Cleveland Rising

Official Review by Martin Rickman, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

The Cleveland Cavaliers have seen a lot of changes since a certain player made a certain decision in July of 2010. Most notably, the product on the court got pretty bad - and fast.

Fortunately for Cavs fans, help was on the way. After trading Mo Williams and Jamario Moon for Baron Davis's albatross of a contract and the Clippers' first round pick, and owning the second-worst record in the league, the Cavs netted the first and fourth pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Those two picks became Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, and the rebuild was on.

Although there will be growing pains, and lots of them, the future is bright in Cleveland. And, it will play out at Quicken Loans Arena, home to the youth-filled Cavaliers. The Q is a top-flight arena, and shows owner Dan Gilbert's commitment to providing a slick and exciting product as the team on the court grows into a playoff contender once again.

Food & Beverage    4

Having an Iron Chef in town does wonders for a team's dining options. Michael Symon has two restaurants in Quicken Loans Arena. B Spot has gourmet burgers at a relatively good price point, while Bar Symon on the club level has solid ambience and does bar food right.

Aside from the typical nachos, pizza, beer and hot dogs, you can also get Quaker Steak and Lube wings, although they are not really worth the extra cost just to eat them in the arena.

Atmosphere    4

Even though Lebron James is no longer donning the wine and gold, watching basketball at Gund "?? err Quicken Loans Arena "?? is still an incredible experience. Every seat offers a good view and the whole game remains a spectacle. A DJ spins before the game, during timeouts and at halftime, fire and thunderous bass erupt during pregame, an old-school mic drops for player introductions, and a step team provides entertainment at breaks.

It sometimes is a bit of overkill, and you can't hear yourself think, but there's a definite commitment to providing atmosphere from the time you walk in until you leave.

Neighborhood    4

Cleveland has a long way to go, but steps are being taken to making the downtown a tourist destination. The East Fourth neighborhood has a lot of good bars and restaurants, from the House of Blues for live shows, to Lola for a good meal, to Corner Alley for bowling. Euclid Avenue is being built up a bit more as well.

The Warehouse District has one of the best bars in Cleveland, Gillespie's Map Room. Featuring good pizza and bartenders with attitude, Map Room is a lot of fun.

Prospect Avenue is home to the Winking Lizard, one of my favorite regional chains in the area. The Liz has all-around good food, cheap wings on Mondays and Tuesdays and an awe-inspiring beer selection.

If you have a car, crossing the bridge to Ohio City is a good idea. Great Lakes Brewing Company is there, and has some of the best brews in the Midwest. Happy Dog's is a hot dog place on steroids. There are an endless number of toppings and combinations to make a truly special dog, with plenty of dipping sauces to complement some tasty tater tots.

Fans    5

Cleveland fans have been to hell and back, and still haven't had a championship since 1964 to show for it. They fly off the handle at times, as there is a lot of passion and pent-up energy inside all of them, but there are few cities that show as much pride for their city as CLE.

They stand, they cheer hard, and when the Q is rocking, it's electric.

Access    5

I have not been to one other city where I can park for $5 just two blocks from an arena (Key Bank Garage), leave a game and get on an interstate highway (I-77) in fewer than 10 minutes. It's remarkable. Cleveland gets a bad rap, but I'll be darned if being "??down"?? doesn't have its benefits at times.

Return on Investment    5

I was able to go to opening night in the NBA, park and eat dinner for just $35. How could I possibly beat that anywhere else?

Extras    4

The Cavs' impressive video board nets a point. Comfy seats with good cup holders and a prompt, attentive staff gets one more. Great Lakes Christmas Ale deserves a point. And the booming Cleveland culinary scene throws another their way.

Final Thoughts

Cleveland has seen its share of heartbreaks. Fortunately for the city and for the NBA, Quicken Loans Arena is not one of them. It is simply an economical, wonderful place to watch basketball.

Some Clevelander help me out: What on God\'s green Earth happened on Tues.? Why did the home court a

Some Clevelander help me out: What on God's green Earth happened on Tues.? Why did the home court advantage not propel the boys to a win?

by jmccurdy | May 13, 2010 10:48 AM

The Q may be the arena I am most interested in seeing in 2010, if only because fans could be anywher

The Q may be the arena I am most interested in seeing in 2010, if only because fans could be anywhere from enraged to completely absent. Definitely on the early must visit list. Plus, I would love to do my part to visit the great downtown area that has emerged around the Q and Progressive Field. It would be a shame to see that revitalization get squashed.

by paul | Jul 21, 2010 07:23 AM

Area around - Progressive Field/The Q

Paul -

I loved the area around Progressive Field. The Q was right next door. I'm trying to find a website that captures all that (restaurants, bars, history). I found these two:

http://www.cleveland.com/gateway/ or maybe this one: http://cleveland.about.com/od/restaurantsandnightspots/p/efourth.htm

Neither of those websites really capture the 'feel' of the area (which is similiar to LoDo in Denver) around game time.

Maybe Daniel knows of better sites.

I just loved the area around Progressive Field before an Indians game. I suspect a Cavs game would be the same.

Meg

by megminard | Mar 08, 2011 04:20 PM

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