HIMSS Innovation Center slated for October opening in Cleveland
From Nashville to Cleveland
HIMSS is ready for the October opening in Cleveland, Lieber says. The organization has planned for a launch of this type since 2010 when it announced plans to anchor the Nashville Medical Trade Center, which was slated to open in early 2013. HIMSS plans shifted to Cleveland when the developers could not make a go of the Nashville project. Unable to secure a critical mass of signed long-term leases, the Nashville developers abandoned their plans in October 2012. Cleveland officials had already contacted Lieber.
[See also: HIMSS to take anchor space in Nashville center and Nashville Medical Trade Center a no-go.]
Lieber and his team had considered three options for the HIMSS Innovation Center at the start – Nashville, Cleveland and New York. Back in 2010, Nashville seemed most aligned with HIMSS goals and Cleveland less focused on technology and innovation than it is today, Lieber says. Then there was no Global Center for Health Innovation in Cleveland. The effort was called the Cleveland Medical Mart, and it had its critics. They included the developers of Nashville’s center who told the Cleveland Plain Dealer back in 2011 that the Cleveland developers had nothing but a list of companies from the region with non-binding letters of intent.
[See also: Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center announces tenants.]
"Clevland has a bigger challenge establishing itself as a destination for a convention center and trade show," Lieber accedes. "It’s not in rotation yet like other cities."
However, the presence of the Cleveland Clinic and the completely refurbished state-of the art convention center will go a long way in attracting business, he suggests. "Then throw in the Global Center for Health Innovation, now you’ve got a real differentiator. The combination really creates a strong draw."
Cleveland Clinic will open the downtown facility Oct. 12, and conduct its internationally recognized Medical Innovation Summit at the center Oct. 14-16. This year, the event, which is expected to draw 1,100 participants, will focus on obesity and diabetes.
MedTech Media is a division of HIMSS Media, part of HIMSS.
