CINCINNATI (AP) — Ohio’s Democratic candidate for
governor says LeBron James’ return to Cleveland boosts more than the
Cavaliers’ title chances.
Ed FitzGerald, chief executive of
Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, said Friday that after James
left for Miami four years ago, it cost the county millions in revenues
because of reduced attendance and downtown activity that hurt
restaurants, hotels and other entertainment venues. The northeastern
Ohio native’s return will help businesses and taxpayers, he said.
"This
is very good news for Ohio, and northeast Ohio in particular,"
FitzGerald said in an interview. "It really does help drive traffic and
visitors into the Cleveland area."
He said James’ return,
announced Friday, keeps Cleveland’s momentum going, with the NBA
superstar’s decision coming days after it was announced that Cleveland
was the top choice to host the 2016 Republican National Convention.
FitzGerald said he doesn’t expect the newly improved outlook for a
Cavalier playoff run to scuttle plans by the Republicans, who were
interested in a June 28 start date.
"There are ways to try to work
around that," said FitzGerald, who was in Cincinnati on Friday to
launch weekend campaigning in southern Ohio.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for his Republican opponent, Gov. John Kasich, saw economic benefits in James’
decision, too.
"It’s
been a week of great news for Cleveland, and it is, of course, great to
see Ohio create yet another job," Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said.
When
Kasich was running as the GOP nominee before James’s first decision, in
2010, he said he was more worried about thousands of Ohioans who had
lost their jobs than what James was going to do.
"I’m not singing
any chorus for LeBron James," Kasich said in a radio interview,
referring to a music video in which Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland
joined Cleveland celebrities in appealing for James to stay. Kasich said
he hoped James would remain with the Cavaliers, but the Ohio Democratic
Party responded by lumping Kasich with "Ohioans Against LeBron."
Then,
as governor, Kasich declared the Dallas Mavericks honorary Ohioans
after they delighted bitter Cavalier fans by defeating James’ Heat team
in the 2011 finals.
His resolution praised MVP Dirk Nowitzki’s
loyalty in foregoing his free agency to stay in Dallas, and said "the
proud city of Cleveland and the entire state of Ohio share in the
excitement of Dallas Mavericks fans everywhere."