 min	2 hr 33 min	USD $500+
Canton, OH	59 mi	1 hr 7 min	2 hr 33 min	USD $450+
Toledo, OH	118 mi	1 hr 57 min	4 hr 50 min	USD $350+
Pittsburgh, PA	133 mi	2 hr 19 min	55 min	USD $350+
Columbus, OH	142 mi	2 hr 25 min	47 min	USD $350+
Cincinnati, OH	250 mi	4 hr 9 min	1 hr 10 min	USD $250+
Indianapolis, IN	315 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 12 min	USD $350+
Washington, DC	374 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 15 min	USD $200+

Cleveland, OH Area Discounts and Promotions

Cleveland Convention Center & Medical Mart

Meeting planners looking for the perfect city to host a meeting that won’t break their budget need look no further than the city that rocks for all their meeting needs. With more than $2 billion in new developments underway through 2015, Cleveland is a second tier city with big city amenities that won’t disappoint. Opening July 2013 is the new 1-million-square-foot Cleveland Convention Center & Medical Mart. Located on the brink of Lake Erie, the $465 million campus brings buyers and sellers together in the world’s first facility that meets the needs of both the medical marketplace and meeting industry. The four-story, 235,000-square-foot medical mart will house permanent medical showrooms serving health care innovation, education and commerce through state-of-the-art spaces, programs and virtual offerings. A concourse featuring eight meeting rooms connects the medical mart to the 750,000-square-foot convention center, which is located 30 feet underground. The convention center consists of 225,000 square feet of Class-A exhibition space that can be divided into three separate areas with room for more than 1,000 booths. Located on the exhibit hall level are 16 flexible meetings rooms totaling more than 22,000 square feet. The meeting rooms are equipped with the latest technology include wireless connectivity, multi-site video conferencing and high definition display systems. This is not all of what the convention center offers for meeting planners. A 32,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom is located at the most northern point of the campus. Here, attendees can experience a column-free, extraordinary view of Cleveland’s lakefront. The Grand Ballroom is divisible into three rooms and features six flexible breakout rooms. All together, the campus provides first class amenities for meeting planners with 93,000 square feet of meeting space and 35 breakout rooms. The campus also provides award-winning convention services to meeting planners by partnering with Positively Cleveland’s (CVB) best-in-class convention sales and services team to assist meeting planners, at no cost, with all meeting and convention needs. Not only is Cleveland all about first class facilities, but the city is also about accessibility for both the meeting planner and attendee.

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Cleveland, OH Event Planning

Key Highlights

Cleveland, OH Meeting Planning Overview

About Cleveland, OH / Additional Info

Cleveland, OH Key Stats for Meeting Planners

Cities Near Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, OH Climate Information

Meeting Planning in Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, OH Meeting Venue Spotlight

Cleveland, OH Airport Information

Cleveland, OH Train Information

Amtrak

RTA Rapid Transit

Cleveland, OH Public Transportation

Bus Service

Cleveland Downtown Loop

Free Circlelink Shuttle

Hotel Shuttles

Car Rentals

Taxi Cabs

Distance To...

Cleveland, OH Image Gallery

Cleveland Grand Prix

Cleveland, OH Area Discounts and Promotions