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🚀 Rocket Arena Takes Off

🚀 Rocket Arena Takes Off

February 19, 2025

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Good morning, Cleveland! This is The 216 Scoop, telling you winter’s like a bad Netflix series—slow to start, but the drama’s worth it. ❄️🍿 Stay cozy, because we’ve got the hottest news ready to binge! 🔥

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In today’s 216 Scoop Edition:

Homestretch begins: Cavs have 28 games to get ready for playoffs
National Geographic names Cleveland a Top Ten place to explore
No more FieldHouse: Rocket Arena is born
W is for women: New sports bar to open in Detroit-Shoreway
Frontier readies for take-off: New $29 flights from Hopkins
John Petkovic, Mark Espinosa, Victor Takakura

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IN THE NEWS

Homestretch begins: Cavs have 28 games to get ready for playoffs

Photos via Cleveland Cavaliers

All-Star Weekend is over. Now, it’s on to business for the Cavs.

The team has 28 games left and is on pace to win 67 games – which would break the franchise record of 66 games set in 2008-2009.

But the Cavs will be judged on their playoffs performance and Coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged that last week: “Let’s start really narrowing in and focusing in on what’s going to help us in the playoffs. And I do think that changes from our beginning of the season.”

Here are the issues confronting the team heading into the final stretch, which starts Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets

De’Andre Hunter: The team’s new forward must be integrated into the offense and defense. He will play an integral role defending wings like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the playoffs and play at the end of games. But will he start? Atlanta had him coming off the bench to control his minutes due to his injury history. The Cavs don’t have that luxury with the clock ticking on the regular season.

Dean Wade: The team’s most efficient contributor is out with a knee injury. He could’ve played before the all-star break, though. Atkinson isn’t rushing him back because he needs him healthy for the playoffs.

Resting vs. winning: The Cavs have top seed in the Eastern Conference and want home-court advantage against the Celtics. But Atkinson’s priority will be to keep Donovan Mitchell – who is averaging 31 minutes a game, the lowest of his career -- and the rest of his core four fresh for the playoffs. The Cavs have a 5.5 game lead over the Celtics, which gives him a cushion. The Cavs’ schedule features three stretches of five games in seven nights and one is a West Coast road trip. Expect the team to take some losses in order to rest guys.

Matchups: So far, Atkinson has paired up Evan Mobley with Mitchell and Jarrett Allen with Darius Garland. Will Hunter play more with Mobley or Allen? He has 28 games to figure it out.

Three-point shooting: Cleveland is the best three-point team in the NBA, but the playoffs are a different animal. Atkinson will adjust the game plan down the stretch to incorporate more mid-range scoring by Mitchell and Hunter.

Rotations: Atkinson has gone with a 10-man rotation. He will cut it down to eight during the playoffs. Expect Sam Merrill, Isaac Okoro and Jaylon Tyson to see less time in the post-season.

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National Geographic names Cleveland a Top Ten place to explore

Photos courtesy National Geographic, Fidelity Hotel, Cleveland Hotel, Karamu House, DC Comics and West Side Market

Towering mountains of the Andes. Tribal elders in Namibia. Majestic water falls of Vietnam.

Usually, we associate National Geographic with such natural wonders. But, alas, the world geography and history magazine is now exploring and raving about the natural and man-made wonders of… Cleveland.

A new travel guide ranks the city the 7th best destination for family-friendly vacations in the U.S. Entries include cities and areas with striking deserts, mountains and beaches and accompanying amenities.

For Cleveland, Nat Geo writes: “Cuyahoga Valley National Park is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a year-long series of family-friendly events. The city’s waterfront is also being transformed with new parks, enhanced Lake Erie access, and expanded biking trails, making the city an appealing urban outdoor destination.”

Atlas Obscura and Frommer’s have also recently highlighted CVNP as a must-see destination.

Nat Geo also focuses on Cleveland’s iconic man-made amenities – West Side Market and Karamu House, along with the just-opened Fidelity Hotel and the recently-renovated Hotel Cleveland. And it recommends a tour of sites that appear in the upcoming Superman film.

It’s not uncommon for travel sites to run tidbits on Cleveland. But the city has increasingly been touted as an undiscovered gem.

