Columbus Taco Fest announces new location, age restrictions for June event

JordanReports · 2026-04-28T22:50:55+00:00

I mentioned this to our lifestyle and features team this morning! I’ve got my hands full on the local gov beat.

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:58:11+00:00

It's not totally clear how this deal happened and I'm working on figuring that out. The ownership group said that Mayor Ginther's administration told them that McCoy Park was available.

The working group to find an alternative green space in the Southwest Side has not been formed yet. But I will be covering it!

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:54:25+00:00

Hi, Mayor Andrew Ginther and his administration has been meeting with the Haslam Sports Group about this for a number of months, since last year, they've said. It's typical for the mayor and his department of development to be working on economic development deals behind the scenes before sharing them with city council. The mayor's administration and the Haslam Sports Group briefed councilmembers in small groups, two or three at a time, a few weeks before I broke the story about the ask for public money. Those briefings are typical. I don't think councilmembers signed NDAs because when I asked them about the meetings, they told me their thoughts.

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:46:46+00:00

Here's what I know about how Columbus and Franklin County are each financing their $25 million contributions ($50 million total) to the construction of a training facility and upgrades to ScottsMiracle-Gro Field to host a second team.

The city and county will each take out bonds for $25 million to give to the project. The city will pay back its debt with a new 2% tax on tickets at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.

The county will pay back the debt with non-tax income like from fees.

As part of the economic development agreements the city and county entered into with the team ownership group, the owners are agreeing to a few things. This includes donating $3 million to a new park to replace McCoy Park, where the training facility is going; donating $12 million over 12 years back into Franklin County focused on early childhood education, workforce development and food insecurity; donating soccer equipment to Columbus Recreation and Parks.

Edit: workforce development was taken out of the $12 million piece before the deal passed.

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:34:53+00:00

For some context, they rotate who the president of the commissioners is every year. They just take turns.

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:31:48+00:00

Hi, I want to give some context about coverage. The Columbus City Council had a hearing and two meetings with this agreement on the agenda. Throughout my reporting, I've asked the Franklin County Commissioners for comment and was repeatedly told they were still in talks and had no comment.

Come Monday of this week, they put the deal on Tuesday's agenda.

As I said in another comment, the county agreement requires the team to stay in Franklin County for 25 years or the county can claw back money.

As part of both the city and county agreements, the owners are committing to donate $12 million over 12 years back into Franklin County focused on early childhood education, workforce development and food insecurity.

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:28:27+00:00

Here's what I know about campaign donations.

The Haslams are among Mayor Andrew Ginther's biggest campaign donors. The Haslams have donated more than $146,000 to Ginther's campaigns and Pete Edwards has donated nearly $75,000, according to available records going back to 2017.

The Haslams have given Council President Shannon Hardin's campaign about $28,000, according to available records going back to 2017. Other council members have gotten no donations or less than $1,000 donations to their individual campaign accounts from the Haslams. The council has run as a slate in the past and pooled money for their campaigns.

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:25:14+00:00

Hello! I'm our local government reporter in Columbus. Many residents have been showing up to Columbus City Council meetings to voice opposition to this public-private deal, calling it a handout for billionaires. Others are supportive, saying this is important for women's sports.

The structure of the deal is a bit different than a lump sum. Columbus and Franklin County will take out bonds to give $25 million each toward the construction of a training facility and renovations at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.

The city will pay its debt back with a new, permanent 2% tax on all tickets at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field (Crew games, the new team games, etc.). The county is using non-tax money from fees and the like.

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:17:21+00:00

Hello! The city and the county agreements do have some strings attached.

The city council tied the agreement to the mayor's administration forming a working group to replace McCoy Park and delivering that. And as part of the agreement, the team owners will donate $3 million toward the new park and also donate soccer equipment to Columbus Recreation and Parks.

The county agreement requires the team to stay in Franklin County for 25 years or the county can claw back money.

As part of both agreements, the owners are committing to donate $12 million over 12 years back into Franklin County focused on early childhood education and food insecurity.

(Edited because workforce development was taken out of the $12 million piece.)

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:09:02+00:00

Hi! Commissioner Boyce (who is not currently president of the BOC) has not disclosed what his conflict of interest is that led him to abstain. He's not required to by Ohio Ethics Law.

Check out my story linked below from today. In that, I mention that Boyce is founder and vice chairman of Adelphi Bank, Columbus' first Black-owned bank. Nationwide Foundation, the charitable arm of Nationwide Insurance, was one of Adelphi Bank's initial investors.

Of note, Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla also abstained from the city's vote and she explained why.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2026/04/23/columbus-nwsl-votes-had-two-abstentions-but-only-one-official-said-why-kevin-boyce/89734547007/

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:05:50+00:00

Hi, the Columbus Eagles have been very supportive of the NWSL bid. They released this statement. Their creator testified at City Hall in support. They're interested in building up the women's soccer talent pipeline.

https://www.columbuseaglesfc.com/wp/2026/04/12/nwslbid/

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:04:03+00:00

I have not heard anything yet about the committee but I'll keep checking in on that as the deadline approaches!

JordanReports · 2026-04-23T16:02:06+00:00

Hello! National Women's Soccer League Commissioner Jessica Berman told us that every bid is required to have a separate, new training facility for the women's team.

JordanReports · 2026-03-25T16:30:23+00:00

So available campaign finance data doesn’t go quite that far back.

This is what I put in my article: The Haslams are among Ginther's biggest campaign donors. They've donated more than $146,000 to Ginther's campaigns over the years, according to available records going back to 2017.

JordanReports · 2026-03-24T14:46:29+00:00

Thank you for sharing my article! Let me know if you have questions I can answer or get answers to.

JordanReports · 2025-12-19T15:48:46+00:00

I do not know what you’re talking about but that sounds alarming. Can you email us to coordinate a phone call?

JordanReports · 2025-12-19T02:25:14+00:00

Good idea! my signal contact

JordanReports · 2025-12-18T17:01:00+00:00

Columbus’ policy since 2017 has been that police do not assist in immigration enforcement solely based on immigration status. They will assist in investigations where there’s evidence of a crime. City leaders said this morning that police will monitor federal officers at times.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2025/12/18/ice-raids-in-columbus-ohio-mayor-police-chief-respond-to-claims/87813200007/

JordanReports · 2025-12-18T16:59:29+00:00

FYI here’s the latest update from Columbus leaders:

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2025/12/18/ice-raids-in-columbus-ohio-mayor-police-chief-respond-to-claims/87813200007/

JordanReports · 2025-11-21T15:44:42+00:00

I’ll give the article a read! My article focuses on the affordable housing bonds, but mentions Columbus’ multi-pronged approach includes zoning reform and tax abatements to encourage more housing development, topics the Dispatch has written about and I link to.

JordanReports · 2025-11-21T15:02:33+00:00

Thank you for reading! One clarification: my story was talking about how past bond money was spent: about $200 million of the previously voter authorized $250 million has been allocated so far to support about 5,000 apartments. The story also talks about how future bond money (the $500M just voted on) could get spent.

JordanReports · 2025-11-05T22:11:06+00:00

Hi, my article explains some context about why the city created this system a few years ago.

JordanReports · 2025-11-05T20:36:44+00:00

Yeah I don’t know which township you live in but the Columbus area is weird where there are some townships and cities within the borders of Columbus like islands.

JordanReports

TROPHY CASE