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Waterfront- Memphis (Memphis has done a better job at attracting visitors to its waterfront, but Louisville's is cleaner and better kept)
architecture- Louisville
vibrancy- Memphis (at least downtown, ditto)
skyline- Louisville (Louisville and Memphis could use some new buildings, but overall, Louisville has the prettier skyline)
nightlife- Memphis
culture- Memphis
retail- Louisville (More upscale shopping and a new outlet center is under construction in Simpsonville, shopping will only get better for Louisville)
dining- Memphis by a long shot (Fine dining, meat and three, BBQ, Memphis has got it)
school system- Louisville
interstate system- Memphis(Louisville's spaghetti junction is outdated and in need of repair)
Proximity to major cities - Louisville
Economy - Louisville
I agree with every point above with the exception of the climate, which I believe is better in the winter in Memphis - less cold & snow.
To add emphasis I think Memphis has had more impact on the world with the following firsts:
First recording and expansion of Rock n Roll music and Blues music which with their implications and venues have drawn multiple millions of visitors to the city for the last several decades.
First Holiday Inns and development of the first and largest franchised hotel chain in the world. Now a large portion of the Hilton headquarters still remain.
World's first self service grocery supermarket, growing into an early large store chain.
World's first express air delivery service which became overnight guaranteed, then developed into the largest air and transmitted communications company, with a fleet of 700 jet cargo aircraft, a Superhub and 90 acre Worldwide Headquarters office and Exec. office complex all in Memphis making FedEx Tennessee's largestt employer, and Memphis the world's largest freight handling airport for 13 years straight. This year China finally took that title away due to FedEx's construction of FedEx China Hub. Louisville's UPS Hub has created something similar in recent years, but UPS fleet contains 214 aircraft vs FedEx's 700, and the distinction of the company having basically begun in Louisville isn't there like FedEx in Memphis. Delta / KLM has also flown TN's only daily non stop flights to Europe for a decade now. Memphis is becoming the model for the new Aerotropolis airport concept.
Memphis' international name recognition is above Louisville's, as seen in the Austrailian post here on City Data listing it as the sixth most recognized U.S. city name there in Australia. Memphis was the top tourist destination for a time in the U.K. as well. The name Memphis appears or is heard in more songs than any modern city in the Twentieth century.
Just a little support for the above post!
. Naw I dont believe that.....More than New York? Naw I don't believe that
Both are VERY similar in size, location (off a major river), both are even the main airport hubs of the 2 largest deliver companies (UPS/ Louisville, FedEx/ Memphis). I think both have GREAT riverfronts, Memphis was smart enough to not build a freeway over theirs, though. Both just built new basketball arenas in nice downtown locations (Beale Street in MEM, Main St/ waterfront in LOU). Louisville has more of an ethnic German feel (esp on the older East Side), though not to the same level as Milwaukee or Cincinnati. Memphis' main dining corridor (Beale Street) is in the heart of downtown, while Louisville's is several miles to the east (Bardstown Rd & Frankfort Ave). A lot of dining establishments have returned downtown, but Memphis gets the edge on a livelier downtown.
The primary difference is crime. Memphis is consistently one of the highest crime American cities while Louisville is always among the lowest crime. The CD city profile page for Louisville only list crime for the old city limits (pre merger) and that's where most crime is. But still the overall crime rate is generally below 500, it would probably be below 300 if the merged city was used. Memphis city limits includes many suburban areas, but the overall crime rate still ranges from the high 800s to 1000.
Okay, just to clarify please don't ever say Louisville is one of the lowest it is quite far from it. I know it is not one of the highest but no where near one of the Lowest crime rates. other then that you are very correct. And yes on the German feel seems like everyone you meet here has German ethnicity.
By the way, if anyone moves here just move east of I-65 and you will be fine, seems like everywhere nowadays west of I-65 is ghetto except there are little private neighborhoods here and there. Not even expensive but the neighborhoods next to them arent the safest.
source= lived here my whole life, seen people get shot in the neighborhoods next to me, valleystation.
By the way, if anyone moves here just move east of I-65 and you will be fine, seems like everywhere nowadays west of I-65 is ghetto except there are little private neighborhoods here and there. Not even expensive but the neighborhoods next to them arent the safest.
source= lived here my whole life, seen people get shot in the neighborhoods next to me, valleystation.
It will be interesting to see if the western neighborhoods start to gentrify.
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