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I believe the original ranking of the eleven world-class cities goes as such:
12 points
New York 10 points
Los Angeles
Chicago 9 points
San Francisco 6 points
Houston
Washington, D.C.
Dallas (I would imagine with Fort Worth included)
Boston 4 points
Atlanta
Miami
Minneapolis 3 points
Philadelphia 2 points
Seattle
Detroit
Cleveland 1 point
Baltimore
Columbus
Kansas City
Richmond
Where the hell is St. Louis in all this? Come on! Kansas City, Richmond, Cleveland, and Columbus all before St. Louis? St. Louis has to be included here just as high as Cleveland. Kansas City or Cleveland more world-class than St. Louis...that is the biggest joke I've ever heard. St. Louis should be considered minimum as world-class as Cleveland if not more so and definitely should be considered more world-class than Kansas City or Columbus.
Where the hell is St. Louis in all this? Come on! Kansas City, Richmond, Cleveland, and Columbus all before St. Louis? St. Louis has to be included here just as high as Cleveland. Kansas City or Cleveland more world-class than St. Louis...that is the biggest joke I've ever heard. St. Louis should be considered minimum as world-class as Cleveland if not more so and definitely should be considered more world-class than Kansas City or Columbus.
Kansas City is an up and coming city like Houston was in the '80s. I was stunned that Kansas City didn't look like what I pictured when I passed through for the first time--like the same way non-Houstonians are stunned when they visit my city for the first time. I don't hear much about it so I thought it was just a sleepy plains town like Wichita or what I picture Omaha to be. Kansas City is much cleaner and newer than St. Louis IMHO. It's the best city on the plains because of its location. The scenery is beautiful. That would be my only alternative to Chicago!
Where the hell is St. Louis in all this? Come on! Kansas City, Richmond, Cleveland, and Columbus all before St. Louis? St. Louis has to be included here just as high as Cleveland. Kansas City or Cleveland more world-class than St. Louis...that is the biggest joke I've ever heard. St. Louis should be considered minimum as world-class as Cleveland if not more so and definitely should be considered more world-class than Kansas City or Columbus.
Hey. I don't make the list. I just report it, lol. I disagree with certain parts of it, just like you.
1. New York
2. LA
3. SF-Oakland-San Jose
4. Chicago
5. Washington-Baltimore
6. Seattle
7. Atlanta
8. Houston
9. Miami
10. Dallas
My list is based on considerations of present and future status and doesn't consider the historical dominance of cities like Philly, Detroit, Boston, etc. The "original ranking of world-class cities" listing looks outdated to me, and I agree with ajf that it's a total joke to rank a place like Columbus above St. Louis. Perhaps the list-maker is enamored of the Ohio State Buckeyes? As a Longhorn fan I find this highly offensive, LOL...
Great topic. Here's my list and I'm basing it off of international/national importance, economic strength, cultural vibrancy, size, and general reputation:
1.) New York
2.) Los Angeles
3.) Washington DC
4.) San Francisco
5.) Chicago
6.) Boston
7.) Seattle
8.) Houston
9.) Atlanta
10.) Phoenix
That's the top tier and really the only one that matters. The 'B-list' is as follows:
11.) Miami
12.) Detroit
13.) San Diego
14.) Dallas
15.) Detroit
16.) Philadelphia
17.) Minneapolis
18.) Cleveland
19.) St. Louis
20.) Nashville
Losers:
Denver, Austin, San Antonio, Tucson, Austin, Kansas City, Lousville, Orlando, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Baltimore, Portland, Buffalo, Tampa
Notice that size doesn't always matter. A lot of it has to do with how you, as a city, sell yourself. Denver's a big city and has hosted major events--all star games, etc.--but it sells itself as less than world-class. It's identity is a family-town in the midwest whereas Cleveland and Nashville are 'bigger' in the minds of most people.
I'm of the opinion that if you're looking for stardom hit my top ten or top twenty. But if you're looking for a nice place to live and settle down with a family you'd go to a more unassuming place like Denver.
...Here's my list and I'm basing it off of international/national importance, economic strength, cultural vibrancy, size, and general reputation...
Did you consult stats or are these all just subjective judgments based on your perception of those places? I'm surprised, for example, by your comments regarding Denver. I can see that being a subjective opinion but would be startled to learn that Cleveland has a greater reputation than Denver. Nashville is known simply for the music industry, take that away and it's Louisville with more cowboy hats.
Did you consult stats or are these all just subjective judgments based on your perception of those places? I'm surprised, for example, by your comments regarding Denver. I can see that being a subjective opinion but would be startled to learn that Cleveland has a greater reputation than Denver. Nashville is known simply for the music industry, take that away and it's Louisville with more cowboy hats.
But it's precisely the music industry which makes Nashville worthwhile. As far as Denver goes, it's interchangeable with Cleveland or San Diego in importance, I suppose. I love Denver. But what I love about it is it's lack of pretension and contentedness with simply being a good place for the average, God-fearing, family-loving American. It has never tried to make itself a cultural mecca or fancy town USA. It won't earn it international accolades but it makes it a helluva place to live.
But it's precisely the music industry which makes Nashville worthwhile. As far as Denver goes, it's interchangeable with Cleveland or San Diego in importance, I suppose. I love Denver. But what I love about it is it's lack of pretension and contentedness with simply being a good place for the average, God-fearing, family-loving American. It has never tried to make itself a cultural mecca or fancy town USA. It won't earn it international accolades but it makes it a helluva place to live.
My perception of Denver (as a Chicagoan who has only visited Denver a couple times) is that it definitely has a higher stature than Cleveland or San Diego. Denver is the dominant city in the Rocky Mountain/Interior West region of the country, akin to Dallas in the Southwest and Atlanta in the Southeast, albeit slightly smaller. Also, Denver has been positioning itself as a major international transportation hub along the lines of Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta with its relatively new airport, which is going to be an extremely important factor in strengthening its relationship with the world economy. It might have a laid-back style, but as real estate prices have shown, there are a whole lot of people that want to move to the Rocky Mountain region as opposed to the aging Rust Belt cities. Plus, you don't have to drive very far from Denver to get to the epitome of "fancy town USA" in Aspen.
...Denver is the dominant city in the Rocky Mountain/Interior West region of the country...
...Denver has been positioning itself as a major international transportation
...you don't have to drive very far from Denver to get to the epitome of "fancy town USA" in Aspen.
I completely agree, Denver is a very highly recognized city. It's the gateway to the Rockies, it's booming with growth, has major universities, is close to NORAD and the Air Force Academy, it's a crossroads between the Plains and the West, it's THE dominant city between Dallas and the west coast, there are too many arguments for it to be disregarded, especially in favor of a place like Cleveland which is more of a 19th-20th Century hub.
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