Transportation and Mobility Committee - October 7, 2026

Cleveland City Council’s Transportation and Mobility Committee met October 7, 2026, and advanced emergency Ordinance 1042-2026 to the Finance Committee on a 6–1 vote. The ordinance would authorize adding a payroll-based rent credit to the IX Center lease negotiations; the committee clarified that a 49-year lease extension had already been authorized in 2024, and the vote concerned the incentive provision, not a finalized lease. Under the proposed structure, tenants’ combined payroll at the center would determine rent credits of 10% at $25–50 million, 15% at $50–75 million, and 20% at $75 million or more, with no credit below $25 million. The airport would still receive fair-market-value rent, with credits offset through a city subfund supported by revenues including income taxes. The current annual rent was reported as $2.7 million; the new rent remains subject to appraisal. The proposal is intended to encourage private investment and attract higher-wage employers. The administration also described recovering roughly 47–50 acres for airport use and additional lease protections, including limits on off-site parking and assignment. Council members requested the existing lease and a comparison with proposed terms for further review.

The committee then held an informational hearing on the future of Burke Lakefront Airport; no closure or procurement action was considered. Presenters advocated retaining and investing in the airport, citing its economic and medical-transport roles, workforce programs, and private investment potential. They proposed an FAA-funded airport master plan and discussed possible privately funded facilities and aviation infrastructure. The hearing did not result in a decision or commitment to fund those proposals.