According to a new report released by Forbes Magazine, Cleveland ranks last when it comes to job creation among 71 major U.S. cities.
The reportcites stagnant population growth and continued levels of out-migration as major reasons for difficulty in attracting new jobs to the city.
Amy Hanauer, Executive Director with Policy Matters Ohio, told News 5, education and transportation are other factors in Cleveland's poor job creation performance.
"I don't think Cleveland is known for great job creation," said Hanauer.
"We've really declined in our education spending, and our schools have gone down as a result."
"We rank near the bottom in what we spend on transit. So if a company wants to come somewhere, they want to know they can get well-trained workers. They want to know that those folks can get to work."
Hanauer told News 5 re-purposing key land resources is also critical in attracting major companies to the city.
She believes the city should also re-examine the importance of Burke Lakefront Airport, that perhaps the lakefront property could be put to better use.
Cleveland Councilman Tony Brancatelli agreed the city economic development department could do more in helping to create new jobs.
Brancatelli pointed to the 65-acres cleared as a jobs ready site near I-77 and Pershing Avenue, and the continued development of Steel Yard Commons, which he said could generate 1000 new jobs over the next 5 years.
But Brancatelli said much more needs to be done, that Cleveland has the potential to attract the headquarters of major companies in the near future.
"We understand that the job growth market is really critical for the health of our region," said Brancatelli.
"We really need to recruit, clear the deck, find opportunities for people to come in."
"After the 2008 market crash, the federal government picked winners and losers, and we lost."
"We lost a lot of major headquarters in consolidations. So it's up to us now to start revisiting that again, and say how do we get some of these folks back."
