I’m going to say it. I think Clevelanders are being bamboozled by the people pushing for the Medical Mart. They are promising things that are far more optimistic than they can deliver on, and when questioned about it they lash out and tell us that they are our last hope for a dying city. Mr. Kennedy’s remarks that no one wants to do business in Cleveland, and that the only reason he was building the Medical Mart in Cleveland was because of Tim Hagan’s friendship, were nothing short of insulting

The reason I am offended by those comments is that I see a lot of great things happening in this region. When I go to events at OAI, i-Open, Science Cafe, Case Western Reserve University, and other places, I hear about advanced technologies that are putting Ohio on the map. We are home to key players in medical imaging, alternate energy, prosthetics, brain stimulation and neural interfacing, and much more. Our region has an exceptional density of research institutions, tech startups, advanced technology companies, and medical facilities. We are seeing collaborations between many institutions that are producing results far beyond what any one of them can achieve independently.

Northeast Ohio has its share of problems, including political corruption, economic problems, dying industries, a shortage of well educated laborers, and a pessimistic outlook. But I am tired of people looking to The Next Big Project, such as the Medical Mart, as the one thing that is going to bring everyone back. We need to play more to the strengths of the advanced technologies being developed here, our access to one of the largest supplies of fresh water in the world, and a pleasant way of life. And we shouldn’t take abuse from people who think we are desperate enough to give in to their every demand.