LeBron James celebration: Akron designates downtown street as King James Way
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan wanted to give LeBron James a special present Thursday to show how much the city appreciates his contributions to the community.
The problem is James, the homegrown NBA superstar who delivered Northeast Ohio’s first major sports championship in 52 years this week, already has a key to the city, along with a ton of other toys that go along with being one of the richest professional athletes in the world.
So Horrigan bestowed an honor that only a city could — a street.
South Main Street between Market and Exchange streets downtown is being designated King James Way.
“Every king has a kingdom and every kingdom must have roads,” Horrigan announced as he unveiled an honorary blue “King James Way” sign during a major celebration at Lock 3 Park.
Akron held its own party honoring its hometown hero just a day after an estimated 1.2 million crowded into downtown Cleveland for a parade celebrating the NBA champion Cavaliers.
About 30,000 people crowded into downtown Akron for Thursday’s event, watching from rooftops and a nearby parking garage and spilling onto downtown streets. The city even opened Canal Park, the home of the RubberDucks, to accommodate the large, jubilant crowd still giddy over the Cavs’ hard-fought victory over the Golden State Warriors and the end to Cleveland’s championship drought.
The event concluded with no major incidents, with the only problem being a few people who fainted from heat exhaustion inside Lock 3 Park. Akron paramedics hefted a few through the packed crowd on gurneys.
Fans began to line up outside Lock 3 about 9 a.m. By 4 p.m., the line stretched down Main Street, up Bowery Street and down High Street as far as the parking deck across from the police station. Most wore Cavaliers gear or bought it from vendors on Main Street and periodically broke into cheers and chants of “MVP! MVP!”
The fans included a group of about 30 Kenmore High School football players who wore uniforms that James bought for them.
“It was important for us to be here,” Kenmore coach Kemp Boyd said. “We wanted to honor LeBron the way he honored us.”
The city opened Lock 3 earlier than planned and, once the park filled to its 7,000-person capacity, announced that the nearby Canal Park would open for fans to watch on the stadium’s big screen. The stadium seats 7,630 and was nearly filled by the event’s start.
Ken Babby, the owner of the RubberDucks, stood on the concourse inside the ballpark, taking video of the crowd and marveling at the number of people who came downtown to see James.
“This is a great night for Akron,” he said. “It’s so amazing to see the community come together. ... Canal Park has been such a wonderful community asset. Tonight, it’s a great way to showcase it.”
The hourlong program began on time at 8 p.m. and featured speakers such as University of Akron basketball coach Keith Dambrot and Akron Public Schools Superintendent David James, performances by the St. Vincent-St. Mary cheerleaders, dance team and marching band, and a large fireworks display at the end. It also included an unveiling of a large banner dropped from the south wall of the Akron Civic Theatre that shows James holding his trophy and proclaims, “I’m home.”
Horrigan, Akron’s mayor since January, was the final speaker before James, saying the Cavaliers’ MVP “never left Akron.”
“LeBron epitomizes Akron and Akron epitomizes LeBron,” Horrigan said.
James emerged to chants of “We Are Family” and carried the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy onstage. He looked at the screaming crowd and flashed several wide grins.
“Oh, wow,” James said. “You guys are unbelievable!”
Fans yelled and took pictures and videos with their cellphones, ecstatic to finally see their hero.
“Akron is home,” said James, who was onstage for about five minutes. “Everywhere I go, I appreciate Akron.”
James acknowledged his wife and children and several friends in the crowd, as well as the numerous Akron school students in the audience who are being helped by programs his foundation sponsors. He thanked the students for allowing him to continue to inspire them.
James ended his remarks by talking about the end to Cleveland’s long championship-free stint.
“It took a kid from Akron to end it,” he said, sending the audience into fits of cheers.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” said Shakeez Ahqkeem of Akron, watching from inside Lock 3. “That’s all right!”
Ahqkeem said seeing LeBron in his hometown was amazing, and he would have cried if he hadn’t been there with his little cousin.
Other fans also were pleased by the celebration and James’ remarks.
“He’s such an inspiration to kids in the area,” said Nasheka Lemon, who brought her 7-year-old son, Lennox, to the event.
Many of the fans attended both the parade in Cleveland and the celebration in Akron. That included Shante Parnell, 32, of Akron, and Karen Parnell, 56, of Akron, who watched Akron’s event inside the baseball stadium. They weren’t about to miss the local party.
“I was in Cleveland [Wednesday] and that was great,” Karen Parnell said. “But this is Akron’s celebration.”
