Sutherland seeks Browns' support for Medical Mart
By Jeff Gallatin
Bay Village
Published Aug. 8, 2007

Mayor Debbie Sutherland is hoping that a longstanding Cleveland sports franchise will help the community score a touchdown and support the Medical Mart and Convention Center proposal being advocated by herself and other public officials.

Sutherland, who is president of the Cuyahoga County Mayors and Managers Association, attended a Cleveland Browns training camp practice session last week along with other members of the governmental organization after team officials invited them.

Sutherland, who is a sports fan, said she enjoyed attending the practice but also took the time to talk with other municipal leaders and Browns officials about the Medical Mart and Convention Center being supported by many officials throughout Cuyahoga County.

“It’s an important issue that’s going to affect all of us throughout the area,” Sutherland said. “It’s something we will talk about whenever there is an opportunity to try and advance our region in general.”

Sutherland was one of four suburban mayors who wrote a letter last month stating their support for the project but also asking that the Cuyahoga County Commissioners dedicate funds raised by the quarter-cent sales tax increase solely to the project and not have any of the funds utilized for other purposes. She said she was pleased when the Commissioners did indeed stipulate that the funds would be only used for the  convention center portion of the project and not be used for other proposals or work.

“It will bring a large amount of long-term benefits not just to the Westshore area, but the entire region,” Sutherland said. “We already have about 50,000 people working in the medical industry in the suburbs alone. A project like this would only increase that.”

She said the municipal chief executives did have a good exchange of ideas about the proposal.

“It was interesting to hear (Pepper Pike Mayor) Bruce Akers and (Cleveland City Councilman) Zach Reed go at it about the issue,” said Sutherland, noting Akers is supporting the proposal as it stands, while Reed is one of the proponents of a plan to have the issue put to a vote of citizens before the funds are used to implement the plan.

She said asking Browns officials to support the proposal is a logical move.

“They’re a big part of the Northeast Ohio community,” Sutherland said. “The team itself means a lot to many people and sports in general do as well.”

She said the Browns would also benefit by having the Medical Mart come to Cleveland and a newer, more contemporary Convention Center built.

“A stronger economic climate will benefit any Cleveland area business and community organization, like the Browns,” she said, while also noting that additional medical resources could benefit a business that has to rely heavily on healthy, well-conditioned employees, like a sports team.

Overall, Sutherland said being at the practice was fun.

“It’s amazing to see how big and fast the players are when you see it up close,” she said. “It was a sport-oriented few days, since I was at an Indians game the next night and also was out on a boat that week.”