Lake Erie Shores and Islands Targeting RNC Convention-Goers for Business
May 16, 2016
By: Jim Nelson, NBC 24
May 16, 2016
About two months from now, Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland will be the epicenter of activity for the republican party.
Larry Fletcher, the executive director for Lake Erie Shores and Islands says the group has been targeting convention-goers for about a year.
"Not only the delegates that will be coming in, maybe encourage them to come early or stay after the convention, but we also know there will be a lot of media in town so we'd like to get our story out to them," he said.
Even Marcy Kaptur, a democratic congresswoman, is hoping the wave of republicans coming to town find time to enjoy themselves.
"There will be hundreds of thousands of people there from all over the world," she said. "It's a great opportunity for Ohio's coast to present itself to the world."
Fletcher says at least one group will for sure have the chance to take in the shoreline sights.
"The California delegation, for example, is staying at Kalahari. Those folks may not know they're going to stay at Ohio's largest hotel," he said. "It's a great place to relax before or after their meeting in Cleveland."
"I hope our boaters -- the ferries, Jet Express, I hope they'll be taking those folks to see the skylines of the south rim -- the south edge of Lake Erie," Kaptur said. "All the way from Cleveland to Toledo, dining on the islands and so forth."
"People for the convention will be tied up downtown Cleveland for much of (the convention) but we're hoping they choose to visit us either before or after," added Fletcher.