CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns aren’t the only team from Northeast Ohio across the pond this weekend. Other groups are hoping to use the London game as a recruiting tool to sell Cleveland to potential investors and tourists.
“I think just seeing the passion of the Browns fans who will be at this tailgate, that is lightning in a bottle,” said Emily Lauer.
The vice president of communications and public relations for Destination Cleveland is in London, showcasing what Northeast Ohio has to offer. The nonprofit is already running a social media campaign that highlights Cleveland's sports and culture.
It’s also working with Browns Backers to host a tailgate and gameday experience for British travel agents and journalists.
“Let’s call it a simulated experience of what a true Browns experience is like. I don’t know that we’re going to get a muni lot experience on Sunday,” Lauer laughed.
She explained Destination Cleveland wants to put Northeast Ohio on the radar of international travelers, pointing to a direct flight between Cleveland Hopkins and Dublin.
“I’m able to talk about how accessible Cleveland is from the UK and Ireland, how affordable it is compared to those big cities and what an amazing experience we have for their travelers,” she said.
While American football gives Brits a taste of Northeast Ohio, economic development groups say the region’s workforce, location and natural resources are all selling points for overseas companies.
“We are seen as a manufacturing center so that comes up pretty quickly. We are on the exact line of where growing stops and population starts,” said Christine Nelson, the vice president of project management and site strategies for Team NEO.
The organization and JobsOhio also sent a team to the UK for the game.
Nelson recently talked to News 5 about a Lorain County mega-site. She said it’s among the projects being pitched to European companies and investors.
“Absolutely, yes, yes. This is on the marketing sheets that are going out right now,” she said.
She explained Northeast Ohio is centrally located for companies looking to get their footing in the U.S. market. The region is also near several universities and numerous population centers with skilled workers.
Local companies, like the Cleveland Clinic, already have established relationships overseas and are helping facilitate conversations with clients abroad.
“We’re using this opportunity, when there’s a lot of Cleveland happening in London right now and in the UK, to also pitch the story to those business owners and executives about why Cleveland is a good place for them to have a footprint in the US,” Nelson said.
Both Team NEO and Destination Cleveland agreed that the Browns game is an opportunity to showcase what many in Northeast Ohio already know.
“It really is a huge opportunity to leverage that and get people excited about Cleveland,” Lauer said.
