"When I received my letter in the mail telling me that I was a future Gamecock, like many students, I could not wait to attend USC. Not only because I was getting to attend a school with a world class business school, a great nursing program, and wonderful research opportunities - but I was going to experience the hub that is South Carolina’s capital city on my own for the first time. From Soda City on Saturdays, to the Vista, across to tailgates WillyB, and even down to nightlife in 5 Points - the hustle, bustle and all of the action day and night was a selling point for me. And let’s face it, if I wanted to go to a school in a sleepy town, I would have gone to Clemson. 
 
Our social and economic hub, once filled with restaurants and bars, crawling with locals, students, and tourists,
is dwindling down to empty storefronts. This was not part of the deal. 
 
This is not a slow burn, either. In just a few months, powerful state and local politicians who do not represent us have targeted 5 Points, leading to 35 (once thriving) store fronts, bars, and restaurants to rot. These are our jobs. This is our college experience. These are members of our community being forced out of business. This is nightlife being forced into dangerous and unregulated, unpatrolled homes and basements. More than anything, this is our village and we have a seat at this table. Let’s come together -
all 34,000 of us - as the economic power we are to save 5 Points."

- USC STUDENT
 
If you are a student who loves where they go to school and you are tired of politicians and nay-sayers shutting down our village,
then sign this petition to “Save 5 Points”.