Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree that in most cases, Des Moines beats our skyline really well. However, I'm basing my judgements off of what the cities have to offer and my personal experiences with them.
Wow. That's a tall order... lol
Omaha is a city that practically fell into a coma for a good part of the last few decades, however, in the last ten years or so, Omaha has definately come back to life.
A family town at heart, Omaha has a good moral center and a good midwestern work ethic. However, that doesn't keep the city from having a good time. Plenty of entertainment venues and a unique music scene help make Omaha a clearly distinct city with its own flavor.
here's a quick list of the city's pros and cons.
PROS:
-Big city amenities with small town community feel.
-Nationally recognised Independant music scene.
-World Class Henry Doorly Zoo (includes several of the world's best exhibits)
-Qwest Center Omaha (huge ticket sales result in top-tier concerts and sporting events)
-Low Cost of Living
-Strong Workforce (recognised by BusinessWeek for job availability in most recent issue)
-Politically Active (voted for Obama(D), and Lee Terry(R) for the house. Meaning Omaha has both Republicans and Democrats out in full force, making for a diverse political landscape)
-Home to several Fortune 500 companies who are proud to call Omaha home. (ConAgra, Union Pacific, Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha...)
CONS:
-Downright horrendous mass-transit.
-City expands west in an ugly appearance of white flight and suburban sprawl.
-Serious gang problems in specific neighborhoods.
Actually, the revival of the city began in the 80's, and Downtown is the most thriving area of the city, on the south end is the Old Market which is really what began downtown's revival, it was once a warehouse are for the city and now has several local shops and restaurants. Omaha is actually one of the most condensed cities in the country, IE our suburbs are denser than yours. (sorry I lost the link) Just look up downtown Omaha and several projects will come up.
Actually, the revival of the city began in the 80's, and Downtown is the most thriving area of the city, on the south end is the Old Market which is really what began downtown's revival, it was once a warehouse are for the city and now has several local shops and restaurants. Omaha is actually one of the most condensed cities in the country, IE our suburbs are denser than yours. (sorry I lost the link) Just look up downtown Omaha and several projects will come up.
So what is there to do in these cities? How are the universities, sports, crime, col? From an outsider they look kinda like Rochester/Raleigh sized cities.
Well, Omaha has Creighton University and University of Nebraska Omaha, and Des Moines has Drake University and Iowa State is in a town to the North. Omaha has had 10 murders this year, and I can't find Des Moines' numbers. As for sports, Omaha hosts the College World Series, and in 2012 the Olympic Swim trials will be back for the second time, Des Moines has all the Iowa State sports. Both cities have minor league baseball teams, and I think both have some sort of hockey team, both have a low cost of living around the same in fact.
Des Moines has Adventure Land Park, which is ok, while Omaha has "Fun"Plex which is absolutely terrible. But, Omaha's Zoo is far better Des Moines, and Omaha's Zoo is constantly rated as one of the top zoo's in the Country, it was even rated the best in 2005. Omaha attracts some of the Largest concerts with the Qwest Center, which is in the top ten in the country for ticket sales. Omaha also recently made a new downtown Master Plan for the next 30 years. I don't know much more about Des Moines so unless perhaps a local should handle the rest.
So what is there to do in these cities? How are the universities, sports, crime, col? From an outsider they look kinda like Rochester/Raleigh sized cities.
We go cow tipping and sleep with our family members (male or female).
No crime because nothing is illegal.
For sports we only have horseshoes. We have the top professional horseshoe team and play for the title annually. The winner gets to sleep with the mayor’s wife and drink milk straight from the underside of the cow.
We also have a very strict anti-education policy so we can maintain our population. We have never and will never experience "brain drain".
One thing not mentioned is population- Des Moines metro population is right around 500,000, whereas Omaha's metro is around 800,000. Neither are large cities for sure, but Omaha does feel bigger and has more to offer than Des Moines in terms of employment, entertainment, etc. just because of the size.
One of the cons mentioned was the suburban sprawl to the west- that is actually not a negative, it's one of the nicest parts of the city. Brand new, beautiful office parks, shopping centers, housing developments- there is nothing wrong with that.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
