Pressure mounts as enrollment drops Northeast Ohio colleges are challenged by falling class sizes and rising financial shortfalls By Paige Bennett
Construction is well underway on a 100,000-square-foot athletic and event center on John Carroll University’s campus in University Heights. Slated to open in winter 2025, the facility’s features will
include a 200-meter indoor track, multi-purpose courts and a stateof-the-art exercise science lab. It’s one of several ongoing or recently completed facility improvement projects at the private Jesuit university, and it aligns with the university’s Inspired Fu-
tures strategy, an initiative introduced by JCU president Al Miciak that focuses on boosting the university’s academic portfolio while enhancing student experiences on campus — for a good reason. Today, colleges and universities have to be innovative as they
prepare for their futures. Enrollment and financial pressures, coupled with changing attitudes and demographics, have put significant strains on the U.S. higher education sector, particularly
In a changing landscape for higher education, Northeast Ohio colleges and universities are pivoting to set themselves apart.
See ENROLLMENT on Page 16
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How Joann amassed the debt that pushed it into bankruptcy By Jeremy Nobile
Amid piles of debt, changing consumer habits, softening sales and rising costs, fabric and craft retailer Joann Inc’s bankruptcy was seemingly a matter of when, not if. Hudson-based Joann filed its prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases on Monday, March 18, to restructure and reduce a nearly $1.1 billion debt load by roughly half. The business plans to come out
the other side of this restructuring — which does not itself include explicitly baked-in layoffs or closures of its roughly 830 stores — with $132 million in new financing and $505 million less in debt. With lenders apparently cooperating, the company said it expects an exceptionally quick trip through the bankruptcy process that could wrap up as soon as late April. See JOANN on Page 17
The Cleveland Cavaliers unveiled their first renderings of the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center. | CONTRIBUTED
Cavs aim to build momentum with downtown training facility By Joe Scalzo
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When the Cleveland Cavaliers partnered with the Cleveland Clinic and Bedrock Real Estate on a new downtown practice facility, they weren’t just looking to build a training center. They wanted to build momentum. “It’s really about creating sustainable momentum for the
community here, not only in Cleveland but across the entire region,” said Nic Barlage, the CEO of the Cavaliers, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and the Rock Entertainment Group. “And we want to do it in a way that leaves a positive impression and a lasting legacy for years to come.” On Tuesday, March 26, the city got its first look at that vi-
sion as the Cavs, Cleveland Clinic and Bedrock Real Estate revealed the first official renderings of the 210,000-squarefoot Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center, which will be the first vertical development for Bedrock’s $3.5 billion Cuyahoga Riverfront Master Plan. See CAVS on Page 18
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