No more FieldHouse: Rocket Arena is born

Photo courtesy of Rocket Arena

It’s not as short as The Q, but it’s definitely snappier the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Dan Gilbert’s Rocket Entertainment Group has changed the name of home of the Cavs and Monsters to Rocket Arena.

“The change aligns with the brand restage of naming rights partner Rocket, which has unified its mortgage, real estate and personal finance businesses under the ‘Rocket’ name. This marks the most visible, impactful and permanent element of the Rocket brand refresh to date,” Rock Entertainment announced in a press release.

Aside from all that, it makes sense on a different level. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse was a mouthful. And the FieldHouse part of it was a bit eccentric. After all, there are no fields amid the concrete of downtown.

The facility, which opened in 1994 as Gund Arena, underwent a $185 million renovation in 2019. Rock Entertainment will celebrate the rebrand with “special in-game activations” during upcoming Cavs and Monsters games.

W is for women: New sports bar to open in Detroit-Shoreway

Photo courtesy W Sports Bar

Cleveland is reportedly set to get a WNBA team in 2028. But there will be a place where you can watch women’s sports a lot sooner than that.

This Spring, the W Sports Bar is coming to the former Banter spot in Detroit-Shoreway.

“With an elevated menu, specialty drinks menu, and thoughtfully curated experiences, The W Sports Bar is a one-of-a-kind experience for all,” W management announced.

It’s the brain-child of Cassy Kopp and Ally Eclarin, of State Champs, and Shelley Pippin, co-owner of Brewnuts, located two blocks away, on the corner of West 65th Street and Detroit Avenue.

The trio has been planning the bar-restaurant for months, but waited until finding a location before making an official announcement.

“The W Sports Bar is Cleveland’s first and only women’s sports bar, proudly 100% woman-founded. We prioritize women’s sports and equality on our screens,” according to W.

Expect a lot of Caitlin Clark on the tube. The WNBA Rookie of the Year has ushered in a new era for the league – not to mention record $250 million bids for league franchises.

Clark’s nationally televised appearances averaged 1.18 million viewers per game, while all other WNBA outings drew a relatively subdued 394,000.

The 216 Rundown

Sun is setting on Otani

The area has seen a number of new restaurants open in the last decade. Otani was one of the first.

Since 1978, the Mayfield Heights restaurant in Golden Gate Plaza has turned countless Clevelanders on to Japanese cuisine.

But the end is near: Owner Janet Lee is retiring and Otani will close its doors on March 16.

Travel guru Rick Steves takes a trip to Parma

Cleveland has gotten raves from travel and exploration sites of late. Hmm, I wonder what Rick Steves thinks?

At 7 p.m. tonight, you’ll have a chance to ask him. The travel guru will appear at Parma-Snow Branch (2121 Snow Road) to share his experiences and discuss his book, "On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer."

Admission is $30. For tickets, go here.

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NOTES ON A COCKTAIL NAPKIN

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Photo courtesy Frontier Airlines

Frontier readies for take-off: New $29 flights from Hopkins

Frontier Airlines is expanding service from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

The low-cost carrier will offer three weekly flights to Boston Logan International Airport (starting May 22) and Nashville International Airport (May 23)

“We can’t wait to offer an affordable and comfortable journey to both Ohioans traveling to Boston and Nashville, as well as incoming tourists excited to explore The Rock and Roll Capital of the World,” the airline said in a statement.

Frontier is offering promotional fares that start at $29 flights to celebrate the dates. To qualify, tickets must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 24, with travel from May 15 to August 18

Old Stone Church and the Terminal Tower, Feb. 1961

Photo courtesy Cleveland Memory Project

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WEATHER

Wednesday - 02/19
20°F 🌡️ 16°F | ☁️ | 0% | 💨 NW 15 mph (13 knots)

Thursday - 02/20
22°F 🌡️ 17°F | ❄️ | 80% | 💨 NW 15 mph (13 knots)

Friday - 02/21
25°F 🌡️ 20°F | ☁️ | 20% | 💨 NW 10 mph (9 knots)

Note: This forecast is based on data from weather.com.

Live Shows in the 216

The 216 Sports Area

Upcoming Games

Cavaliers
Away vs. Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20
Home vs. New York Knicks, 7:00 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21

Cleveland Monsters
Away vs. Rochester Americans, 7:05 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 19

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