Agency reports remarkable year

Port and Economic Development Authority poised to build on progress in new year

Mark Rantala, executive director of the Lake County Ohio Port and Economic Development Authority, doesn’t hold back when it comes to 2018, describing the year as “remarkable.”

“We played an instrumental role in the development of the Miracle League field (outside of Classic Park in Eastlake),” Rantala said. “And our efforts in 2015 with the hospitality study resulted in the construction of four new hotels, two in Madison and two in Concord, as well as the major renovation of the new Sheraton Four Points in Eastlake.”

In total, the Port Authority helped generate $50 million of new investments in the county and 436 new hotel rooms.

Recently, Cleveland-based commercial real estate agency Weston, Inc. broke ground on 130,000-square-foot speculative industrial building at Lost Nation Airport, the result of a concerted effort by the LCPA to

encourage industrial development in Lake County.

The total project cost will exceed $7 million and is anticipated to be complete by spring.

Additional highlights from 2018 Rantala noted were:

• The first coastal development project funded from the hotel bed tax, completed with the opening of the ADA-accessible kayak launch at Erie Road Park in Eastlake.

• A $50 million investment opening the Tapestry Wickliffe Assisted Living Facility, which opened with over 100 new jobs, located at the former Mosley Select Suites hotel.

“Operationally, we expanded our business retention and expansion outreach with the addition of Patrick Mohorcic,” Rantala said. “And Monica Drake joined the Port as shared economic development manager in a pilot program with Wickliffe, Willowick and Kirtland.

“We hope to continue with the coastal development efforts under the direction of Peter Zahirsky, and our public finance efforts will continue in 2019 with Tim Cahill.

The Port Authority also in 2018 began its “Better Flip” demonstration project in Wickliffe, an initiative created to make homes on the west end of the county more attractive to prospective millennial homeowners. The organization anticipates completion in 2019.

During the Port Authority’s last meeting of the year, original Board Member Christopher Madison announced his retirement. Madison had served since 2007.

Also significant, Rantala detailed, was the re-election of Chairman Art Lindrose, Vice-chairman John Uhran, and Secretary John Rampe.

“For 2019, we look forward to continued efforts to attract talent and develop the workforce in Lake County,” Rantala said.