Spirit of Cleveland

Purpose

The Spirit of Cleveland is a nonprofit subsidiary of Positively Cleveland. Created in 1996, the nonprofit is committed to the ongoing development of educational programs and services that promote and support the hospitality industry for travel and tourism in the Cleveland Plus region and to providing marketing tools and resources to arts + culture organizations to raise awareness both within and outside the region.

Programs

The Spirit of Cleveland currently supports the following programs:

• Cleveland 101 - an interactive opportunity for frontline staff members to experience the region we promote;
• College scholarships for students in Tri-C's hospitality program;
• Management of an multi-attraction pass that gives visitors admission to ten attractions in the region at a deep discount;
• Operation of a visitors center on Public Square.

Cleveland Plus Visitors Center

In June 2007, the 3,500 square foot Cleveland Plus Visitors Center opened on Public Square. This was the first time in the history of Positively Cleveland that a space was dedicated solely to marketing and promoting the travel and tourism industry. The Visitors Center is staffed with knowledgeable information specialists who assist guests searching for things to do and see. To date, nearly 25,000 people from 43 countries have used the Visitors Center's services.

Constituents

Constituents range from frontline employees at hotels, restaurants and attractions to retailers, transportation specialists (taxi, charter busses, etc.) and special event planners. Programs and outreach are designed to match our constituents' needs and to make their initiatives more successful. Spirit of Cleveland funding enables most of these programs to be offered at little or no cost to participants.

When the new convention center and medical mart and the new casino come online, there will be an immediate need for trained and experienced hospitality industry employees. The Spirit of Cleveland's training and professional development programs will play a critical part in the community's ability to obtain an immediate maximum return on investment on these game-changing projects.

Operations

The Spirit of Cleveland is primarily funded through:

• Annual Golf Outing
• Annual Cleveland Culinary Challenge
• An annual fund campaign
• An annual operating contribution from Positively Cleveland

All Spirit of Cleveland programs, marketing and public relations efforts are managed through Positively Cleveland.

Governance

The Spirit of Cleveland, a 501(c)3, is a subsidiary of Positively Cleveland. The Spirit of Cleveland Board of Directors consists of board members and staff from Positively Cleveland. David Gilbert, President of Positively Cleveland, also serves as Spirit of Cleveland's Executive Director.