Community leaders were worried about staffing challenges at restaurants, bars, hotels and other hospitality venues during the NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland in February 2022. The industry is still facing challenges a year and a half later.CLEVELAND, Ohio – It was in the lead up to the NBA All-Star Game in early 2022 that the problem became a crisis: Cleveland’s hospitality industry was so woefully understaffed that civic leaders weren’t sure the city could successfully pull off the event.
* One in 10 jobs in Cuyahoga County – 67,276 in 2022 -- is in the leisure and hospitality industry, which includes restaurants, bars, hotels, museums, sports venues, music venues and other attractions. That number, however, is down from 72,765 in 2019, indicating an ongoing staffing crunch for restaurants and other businesses.
In Hamilton County, there are 62 hospitality workers for every 1,000 residents; in Franklin, that number is 52 workers per 1,000 residents. And in Cuyahoga County, there are 33 hospitality workers per 1,000 residents. And it’s not just about providing more places for people to eat and drink. A vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene is key to any growing, prosperous community.
The county is working with the nonprofit Fund for our Economic Future, along with other organizations including Destination Cleveland, to come up with potential solutions to specific problems facing the industry. Those solutions may include improving access to child care, public transportation and other barriers to employment.
In addition to chronicling the economic impact of the hospitality industry, the Baldwin Wallace study also reached out to employers and workers in the industry to find out how they feel about their workplaces and the future.