Destination Cleveland’s Major Initiatives

Illuminate CLE is transforming the look and feel of Downtown through bold, immersive lighting displays that bring color, motion and energy to Public Square and beyond. Partnering with K&D Management, we're building on the legacy of the Terminal Tower's legendary light displays for a diverse and vibrant outdoor lighting experience. This is just the beginning. The glow will expand into neighborhoods and districts across Cleveland, reconnecting the city through light.

But this isn’t just about aesthetics. Illuminate CLE brings real benefits to the community:

• Boosts the feeling of safety

• Highlights key attractions, experiences and investments

• Encourages more visits from locals and travelers alike

• Keeps Downtown buzzing well into the night

• Strengthens connections between neighborhoods

• Sparks property investment and infrastructure upgrades

We’re turning up the brightness, building stronger bonds and giving Clevelanders and visitors a new reason to fall in love with The Land after dark.

We know that passionate Clevelanders who advocate for The Land help make a powerful impact on visitors and residents.

That’s why Destination Cleveland created several local coalitions for Greater Cleveland residents to get involved and make a significant difference in our community.

Each coalition is designed to empower residents and businesses to move Cleveland’s visitor economy forward by connecting residents, potential visitors, meeting planners, hospitality businesses and talent — further progressing Cleveland for us all.

Helping visitors make the most of their time in The Land is a top priority. Our CLE Concierge team shares their love for all things Cleveland through nearly 10,000 interactions each year with visitors from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Recommended things to do often include authentic Cleveland experiences — from organized tours to exploring The Land through themed passports.

Adding to that, our team launched a refreshed experiences program in 2023. This initiative is focused on consistently engaging with residents and businesses to co-create memorable moments to draw visitors into and around the region for evergreen and curated experiences and excusions. 

For Cleveland to thrive in a global economy and be recognized as a high-performing, growing and diverse metro, we need to do two things: attract new talent and keep the incredible people already here. And that takes all of us.

The Cleveland Talent Alliance is a coalition of public, private and nonprofit organizations working together to make that happen. Our initial focus is on talent attraction and retention in Cleveland’s fast-growing section, including IT and tech (including financial services); healthcare; and smart manufacturing.

With billions in new development, a wave of innovation, a rising startup culture and a cost of living that doesn’t crush your dreams, Cleveland is becoming one of the most exciting places in the country to live and work.

Ready to make your move? The Move to Cleveland page is your one-stop shop for everything you need to call The Land home.

At Destination Cleveland, we’re taking control of the Cleveland narrative by embracing what we love about The Land. As part of our larger brand strategy, we are tapping into Cleveland’s greatest asset — our people. The characters of our city showcase our loyalty and reinforce our authenticity. It’s called, “The Land for Life.”

Through the brand campaign, we’ve breathed new life into the message we’ve always sent about The Land. With an emphasis on reaching people who love nightlife and experiences, we’re targeting new out-of-region markets with our branded advertisements, social campaigns, media, newsletters, podcasting and storytelling.