Cleveland City Council voted Monday to re-up investment in two groups that bring film and sporting events to the city.
Council approved a total $500,000 in grants for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, both of which say they generate hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity in the city.
"This choice has a huge return on investment," said David Gilbert, the CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. "That if you invest a dollar in the city, you get far more back than you can spend on roads and safety."
Cleveland will host major events like the NCAA Women's Final Four Championship and the Pan American Games in 2024 as a direct result of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, Gilbert said. Those events will generate $22 million and $25 million in economic activity, respectively, he said.
The Greater Cleveland Film Commission also touts hundreds of millions of dollars of economic impact by working with studios in Los Angeles to bring film productions to Cleveland, building local production offices and scouting locations.
Chief Operating Officer Seema Jayaswal pointed to the 2022 Noah Baumbach film "White Noise," which was filmed in Cleveland. She said the movie generated $100 million in local economic activity over 10 months.
"They ate at our restaurants, spent 36,000 [hotel] room nights," Jayaswal said. "That’s just what one movie can do."
Annually, each organization receives $250,000 from the city. During Monday's council meeting, some council members suggested the groups ask for more in the future because of their proven track records.
The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is the "unsung heroes in this city," said Councilmember Brian Kazy. "They are by far the biggest economic driver in the city. And I think to them, it should be insulting the city is just giving them $250,000."
This adds to a continued effort by Cleveland leadership to bring more tourism to the area. Earlier this month, Cleveland City Council approved a $2 million major events fund, which will focus on bringing more national sporting and arts events and conferences to the city.
