Why are Georgia's 2nd tier cities so traditional and old fashioned compared to Metro Atlanta? (Columbus: theater, universities)

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Yes, I meant couple hundred thousand people and that's largely correct.

You can reach with CSAs, but that doesn't change that these are in truth, small metros of a couple hundred thousand people.

No, they are not. There are 300,000 people in Chaham County alone, and another 200,000 across the river in Beaufort and Jasper counties.

Two of Augusta's SUBURBAN counties -- Columbia and Aiken -- have 140,000 and 170,000 people respectively.

You are the one reaching -- in the opposite direction. And YOU ARE WRONG.

Originally Posted by JoeP

It's a tourist destination, of course you can fly there.

And Atlanta is a hub. What's your point? Mine was, people who LIVE in Savannah can fly direct to all of these cities. That contributes mightily to the quality of life in Savannah.

[JoeP]

No, they are not. There are 300,000 people in Chaham County alone, and another 200,000 across the river in Beaufort and Jasper counties.

Two of Augusta's SUBURBAN counties -- Columbia and Aiken -- have 140,000 and 170,000 people respectively.

You are the one reaching -- in the opposite direction. And YOU ARE WRONG.

I'm not wrong. These are small metros and certainly tiny relative to Atlanta. Next.

And Atlanta is a hub. What's your point? Mine was, people who LIVE in Savannah can fly direct to all of these cities. That contributes mightily to the quality of life in Savannah.

Of course it contributes...

[Pemgin]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

What sad is Athens and Savannah party scene run circle around Atlanta. Those cities have everything in one concentrated area. Savannah reminds me of a clean New Orleans. It is beautiful, I had so much fun and can't wait to go back for St. Patrick's weekend.

Atlanta has multiple nightlife/entertainment districts. Because it's a major city. Everything can't be concentrated in one place. Downtown Athens is fun but gets boring really fast. Especially if you're over 25.

[fieldm]

Originally Posted by feelthebern123

Georgia's 2nd tier cities (except Athens and possibly Savannah) are just plain, repressed, pasteurized and boring.

They're conservative and repressed to such an extreme that they make even Atlanta's more conservative outlying areas look like San Francisco in comparison.

Very cliquish people.

Very few young professionals. Anyone there who's single with no kids past 22, good luck.

Not much of a middle class/not many people with college educations. Heck, even Olive Garden is considered fancy there.

Redneck/Ghetto mentality

Very little to do besides shopping and dining

Have you traveled much in your life? Going 10 miles to Waffle House doesnt count

[Dkeating]

It's a wonder all the ignorant rubes in these second-tier cities (and even worse, third-tier cities and below) don't jump off a bridge to escape the despair of not living in Atlanta. Their persistence in their meaningless lives deserves some grudging pity, I guess.

[Dkeating]

"Tell about the [second-tier Georgia cities]. What's it like there. What do they do there. Why do they live there. Why do they live at all"

William Faulkner, Absalom, Absalom (slightly edited)

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by JoeP

I'm not wrong. These are small metros and certainly tiny relative to Atlanta. Next.

Atlanta is the 9th or 10th largest metropolis in the United States and has one of the largest economies in the world, so of course most cities in America appear "tiny" in comparison. But when compared to other metros of similar size, Georgia's 2nd-tier cities don't rank at the bottom like you imply. Augusta's Metro falls between Toldeo, Ohio and Jackson, Miss -- neither of which are "tiny."

Savannah's DMA is bigger than El Paso, Baton Rouge and even Charleston, SC. So to dismiss it as "tiny" and inconsequential is misleading and just plain wrong.

[Mutiny77]

Georgia's population distribution is extremely lopsided; that's no secret. Metro Atlanta comprises half of the state's population and the next largest metro is ten times smaller than Atlanta and smaller than the three largest metros in four neighboring states. Now the whole "backwards" complaint is something else entirely, but there's very little metropolitan dynamism in Georgia outside of metro Atlanta.

[JoeP]

Savannah's DMA

DMA? Really, you're going by tv markets? DMAs are not determined by the city itself, but by other several aspect related to the industry and geography.

Salt Lake City's DMA covers pretty much all of Utah, where Baltimore's is comparable to its metro.

GA's "second" tier cities are small and there is no getting around that. Atlanta has no comparable peer.

There's not even a Birmingham, Jacksonville or Louisville in GA which would better fit the second tier concept.

[therealpattman]

Atlanta has the most national and international transplants which can drastically dilute the local culture. Hypothetically Atlanta is the same as Columbus, Augusta, Savannah and other traditional southern cities from a base city standpoint difference is those transplants bring in their respective cultures which over time can overshadow the original base culture. Having the worlds busiest airport, largest aquarium and hosting the Olympics will do that to you.