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Have you ever spent time in Phoenix? I'd be curious to hear your take? For what it's worth, when we moved to Charlotte it was for a change of pace. Once we got there I fell in love with the city (as plain and simple as it was at the time) and honestly had no plans to leave.
If it were not for a job opportunity out west I'd probably still be there. Although it is a beautiful city, for me it was the people that made it feel like "home". For people like West coast who grew up there I can understand their need for change and desire to explore other places, that's pretty common. Now that I am away from Charlotte (recently went back for a visit) I see what the OP and others are saying, but I am still fond of the city and think it has a great future if the growth is managed correctly.
As the quote from the TV show American Dad says: “Like Charlotte, North Carolina, we are both fast-growing, and completely devoid of culture.”
Very accurate
.....and there's our identity. Like Clint Eastwood and The Man With No Name. Charlotte is so severely lacking in distinguishing attributes that it stands out as such.
Henceforth, Charlotte is The City With No Identity.
Have you ever spent time in Phoenix? I'd be curious to hear your take? For what it's worth, when we moved to Charlotte it was for a change of pace. Once we got there I fell in love with the city (as plain and simple as it was at the time) and honestly had no plans to leave.
If it were not for a job opportunity out west I'd probably still be there. Although it is a beautiful city, for me it was the people that made it feel like "home". For people like West coast who grew up there I can understand their need for change and desire to explore other places, that's pretty common. Now that I am away from Charlotte (recently went back for a visit) I see what the OP and others are saying, but I am still fond of the city and think it has a great future if the growth is managed correctly.
I’ve been there twice briefly. Don’t think an “identity” really seemed very clear to me. Desert? What’s your take?
I think the identity is simply Charlotte is all around decent. Weather is good, affordability is good, traffic is decent, schools are decent, job opportunities are good, distance to the mountains is nice, distance to the beach is good, airport is good, crime is decent. Its the agglomeration of decent qualities and the lack of serious negatives (such as affordability for SF and NYC, traffic for DC, crime for Chicago, jobs for Detroit, weather for Phoenix, inevitable earthquake at some unknown moment for LA) that make Charlotte exceptional.
.....and there's our identity. Like Clint Eastwood and The Man With No Name. Charlotte is so severely lacking in distinguishing attributes that it stands out as such.
Henceforth, Charlotte is The City With No Identity.
But do you really need one? Charlotte has Nascar and banking, it's in the regional south with BBQ and historically black colleges & universities (CIAA, etc). I mean, what's the big differentiator between Charlotte, Indy, Jacksonville, Omaha, Columbus, Louisville, etc. They each have their own thing but the whole notion of why it exists isn't palpable to the masses, who cares.
I think a lot the identity thing is a look-at-me, I am somebody for branding and tourist. All you really need for tourist are urban points of interest, museums, etc. Really though, it's kind of gimmicky in small cities and in an afternoon or so (beer, wine and a yawn), the novelty is over. Not every place can be LA, DC or NYC. And it really matters a damn about quality of life or daily routine. Don't get me wrong, every place should underscore history and culture, but it doesn't have to be filled with a double decker tour bus and a guide map....most places aren't like that, at all.
Last edited by Big Aristotle; 02-20-2018 at 12:54 AM..
But do you really need one? Charlotte has Nascar and banking, it's in the regional south with BBQ and historically black colleges & universities (CIAA, etc). I mean, what's the big differentiator between Charlotte, Indy, Jacksonville, Omaha, Columbus, Louisville, etc. They each have their own thing but the whole notion of why it exists isn't palpable to the masses, who cares.
I think a lot the identity thing is a look-at-me, I am somebody for branding and tourist. All you really need for tourist are urban points of interest, museums, etc. Really though, it's kind of gimmicky in small cities and in an afternoon or so (beer, wine and a yawn), the novelty is over. Not every place can be LA, DC or NYC. And it really matters a damn about quality of life or daily routine. Don't get me wrong, every place should underscore history and culture, but it doesn't have to be filled with a double decker tour bus and a guide map....most places aren't like that, at all.
Honestly, I don't really care. I wouldn't want to live in a tourist area anyway.
Charlotte is a place that people move to either raise a family or retire. Not a place of excitement that anyone yearns to live or be in, that’s all. Some cities are more so places to simply live in rather than be destinations/tourist spots. Not that it’s a bad place, just saying you’re not going to find the hustle/bustle and excitement in Charlotte that you would find in larger cities.
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