“My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from.”
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On July 11, LeBron James announced his decision to leave the Miami Heat — where he spent the past four years playing basketball — and his plan to return home to Cleveland. After growing up in Akron and helping put Northeast Ohio on the map with his tremendous talent and celebrity status, LeBron's controversial move to Florida in search for championship rings — which he ultimately achieved — was something that Ohio residents never really got over.
But now all seems to be forgiven, and not just because of what this means for the Cavaliers. The impact of LeBron's homecoming will have a significant economic influence over this Midwestern city — in some ways, it already has. According to Hopper, a travel search engine, more people looked up flights and travel information to Cleveland by 192%. LeBron is also well-aware of the effect he can have on the local economy. In his essay for Sports Illustrated, the NBA star wrote:
My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I'm from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there's no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.
BuzzFeed reached out to a number of businesses in the Cleveland area by email and phone and asked if they were happy about LeBron's return, and if they think his presence will benefit Cleveland business owners. Here are the responses we received: