Cleveland: public officials AND criminals give welcome to tourists

In an October 15 editorial, the Cleveland Plain Dealer is singing the praises of reformers who are promising to root out corruption in the Greater Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"The bureau - which gets more than four-fifths of its budget from taxes on hotel guests - was rocked last spring by news reports of spending on travel, meals and sports outings that seemed to benefit bureau executives and board members while doing little to bring more visitors to Cleveland."

"Greater Cleveland needs a tourism bureau that is nimble and entrepreneurial, that more aggressively courts visitors and small professional meetings and that gives the public the best possible return on its considerable investment."

"It's encouraging, then, to see the Greater Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau taking a hard look at both its past practices and its future opportunities."

We wish the Plain Dealer's editors would take a look at how continued opposition to concealed carry reform can effect tourism...

October 13, 2003: Men claiming to be deputies rob hotel guests

...or at how openly carrying citizens might be viewed by tourists visiting our state. Most toursist, of course, will be much more familiar with the CONCEALED firearms they are used to NOT seeing in their home states.