Serving the community since 2014
By Aimee Robinette
The Bolivar Bullet
Cleveland Event Center, LLC, remains a place to make memories and celebrate good times.
The center opened in September 2014, when Kenneth and Gwen Thomas hosted the first event which involved a retirement celebration for a Lt. Colonel — a member of their family. From that point on, they have hosted events such as engagement parties, weddings, wedding receptions, baby showers, birthday parties, ‘Sweet Sixteen’ parties, graduation celebrations, anniversary celebrations, class reunions, and retirement parties.
“We have also hosted various religious events, and training and other events for businesses,” said Gwen. “Hopefully, the list will continue to grow.”
The couple opened the event center following up on a long-standing desire of theirs.
“We constructed the facility to create a venue for events that would accommodate crowd sizes up to 150 persons. Our authorized maximum capacity is 230 guests,” she explained. “As a relative new business, our facility has ‘held its own,’ though our business has not been one to boast about loudly, we have not cried about it either.”
There are guidelines and procedures to follow in order to rent the center.
“One may visit our facility at 209 East Carpenter Street here in Cleveland or online at clevelandeventcenter.ms,” she said. “We encourage a person wanting to make an onsite visit to call for an appointment, to ensure that someone is at the facility upon the visitor’s arrival. To make a reservation, a rental contract needs to be completed and a deposit amount of $200 needs to be paid.”
The center remains open though the Thomas’ shut down for a period of time for Covid precautions. “Due to the Corona Virus Disease, our business was closed from around March 1, 2020, through May 31, 2021. The business suffered financially like most other businesses, but a loss in income was better than sustaining ill health or a more devastating fate. We closed the business voluntarily to help protect our guests and ourselves.
Right now, Gwen said their immediate plans are to continue operating for the time being.
“However, if the Delta variant continues to get progressively worse, we are likely to shut down again. While operating since June 1, 2021, we have both cleaned and sanitized the facility after each event; encouraged those making reservations to invite only guests who have had their appropriate shots, wear masks and space themselves appropriately; and we have lowered the maximum crowd size to 100 guests,” she added.
“It has been, and it continues to be, our mission to serve and please patrons and guests by providing a premier venue with a safe, clean, wholesome environment; offering excellent facilities and amenities; and helping create memorable events for all,” Gwen said. “At our facility, our patrons get what they pay for and more. As quietly as it may not be kept, we consider the Cleveland Event Center to be one of Cleveland’s fine attractions.”