CLEVELAND — Filming for the new Superman movie in downtown Cleveland is in full swing. While the Greater Cleveland Film Commission said this is an economic win for the city, road blockages and heavy traffic are getting intense for some residents and visitors.
You can’t miss the signs downtown Cleveland reading "detour" or "no parking" filling the streets. Starting Friday, Euclid Avenue from East 18th Street through East 21st Street will be closed for filming, blocking roadside entrances to many businesses like Vape Land.
Store owner Adnan Khayt said he’s not too worried about losing foot traffic.
“Maybe we will be in the movie, it would be kind of cool to be,” said Khayt.
Down the road to Public Square, which is closing Monday for filming, visitors from Akron thought parking for a concert Thursday was a pain.
“For parking they have road parking blocked off,” said Dominic Boni. “You can clearly tell whether it’s the crew or placing all the stuff they have. It’s blocked off the side of the road, so street parking, it’s a little bit tough.”
President of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, Bill Garvey, assured any frustrated downtown residents or visitors the temporary closures for filming are worth it.
“We want as much of that money coming to Cleveland and spending here creating jobs in Northeast Ohio as possible,” Garvey said.
Garvey said when directors bring their films to Cleveland, they must use local vendors to even quality for the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit.
“Think plumbers and electricians and locksmiths, dry cleaners and restaurants and hotels, all that stuff, all that the people obviously need to interact with the community and buy stuff here in order to make the movie,” said Garvey. “That's the economic engine, that's the driver that we're talking about.”
In the last 15 years, 300 productions have been made in Ohio. However, Garvey said this has been the commission's best year yet, attracting over $147 million in total production budgets. He added though, this year’s success doesn't stop with Superman.
“Look for more to come, a lot more,” said Garvey. “There are several projects that are already approved for tax incentives that are coming in behind this one here.”
Due to filming, Public Square will be fully closed starting Monday, July 1-5. This includes Rebol, the splash pad, and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Public Square reopens on July 6.
