Cleveland businesses say GOP convention failed to deliver financial boost

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters

A long a cobblestoned row of restaurants near the Cleveland arena hosting this week’s Republican National Convention, the crowds on the sidewalk were shoulder to shoulder.

But just a few blocks from the television cameras and T-shirt stands selling Donald Trump merchandise, traffic was light. The four-day convention ending Thursday actually hurt business, shopkeepers said.

“It scared away a lot of our regulars,” said Frank Como, general manager of Bar Louie, a large bar and grill in the popular business and bars district off 4th Street. “I hired a bunch of people and had to send them home. We ordered heavily on food and alcohol, and we’re still sitting on it.”

The story was the same throughout much of the city of 388,000 people, less than half the population at Cleveland’s height in 1950. The city’s boosters sold the convention as a chance to update Cleveland’s Rust Belt image. They hoped to build on the professional basketball championship won by Cleveland’s Cavaliers.

-snip-



Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2016/07/cleveland-businesses-say-gop-convention-failed-to-deliver-financial-boost/

[liberal N proud]

1. More like a bust

We ventured near downtown (Ohio City) on Tuesday late afternoon and there were more cops than people. We were able to walk right in to a very popular restaurant.

[Iliyah]

2. Porn and Escort businesses apparently did well

[crim son]

3. You said it before I had the chance! n/t

[HuskyOffset]

4. ^^ this ^^

I'll bet the prostitutes, strip clubs, and hotel porno channels saw a significant uptick in business. Family values indeed.

[SouthLouisianaWoman]

7. Male escorts are making crazy money at the RNC

Male prostitutes contacted by The Post said business is booming and Republican National Convention attendees — most of them married — are clamoring for their services.

...

One gigolo who charges $250 an hour said he’s been making about $800 per day since the convention kicked off — all from men visiting from Florida, Louisiana and Washington, DC.

...

But ladies of the night weren’t reaping the same benefits.When contacted by The Post, females for hire said they’re making much less money than normal.

“Has business been better for me? Honestly, no,” one woman said before abruptly hanging up the phone“Business is slower than usual,” said another. “I haven’t been getting any calls.”.


[link:http://nypost.com/2016/07/21/male-escorts-are-making-crazy-money-at-the-rnc/|

[irisblue]

10. I'm glad ~someone~made money.

[malthaussen]

11. Beat me to it. n/t

[Ilsa]

14. Yeah, instead of going out to eat, they huddled

In their rooms watching it, or got a lift to the strip joints after prayer meetings.

[msanthrope]

5. Anyone asked the hookers and hotel clerks? nt

[AllyCat]

6. Republicans are bad for business

[RapSoDee]

8. Republican VooDoo economics has a long track record of FAIL

...so this latest FAIL is hardly news...

[Historic NY]

9. Cheap bastards......

[gopiscrap]

12. that's what I was going to say

[Igel]

15. No, more like the way tourism works.

Anecdote to explain:

In Prague there are touristy places. It's where you go if you visit. Celetna and Staromestke namesti are often packed. If you head over towards the "new city" you find that you're among locals. There's an ant trail of tourists going between a few points--Old Town Square, Hradcany and bits of Mala Strana, over to Vaclavske namesti. Go a block or two away from where there are thousands of tourists and you find yourself pretty much alone. When I taught English there, my classroom overlooked Celetna, and few tourists went that far. Still, it was a nuisance and we closed the windows around 10-10:30 in the morning when they got loud. When class let out, we usually exited on the deserted street on the other side of the building. If a tourist was there, he was lost or trying a shortcut.

Brno was even worse. Not much tourism there, but still, even on the main street with all the tourists at some point they suddenly vanish. You look back and you see lots of people speaking German. Look ahead, and it's only Czech.

In Cleveland, those 4 blocks away from the center might as well have been 4 miles. If they'd advertised in a way that worked, perhaps it would have been better. But delegates were bused to the "Q" from a variety of places, not all downtown. They had no need to explore. And if downtown Cleveland's not really visitor friendly, the visitors won't stray far.

I'm sure that businesses where the people went did well. That would bring money into the economy, but not help smaller restaurants a bit off the beaten path.

[calimary]

13. Well, what else would you expect to see when the locusts come swarming into town?

[Javaman]

16. don't we hear this after every repuke convention? that they are notorious tightwads? nt

[olddad56]

17. It failed to deliver a human being as a candidate also.

[rockfordfile]

18. Tampa had a similar problem with republican convention

[GusBob]

19. I used to live in a NASCAR town.....

The service people would always complain about how cheap the race fans were.

Standard joke: what's the difference between a NASCAR fan and a canoe?


Canoes tip

[icv03985]

20. Not suprisingly

What happened economically (or lack there of) to Cleveland, is a microcosm of what the financial "genius" of Tump will do for our nations economics, if he wins.

[awoke_in_2003]

21. "A long a cobblestoned row of restaurants"

Damn, even Reuters cannot afford editors anymore.