Cleveland City Council held an hours-long meeting today on a proposal to put public money toward expanding Quicken Loans Arena. The council heard from supporters and opponents of the deal.
The deal would extend Cleveland’s admissions tax for another 11 years, until 2034. An estimated $88 million in revenue from collections at the Q would help pay down the debt on renovation work there.
The Rev. Richard Gibson testified on behalf of the faith group, Greater Cleveland Congregations. He said the deal should include benefits for city neighborhoods, too.
“As we look at this transaction, we are not anti-Cavs, we are not anti-Q. But this deal is not the most equitable for our community,” he said.
Defenders of the deal said it would support construction jobs, and that events and employees at the Q contribute millions in tax revenues to the city. The measure will go before council’s Finance Committee this upcoming Monday.
