Everybody standing outside City Hall smiling with mascots while billionaires line up for another deal, and somehow we’re supposed to believe this is “progress.” Let’s be clear, nobody is against women’s sports, that’s not the issue. The issue is the same pattern Columbus has been running for years, and The Black Wall has already exposed it. When it comes to real Black conditions like housing, healthcare, education, and economic stability, the city drags its feet, delays funding, debates endlessly, and tells residents “it takes time.” But when billionaires show up with a proposal, suddenly the city gets creative, moves fast, restructures deals, and finds money. That’s not partnership, that’s priority. They rejected a $50 million upfront handout because it “looked bad,” then turned around and created a permanent revenue stream through a ticket tax to pay the same debt anyway. That’s not accountability, that’s rebranding the same outcome. And the cold part is this, they’re telling you if you don’t go to games, you don’t pay. That sounds good until you realize the real cost isn’t just the tax, it’s the land, it’s the opportunity, it’s the fact that McCoy Park, land that was supposed to serve the community, is now being positioned for a private sports facility tied to billionaires. So the neighborhood loses a park they’ve been waiting years for, and in return they get to “look at someone else’s soccer fields.” That’s the quote. That’s the reality. This is exactly how displacement and inequality are built. Not in one big decision, but in small “good sounding” deals that always somehow benefit developers, investors, and ownership groups first, while the community gets promises later. They’ll say it brings economic development. Show the receipts. Where has that development landed in Black communities? Homeownership still down. Rent still rising. Schools still underperforming. Healthcare gaps still real. Violence still tied to lack of opportunity. But we got new stadiums, new facilities, new deals every few years. That’s the pattern. And here’s the part nobody wants to say out loud, this system is designed to reward influence, not outcomes. The Haslams don’t need $1 from this city. Not one. But they understand the game. Public money follows power, not need. So while residents are fighting for basic resources, the city is negotiating how to structure debt for a private sports expansion. Even council members admitted it, they can get creative for this, but not for human services. That should tell you everything. The Black Wall was built for moments like this. Not to argue about whether women’s soccer is good or bad, but to measure the outcome. Did this decision improve housing? Did it improve education? Did it improve healthcare access? Did it create real economic stability for Black families? If the answer is no, then it’s a failed action, no matter how good it sounds, no matter how many kids are holding soccer balls at a press conference. Young people need to understand this, you are being sold inspiration while being denied infrastructure. You are being given role models instead of resources. You are being told to feel proud while your actual living conditions don’t change. And until we start calling that out, documenting it, and voting based on outcomes instead of speeches, this cycle will repeat over and over again. Different project, same result. This isn’t about soccer. This is about priorities. And right now, the priorities are loud and clear.