5 Reasons Cleveland is on the Rise

Of all the cities in the country, few have been as consistently ignored, disrespected, and put down as Cleveland, Ohio, the so-called "mistake on the lake" and the spiritual capital of the dying rust belt.

However, as anyone who has been paying attention to the news knows, Cleveland is not as bad as everyone says. Indeed, many are predicting a sort of spiritual renaissance in the city during the coming years, a series of wise tactical decisions and strokes of fortune that will all coalesce to make the city a hotspot for upcoming generations of Americans. It is in honor of that belief that we have listed, below, five of the most important reasons Cleveland is on the rise, a thorough, but certainly not exhaustive list of all the reasons the city is moving on up.

5. Johnny Football

The first of two major sports announcements for the city, the drafting of Johnny Manziel (better known by his nickname "Johnny Football") is huge news for the local Cleveland Browns. Indeed, though the former Texas A&M Quarterback and Heisman Trophy Winner may not start as QB, the personality he brings to the city - as exemplified in his signature, "show me the money" hand gesture - can't be overlooked. Plus, Manziel is sure to bring tons of news cameras to the city, marking another reason Cleveland will stay relevant for the foreseeable future.

4. The Flats East Bank Project

Though many locals don't know it, the last half-decade has seen the revival of the once-popular Flats, with the development of a host of new hotels, office-spaces, and even an outdoor nightclub. Indeed, though some parts of the Flats still may not be fun to walk through in the dark, the East Bank has transformed itself into a kind of Midwestern Miami - a place for college students and young professionals to go after work and cut loose. That, combined with the relatively low price of the new facilities, means the East Bank will certainly add value and desirability to a hefty chunk of downtown real-estate.

3. Gambling

Though it may seem like old news (and, indeed, the now-famous Horseshoe Casino first opened its doors almost exactly two years ago) the relatively-new gambling permits that Cleveland now offers are going to do wonders for the city in the upcoming decade. First, take the fact that Horseshoe brings in an estimated 5 million people to the city each year. Add to that the amount of revenue that will be generated from gambling taxes, and you've got the ability to completely rebuild and revitalize the downtown area's infrastructure. In other words, while the gambling itself is only one piece of the puzzle, it may just lay the foundation for the cycle of profit that will maintain the city as a good investment.

2. The Republican National Convention

Regardless of your political views, the fact that Cleveland landed the 2016 Republic National Convention (over competitor Dallas, Texas) is a huge boon for the city's economy. Not only will locals be privy to the beginning of potentially the most contested election in recent memory, they will be the beneficiaries of the hundreds and thousands of dollars spent by incoming tourists, reporters and the staffs of presidential hopefuls. Add to that the literally 24/7 news coverage that's sure to follow the event, and you've got a recipe for an event that will certainly help the city off the ropes.

1. LeBron James

However, the number one spot is reserved for the most recent and most exciting news of all. As a mock-tourism video on YouTube once lampooned: "Our economy's based on LeBron James," and in a certain sense they're right.

Indeed, while the return of the so-called "king" to Cleveland may seem like small potatoes to people from New York or Los Angeles, to Cleveland it symbolizes a return to national significance. Not only will the media spotlight return to the city, but thousands of dollars in tourist revenue, ad space, and merchandising money will come back too. Plus, there's the added bonus of the renewed possibility of a major national championship - something that hasn't happened since 1964, when the Browns won the NFL Championship (they didn't call it the Superbowl back then).

Which is why the almost Messianic homecoming of LeBron is the number one signal of Cleveland's return to greatness and the thing for Clevelanders to look forward to in the upcoming years.