Bob Earley deserving of recognition

Rockin’ on the River promoter Bob Earley, who has helped to transform the city of Lorain into an entertainment destination, is quite deserving of his most recent award for his volunteer work at Western Reserve Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls.

In August, Crain’s Cleveland Business magazine named Earley a 2019 Health Care Hero; he received the award Aug. 29.

Earley staffs the desk two days a week and indulges in conversation with patients, visitors and other guests as they enter Western Reserve Hospital.

In late 2014, Earley announced he would bring his summer weekly concert series to Lorain from Cuyahoga Falls.

Before Earley and his wife, Sandy, came to Lorain, the once thriving manufacturing city had encountered hard and difficult times.

After his arrival in Lorain, a revitalization had started, especially in downtown.

Some of the renaissance can be attributed to Earley and his concert series that draws in thousands of fans weekly to the Lorain Port Authority’s Black River Landing.

On Oct. 3, 2014, Earley met with about 50 people during a breakfast meeting sponsored by the Lorain Growth Corp. at the Lorain Palace Theater to discuss what he believed the concerts would do for Lorain the next summer.

Earley had a vision for downtown and said the concerts could be a catalyst for people returning to the area and to Black River Landing, which he said is the most beautiful site he has laid his eyes on in Ohio.

Rockin’ on the River started in 1986 in Cuyahoga Falls. It first drew about 2,500 people.

Within a few short years, that number doubled and Earley started the city on a path of prosperity.

Earley told the group at the breakfast the same thing could happen in Lorain.

And what happened in Cuyahoga Falls is starting to occur in downtown Lorain.

During Rockin’ on the River’s stay in Cuyahoga Falls, a Sheraton was built and it became the second highest rated hotel in the country in the company’s chain, city officials improved a walkway and built an amphitheater, and businesses popped up.

Well, the new Ariel on Broadway hotel and event center in Lorain will open this year and a streetscape project with wider sidewalks is near completion.

Several restaurants have opened and more are slated to open this year and next.

People are flocking to downtown Lorain, and Earley is a big part of the success.

In 2014, Earley said his concerts could draw 5,000 to 7,000 people, and largely they have.

This year, Rockin’ on the River broke attendance records on at least two occasions with more than 8,000 partygoers at the Black River Landing.

Five years ago, Earley said it was an exciting time for Lorain, especially for people with the entrepreneurial spirit because they could start businesses and existing ones could get better.

Five years ago, Earley told us the concerts raised $340,000 for nonprofits in the Cuyahoga Falls area.

Since being in Lorain, Earley estimated Rockin’ on the River has raised more than $250,000 for local nonprofits.

So far this year, Rockin’ on the River has donated $50,000 to local nonprofits where volunteers manned the beer booths during the concerts. Not bad.

Five years ago, Earley said Rockin’ on the River had been good neighbors with Cuyahoga Falls.

Lorain certainly has been good neighbors with Rockin’ on the River.

City leaders put up better signage to guide visitors to Black River Landing, and there are free parking areas downtown.

In 2014, Earley said he could have gone to any one of eight other places, but he saw what Lorain was made of and the hospitality that the Lorainites showed him.

Upon meeting Lorain officials and residents, Earley said he grew to realize his first impression of the shuttered steel mills was a misperception.

By the time of their third visit to Lorain, they looked at those steel mills and realized that was the heart and pride of the city.

Lorain is a better place because of the Earleys and their commitment to the International City.

Yes, they are business people who want to make money.

But they’ve also provided jobs, including those in security and maintenance, and their vendors have their own employees.

The Earleys donated money to foundations and nonprofits to improve the lives of others.

We congratulate Bob Earley for his honor for volunteering at Western Reserve Hospital.

But he also deserves recognition for helping to transform downtown Lorain.