Urban College Hosts Forum on Cleveland Medical Mart Proposal

There has been a lot of controversy the past few months over talk of building a Medical Mart and Convention Center in downtown Cleveland, with a current cost estimated at $536 million.

It has spurred many questions, such as where do we build it and, more importantly, why do we need it?

But, the biggest and most commonly asked question probably is 'what the heck is a Medical Mart?'

To answer this question, Dennis Madden, former Cuyahoga Administrator and director of the project, along with a panel of four CSU representatives, came together in CSU's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs on Tuesday, Oct. 7 to discuss the pros and cons of the proposal.

The Medical Mart/Convention Center, if completed, will host a slew of trade shows in which medical manufacturers can showcase products such as MRI machines and other tools for potential buyers from medical centers, both local and abroad.

"If this project is a success it will be a catalyst for the city," said panelist Michelle Distefano. "If not, it could be a catastrophe."

Similar projects have been proposed in Birmingham, AL and Baltimore, MA but neither was ever realized.

Panelist Fran Mentch pointed out that when it comes to hearing support from the local medical community, "the silence is deafening."

Mentch offered the idea that the money could possibly be better utilized in other tasks such as cleaning up the Cleveland lakeshore which boasts two of the dirtiest beaches in the country.

Merchandise Mart Properties Incorporated (MMPI), a Chicago-based company, which currently employs 559 people in Chicago, is behind the push to build in Cleveland.

One Cuyahoga resident on hand, Susan, bluntly asked Mr. Madden, "How is this good for us? Why Cleveland?"

Mr. Madden responded that the cost of building in Cleveland is far less than building in a city like New York.

He also said that its proximity to other major cities, as well as the presence of local medical facilities such as the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, makes it an attractive location.

However, no Cleveland area hospital has offered funds for the project.

There was an interesting moment when CSU alumnus, Ray Saikus, president of Citizens' Vision, asked Madden how limited MMPI's liability is in the deal.

When Madden replied that the company's liability was equal to that of the county, Saikus retorted, "I don't think that's true." "It's really a conflict of interest," he said later in the discussion.

The riverfront is being looked at as the most appealing site for construction because it will allegedly attract shoppers to/from Tower City and bring life back to the area.

Funding plans for the Medical Mart currently call for taxpayers to pay up to $126 million over the next several years to cover the cost of the 600,000 sq. ft. facility.