Ritz-Carlton Cleveland Begins Major Renovation

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Leave it to a newcomer to set the bar this high.

New general manager Yael Ron, who arrived in Cleveland just two months ago, predicts the Ritz-Carlton, celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year, will become the top-rated hotel in the Midwest.

But first: a long overdue, top-to-bottom renovation of what has long been considered the most opulent of Cleveland accommodations.

Landing the Ritz-Carlton was considered a coup for Cleveland in the early 1990s. It opened as part of what was then the high-end Tower City Center retail complex, on the top nine floors of a 14-story office building adjacent to the mall.

But in recent years, the hotel has shifted its focus. Since 2011, the Ritz-Carlton has been owned by companies affiliated with Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and JACK Cleveland Casino, located across the mall from the hotel. It has become largely a casino hotel, setting aside a big percentage of its rooms for casino high rollers.

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