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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on October 22, 2016 in a rally outside Cleveland: Says Ohio’s I-X Center \"used to be a great plant,\" but \"thousands of people of worked here, and they left\" when their jobs were moved overseas. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") * Ohio * Corrections and Updates * Jobs * Donald Trump By Nadia Pflaum October 31, 2016 # Trump mistakes exhibition hall for abandoned factory At a rally outside Cleveland, Donald Trump tried to tie his dire message about an outsourcing economy to the venue at which he appeared. \"I want to thank Patrick Park and Ray Park, they own this building,\" Trump said in his introduction on Oct. 22 at the I-X Center, an exhibition hall near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Brook Park, Ohio. \"They do such a great job, it’s incredible and it’s an honor.\" He professed fondness for Cleveland, and said, \"In 17 days we are going to win the great state of Ohio, and we are going to win the White House. Together we’re going to deliver real change that once again puts America first.\" Trump continued, \"As an example, this used to be a great plant. Thousands and thousands of people worked here, and they left. So many people are leaving, so many people are closing their businesses and moving to Mexico and other countries. Not going to happen anymore, we’re going to tell you why, but not going to happen anymore.\" We wanted to know whether one of the prime convention sites for Northeast Ohio was formerly a hoppin’ manufacturing plant. Here’s what history told us. The I-X Center was originally built in 1942 for the U.S. Defense Department during World War II, according to Case Western Reserve University’s Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. It became known as the Cleveland Tank Plant or the Cleveland Bomber plant, and under General Motors it employed 15,000 people who built parts for the B-29 bomber. The plant closed when the war ended, and the city of Cleveland retained it as an exhibition hall and sales center before leasing it to National Terminals for the storage of soybeans. The facility resumed wartime service in 1950, when GM’s Cadillac Division chose it as the manufacturing site for Army tanks destined for battle in Korea. GM immediately employed 6,000 workers, but after two years of production, the Army rejected the Cadillac Tank Plant’s output due to a problem with the gun mechanism. After a redesign of the gun sight, the plant produced Walker Bulldog tanks used in the Korean war between 1953 and 1955. Production ceased on the Walker Bulldogs in 1959. Cadillac won a new military contract in 1960 to build the self-propelled T195 and T196 howitzer tanks and M114 armored personnel carriers. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 8, 2024 in a Facebook post Says Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had his stomach pumped “after overingesting horse semen.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"pants- fire\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 9, 2024 In 1965, GM shifted the management of the Cleveland Tank Plant to its Allison Division. It made M551 16-ton Sheridan tanks up to 1972, when the contract was completed and Congress decided against its renewal. The U.S. Defense Department sold the plant to the Park Corporation of Charleston, W.Va., in 1977, which opened it in 1985 as the I-X Center, calling it the \"largest single-building exhibition facility in the world.\" Now, it appears to be the United States’ ninth-largest. Nowhere in the building’s history does it appear that manufacturing was transferred overseas. Military contracts kept the site active for its first 30 years, interrupted by a period in which it stored soybeans. In 1985 it became an exhibition hall, the function it serves today. About an hour after this fact-check was published, the Trump campaign responded in disagreement with our findings. \"Mr. Trump used the history of the I-X center as a great manufacturing facility as an introduction to his hour long speech where he talked about issues impacting jobs in Northeast Ohio, and PolitiFact does its readers and its brand a disservice by running such misleading headlines and false ratings,\" said Seth Unger, the Trump campaign\'s Ohio spokesman. Our ruling Trump said that Cleveland’s I-X center was an example of a once-great plant, but \"thousands and thousands of people worked here, and they left. So many people are leaving, so many people are closing their businesses and moving to Mexico and other countries.\" Trump’s lamentation of outsourcing isn’t historically accurate. The I-X Center was alternately called the Cleveland Tank Plant, and GM’s Cadillac and Allison Divisions built military bombers, tanks and personnel carriers there between 1942 and 1972. Production stopped when a military contract expired and was not renewed. Once acquired by the Park Corporation, it opened as an exhibition space in 1985 and has operated as one ever since. We rate Trump’s statement False. Editor\'s note: This fact-check was updated shortly after publication to include the Trump campaign\'s response. #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Case Western Reserve University, The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History Trade Show Executive, \"350 Big Changes at Nation’s Biggest Convention Centers,\" September 2013 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Nadia Pflaum ![](\\" ![](\\" Ohio Republican Party stated on October 28, 2016 in a campaign mailer: \"Casey Weinstein: No faith in our military\" ... \"When some of our cadets wanted to watch a religious film, Casey Weinstein sued the U.S. military. Sued our soldiers?\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Nadia Pflaum • November 7, 2016 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on September 30, 2016 in an online article: \"Tens of thousands of fraudulent Clinton votes found in Ohio warehouse.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Nadia Pflaum • November 1, 2016 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on October 22, 2016 in a rally outside Cleveland: Says Ohio’s I-X Center \"used to be a great plant,\" but \"thousands of people of worked here, and they left\" when their jobs were moved overseas. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Nadia Pflaum • October 31, 2016 ![](\\" official-portrait/6bf029c158b50f6bf01d20a829d8828c.jpg\\") ![](\\" official-portrait/de43154da15e43e00eea6e32aec9a166.jpg\\") Rob Portman stated on October 20, 2016 in the Ohio Senate debate: Says Ted Strickland \"in this campaign bragged about his A-plus rating with the NRA. ... He has said he has a mixed and spotty record on this issue and that he can be criticized for it. Those are his words, not mine. So I don’t know where he is on this issue.