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I started collecting upscale furniture while still in college and working during "the market" at one of the region's furniture manufacturer's showrooms.
Now, if I want something "new" - I prefer buying used upscale furniture (Baker, Kittinger, Hickory Chair, Drexel, Thomasville, Ethan Allen, etc) from Craigs List than the cheaply made stuff at retail stores. But I am into 18th C furniture - and not everyone wants that type of furniture these days.
ROFLMAO! I know, I know. . . I want to know the history but, sadly, most do not. I find that many natives out here knew & liked the displaced furniture & mill workers. They were co-workers & neighbors. one woman spoke fondly of a certain Midwestern dish that a neighbor made. I gave her the recipe.
It will all work out in the long-run out here. I know it will. Philly has finally started to turn the corner & that was with decades of no help. With the exception of 2 people who clearly don't understand, people who I talk to are hoping & praying for the casino.
An upscale, large casino with excellent restaurants would change everything for the region . . . besides jobs, the tax revenue would be awesome. And once a casino is established, other retailers move in. . . it is win-win for residents as well as the casino owners if it is handled well.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,670,113 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
There is old money in Catawba County and more trustafarians than folks would guess in Hickory. And there are thousands of families that will probably never recover from the loss of high paying jobs (such as upholsterers). However, folks are resourceful and many natives (who worked in furniture and textile industries) were land owners, had farms or their parents did . . . so they were not "wiped out" even when the industries left. For those who relied totally on a manufacturing job for their livelihood, it has been a tougher situation. Many younger workers have long since retrained for other careers. The region has several very good community colleges, including CVCC and CPCC.
Hickory residents are innovative . . . jobs and businesses are coming into the region.
This PDF has a lot of interesting info, including a startling statistic: Hickory lost 25% of its workforce between 2000 and 2012. Yet, they are rebuilding.
I don't doubt that there's old money there. There's old money in Gastonia & Kings Mountain. It can be hard to see old money. They know that they have money & tend to avoid the flash & trash of new money. I don't doubt the 25% figure. That might be low. Philly lost half of its population when the mills left.
Thanks for the links. Can't open them now as I'm using my phone. Will check later.
Yes, rebuilding & reinventing are going on. I'm encouraged. I just find it discouraging that so many people choose to denigrate these communities so quickly.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,670,113 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
An upscale, large casino with excellent restaurants would change everything for the region . . . besides jobs, the tax revenue would be awesome. And once a casino is established, other retailers move in. . . it is win-win for residents as well as the casino owners if it is handled well.
The local politicians did not join w/Tillis & the rest in petitioning the Bureau of Indian Affairs to turn down the Catawbas' request. It would change everything out here.
If they get permission & McCrory etc. continue to refuse to deal, the Catawbas will owe them nothing. The Catawbas are offering a higher % of the take than the Cherokee give the state. the Shelby Star printed the names of the politicians who took $ from the Cherokees to block other tribes from opening casinos.
The casino would be at the SW corner of exit 5, diagonal from where the new multimillion dollar power plant is going to be.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,670,113 times
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Originally Posted by richard rawson
What a great boost it would be to the economy in Charlotte with people staying in local hotels and taking shuttles or buses to the casinos. Everyone would benefit.
One casino not multiples. But it would help hotels & motels around the area.
Isn't the one over in Cherokee enough ? ! Casinos bring many problems to an area; a bad element. Just take a look at the areas surrounding Atlantic City, the two in CT (Foxwoods & Mohegan Sun). Areas riddled with poverty, crime, alcoholism, homelessness. Why do we want to get involved in those demographics here in NC. That is not a question, it's a statement.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,670,113 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by QuilterChick
Isn't the one over in Cherokee enough ? ! Casinos bring many problems to an area; a bad element. Just take a look at the areas surrounding Atlantic City, the two in CT (Foxwoods & Mohegan Sun). Areas riddled with poverty, crime, alcoholism, homelessness. Why do we want to get involved in those demographics here in NC. That is not a question, it's a statement.
Be careful what you wish for!
I'm very much aware of AC. I voted yes for the casinos. I voted yes for the jobs. If you think it's bad you should have seen it then. I've never regretted that vote. I knew too many people who raised their families with those jobs.
An independent agency estimated 4000 job directly from the Kings Mountain casino. Every one of those jobs is needed.
The Cherokee casinos won't help this area. (They are building a 2nd one.) This area belongs to the Catawbas. They own the land & they've applied to the feds for permission.
For the record...I did just spend 3 years in Texas where it is boomtown...so maybe why it seemed so drastic.
Texas' economy has been booming for years.
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