Rock Hall Induction Coming Back to Cleveland

Press release from City hall:

From the Mayor's Office:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 19, 2007

Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson partners with Rock Hall to hold 2009 Inductions in Cleveland Induction ceremony and other major initiatives support Rock Hall’s mission

CLEVELAND – Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson, City Council President Martin Sweeney, Joel Peresman, President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Terry Stewart, President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, were joined by Rock Hall Board Members to announce today that the 2009 Rock Hall Inductions would be held in Cleveland in March 2009, with the option of bringing them back to the City every three years. In addition, the Rock Hall announced additional measures designed to support its mission and capital campaign.

“The Rock Hall is one of Cleveland’s many assets that showcase our city as a great destination. Having the induction ceremonies return to Cleveland is a major accomplishment that will put our city in the national spotlight and provide a real economic return to Northeast Ohio,” said Mayor Jackson. “I look forward to welcoming all who will take part in the 2009 Induction Ceremony and showing off all that Cleveland has to offer.”

Mayor Jackson will work with the Greater Cleveland community to show the Rock Hall Foundation that we are willing and ready to bring the ceremonies home.

Plans to hold induction ceremonies in Cleveland are a direct result of the leadership that Joel Peresman, who became president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in 2006, and the efforts of Mayor Jackson to make the inductions a priority event for the City of Cleveland.

“The Foundation is fervently committed to the continued success of this institution, and recognizes the significance of the ceremony for Cleveland,” Terry Stewart said. “The commitment by Joel Peresman – coupled with the dedication from Mayor Frank Jackson, the County Commissioners and the Rock Hall’s Cleveland Board of Directors – were key in getting the ceremony back to Cleveland in 2009. We look forward to working with the community’s public and private leadership to provide the support and execution that a world-class event like this deserves.”

Details about the 2009 ceremonies are expected to be announced in the spring of 2008. The Foundation sponsors and hosts the induction ceremonies, which generally have been held in New York and are its principal fund-raiser. The ceremonies were previously held in Cleveland in 1997. This year, the combined appeal of the Museum’s eclectic collection and special exhibits – including those exploring the early career of the Beach Boys, the Van’s Warped Tour and celebrations of the 40th anniversaries of The Doors and the Monterey Pop Festival – have boosted attendance by approximately 10 percent. The Museum’s annual economic impact on the region is estimated at $107 million, per Team NEO, an economic development organization in Cleveland.

To further its development efforts, the Rock Hall also announced today that:

The Museum has established a long-term strategic plan in support of its mission while building an internationally recognized brand. Initially, this will include expansion of digital outreach efforts and plans for exhibition space in Memphis and New York City. The space will house traveling exhibits, further extend the Rock Hall’s reach and promote visitation to the Museum in Cleveland.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation today presented a check for $8 million to support the Museum’s $35 million capital campaign.

The capital campaign has raised $20 million toward its $35 million goal. The campaign, which reflects an investment in Cleveland as the “Rock and Roll Capital of the World,” will provide for a permanent Library and Archives on the campus of Cuyahoga Community College, renovation of the Museum’s interior and establish an operating reserve to solidify the institution’s future.