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Nadia Pflaum • October 21, 2016 ![](\\" official-portrait/6bf029c158b50f6bf01d20a829d8828c.jpg\\") ![](\\" official-portrait/de43154da15e43e00eea6e32aec9a166.jpg\\") Rob Portman stated on October 17, 2016 in at a debate in Columbus, Ohio: Says Sen. Rob Portman says Ted Strickland earned $400,000 a year as a lobbyist after leaving Ohio for Washington. ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Nadia Pflaum • October 20, 2016 ![](\\" ted-strickland____/81c1b4baa950ba5965a5fdfc754ff5f9.jpg\\") ![](\\" ted-strickland____/786d3a8b57ebc4eca1b06825b7524ad1.jpg\\") Ted Strickland stated on October 14, 2016 in in a Ohio senatorial candidate debate: Says Sen. Rob Portman said, \"It would be irresponsible not to cut Medicare.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Nadia Pflaum • October 20, 2016 ![](\\" ![](\\" ClearPath Action Fund stated on September 28, 2016 in a campaign ad: Says \"Rob Portman voted for the bipartisan bill to affirm climate change is real, humans significantly contribute to it and it needs to be addressed.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Nadia Pflaum • October 10, 2016 ![](\\" ted-strickland____/81c1b4baa950ba5965a5fdfc754ff5f9.jpg\\") ![](\\" ted-strickland____/786d3a8b57ebc4eca1b06825b7524ad1.jpg\\") Ted Strickland stated on September 21, 2016 in a campaign ad: Says Rob Portman \"even voted to allow people on the terrorism watch list to buy guns.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Nadia Pflaum • September 29, 2016 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 8, 2016 in a rally in Cleveland: \"We spend more per student than almost any other major country in the world.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Nadia Pflaum • September 21, 2016 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup____________________/41dfed38296fe3f48d11ff286b0da1cc.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup____________________/df4eaf56ef02f0fe8dcb1410d3a2d2a7.jpg\\") American Unity PAC stated on August 30, 2016 in a campaign ad: Says Ted Strickland supported giving $150 billion to Iranian regime that persecutes women, Christians and gays. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Nadia Pflaum • September 15, 2016 ![](\\" ![](\\" U.S. Chamber of Commerce stated on August 12, 2016 in a campaign ad : \"As governor, Ted Strickland left only 89 cents in Ohio’s rainy day fund.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Nadia Pflaum • September 8, 2016 ![](\\" ![](\\" National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on August 18, 2016 in \"Flush,\" a campaign ad : \"And while (Ted) Strickland proposed cuts for services for children, he wasted over $250,000 remodeling his bathrooms at the governor’s mansion.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Nadia Pflaum • September 1, 2016 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 29, 2016 in an image shared on social media from NaturalNews.com: As the number of vaccines administered to children has increased in the United States, so has the autism rate. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Nadia Pflaum • August 29, 2016 ![](\\" mugs-donkey/ac9cfb0dcf8dcb50888edccc72adfae6.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-donkey/1b0a94aa5ab4fad0c38136fe7c2770e3.jpg\\") Ohio Democratic Party stated on August 12, 2016 in an online ad campaign, \"The Portman Files\": \"Who would sign up to speak for a (Haitian) dictator? Rob Portman.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Nadia Pflaum • August 23, 2016 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 15, 2016 in viral image circulating on the internet: Says there were multiple instances of voter fraud in Wood County, Ohio. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Nadia Pflaum • August 16, 2016 ### Trump mistakes exhibition hall for abandoned factory * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on August 27, 2024 in an Instagram post: California S.B. 1174 eliminates the requirement for voter ID at polling places. ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • August 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on August 29, 2024 in X posts: President Joe Biden “did a campaign ad at the graves in Arlington in 2020.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • August 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on August 16, 2024 in a video: Video shows “Kamala Harris describing how she can ruin lives with the \'swipe of a pen.’\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • August 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 25, 2024 in a post: Kamala Harris’ “plan to tax unrecognized Capital Gains mean(s) if your house goes up in value you will have to pay that Tax Even if you don’t sell your House!” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Sara Swann • August 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 25, 2024 in a Facebook post: “There’s no such thing as menopause.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Madison Czopek • August 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on August 27, 2024 in an Instagram post: “Hollywood actor Kurt Russell just said: ‘It is now proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden CHEATED in the 2020 election with mail-in ballots.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Caleb McCullough • August 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Kamala Harris stated on August 22, 2024 in her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention: Former President Donald Trump \"intends to enact what, in effect, is a national sales tax ... that would raise prices on middle-class families by almost $4,000 a year.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Louis Jacobson • August 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 27, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Kurt Russell forms a new non-woke actors alliance with Roseanne Barr and Tim Allen.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 23, 2024 in an X post: Photo of former President Donald Trump after an assassination attempt was generated by artificial intelligence. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on August 28, 2024 in an X post: C-SPAN captions for a JD Vance speech said, “Single person clapping.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 30, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. 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Says Ohio’s IX Center used to be a great plant but thousands of people of worked here and they left when their jobs were moved overseas