Draft:FWD (club)
FWD (pronounced "Forward")[1] is a seasonal outdoor nightclub and dayclub located in Cleveland, Ohio, within The Flats. The club was conceived in 2015 by Bobby Rutter and Michael Schwartz, and was first opened by the Forward Hospitality Group, a company named for the club, though the group sold it off in 2025 to Ethos Hospitality Group. FWD has been nicknamed "the Ibiza of the Midwest", and according to Schwartz was inspired by nightclubs in Las Vegas.[2]
History
[edit]Cleveland's Flats has been the target of proposals for nightclubs since 2011 by two property developers, the Wolstein Group and Fairmount Properties. FWD is a seasonal entertainment venue designed to evoke Las Vegas or South Beach, situated on the Cuyahoga River. Its distinctive design features 9.5-foot-tall shipping containers forming the walls of the 15,000-square-foot club, which includes a covered stage, VIP area, and cabanas.
FWD, spearheaded by attorney Rutter and club entrepreneur Schwartz, plans to host DJs from major cities and operate from mid-May through October on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, with potential weekend afternoon hours. In the off-season, the venue will be dismantled and secured.
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- ^ Michelle Jarboe, The Plain Dealer (2014-07-22). "Plans for Flats East Bank seasonal club, called FWD, show shipping containers, open-air dance floor". cleveland. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ Michelle Jarboe, The Plain Dealer (2014-07-22). "Plans for Flats East Bank seasonal club, called FWD, show shipping containers, open-air dance floor". cleveland. Retrieved 2025-06-12.