When encountering any article or publication or statement about Cleveland’s “renaissance” or “recovery” or “comeback,” you must mentally eliminate any and all claims based on entertainment venues or any kind of real estate development. Those are trailing indicators; they don’t build anything.

Examples

• “Millennial Influx Helps Cleveland Shake Rust Belt Reputation.” This is a two-fer, as it’s all about reputation rather than actual economic prosperity. This town totally lives on PR.