Vegas, Dallas, or Ann Arbor (apartments, condo, hotel)

[randomguymike]

Same story you've heard before. I'm trying to decide between these three cities.
I'm a 30 year old single guy. Love "new urbanism" with mass transit & mix use development being big plusses. I'm a big fan of Starbucks, Cold Stone, Cheesecake Factory type food and Banana Republic/J crew Shopping, not "quaint" downtowns. I am not a big partier. More of a micro-brew/wine guy than Martini/Jack & Coke. I enjoy college & pro sports. I am an education snob (have 2 Masters Degrees and plan to get more). I hate winter and wish death to myself and those around me when it is below 25 degrees. I also melt in humidity. I handle Phoenix hot well, but DC hot not as well. All three places I'd be making the same $$$ (approx 80K)

So, here's how I see it breaking down right now:
Vegas:
Weather +
new urbanism -
shopping/food +
Nightlife +
Sports -
Education -
Day trip Factor (LA, Phoenix, SD, etc) +++
NET: +1

Dallas:
Weather -
new urbanism +
shopping/food +
Nightlife +
Sports +
Education -
Day trip factor: -
NET: +1

Ann Abror
Weather -
new urbanism -
shopping/food -
Nightlife -
Sports +
Education +
Day Trip Factor (Chicago, "up north") +
Bonus since I'm here now +
NET: Even

So, not a lot to separate them right now. Any thoughts from people in similar situations would be helpful.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by randomguymike

Same story you've heard before. I'm trying to decide between these three cities.
I'm a 30 year old single guy. Love "new urbanism" with mass transit & mix use development being big plusses. I'm a big fan of Starbucks, Cold Stone, Cheesecake Factory type food and Banana Republic/J crew Shopping, not "quaint" downtowns. I am not a big partier. More of a micro-brew/wine guy than Martini/Jack & Coke. I enjoy college & pro sports. I am an education snob (have 2 Masters Degrees and plan to get more). I hate winter and wish death to myself and those around me when it is below 25 degrees. I also melt in humidity. I handle Phoenix hot well, but DC hot not as well. All three places I'd be making the same $$$ (approx 80K)

So, here's how I see it breaking down right now:
Vegas:
Weather +
new urbanism -
shopping/food +
Nightlife +
Sports -
Education -
Day trip Factor (LA, Phoenix, SD, etc) +++
NET: +1

Dallas:
Weather -
new urbanism +
shopping/food +
Nightlife +
Sports +
Education -
Day trip factor: -
NET: +1

Ann Abror
Weather -
new urbanism -
shopping/food -
Nightlife -
Sports +
Education +
Day Trip Factor (Chicago, "up north") +
Bonus since I'm here now +
NET: Even

So, not a lot to separate them right now. Any thoughts from people in similar situations would be helpful.

Well, middle American cities like Dallas and Phoeniz are really the antithesis of the new urbanist fad. Even Vegas is also probably anti-new urbanism--though to a lesser degree.

Ann Arbor is much more in the mold of a sophisticated coastal city--just smaller. If you can take the smaller size of Ann Arbor compared to your other choices, I think it would be your top choice. Also, there's a much younger population there.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by randomguymike

Love "new urbanism" with mass transit & mix use development being big plusses. I'm a big fan of Starbucks, Cold Stone, Cheesecake Factory type food and Banana Republic/J crew Shopping, not "quaint" downtowns. I am not a big partier. More of a micro-brew/wine guy than Martini/Jack & Coke. I enjoy college & pro sports.

You have me confused here... I'm not sure what you consider "new urbanism." New urbanism to me seems like an attempt to recreate those "quaint" downtowns. People who are into that movement are usually the same people who are always talking about the evils of chain restaurants and chain shopping-- which you say you like. The choice of cities you listed is bizarre-- a mid-sized entertainment megagrowth boomtown in the desert, a Texas metropolis, and a small city in the upper midwest? If you say you hate cold weather, why is Ann Arbor even on the list? If you like pro sports, why is either Ann Arbor or Vegas on the list (unless if you like sports betting)? And why isn't Phoenix a consideration as well?-- they are building a light rail right now and will have pockets of "new urbanism" here and there in a couple of gentrified areas near the future line. You need to clarify what it is you are really looking for--- then narrow it down to a specific region of the country--- then we can help you think things out.

[randomguymike]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

The choice of cities you listed is bizarre-- a mid-sized entertainment megagrowth boomtown in the desert, a Texas metropolis, and a small city in the upper midwest? .

I understand your confusion. This is simply becuase this is where I have job offers. My ideal locations DC/Phoenix are not on the table right now since I haven't been able to get offers there.

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

You have me confused here... I'm not sure what you consider "new urbanism." New urbanism to me seems like an attempt to recreate those "quaint" downtowns. People who are into that movement are usually the same people who are always talking about the evils of chain restaurants and chain shopping-- which you say you like. .

In reality, this is not how new urbanist developments are being rolled out. If you look at places like Southlake (TX), West Village (in Plano, TX) or even the communities that were going to be developed (but were cancelled) in Vegas (the Curve, Urban Cillage) they have lots of chains. It is against true new urbanism, but I found this description in Las Vegas City Life from a critic of the movement's implementation that summarizes it:

"You park on the fringe, near the retro-design 18-screen movie theater, and walk down Main Street, which has a Barnes & Noble, a Crate and Barrel, a Galyan's, an artisanal bread store, a few Cosis or a Starbucks, a Restoration Hardware, and of course a brew pub. The stores all have awnings, different brick-and-stucco storefronts, and maybe a few loftlike mixed-residential apartments up above, to give them the streetscape feel that Jane Jacobs, an urban theorist, described."

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

If you say you hate cold weather, why is Ann Arbor even on the list? .

Simply because I'm here. I have an affordable condo here, cost of living is decent, and well, thats about it.

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

If you like pro sports, why is either Ann Arbor or Vegas on the list (unless if you like sports betting)? .

That is one of the big negatives on Vegas. Outside of the 51's, I'm not sure.
The Detroit teams are all within a 45 minute drive of Ann Arbor, though. Which is acceptable for me. I have a 1/2 season package to the Tiegrs, for instance.

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

And why isn't Phoenix a consideration as well?-- they are building a light rail right now and will have pockets of "new urbanism" here and there in a couple of gentrified areas near the future line. You need to clarify what it is you are really looking for--- then narrow it down to a specific region of the country--- then we can help you think things out.

As I touched on earlier in this post. Phoenix is one of two "dream" cities for me, but I'm having difficulty breaking into the area. Thats an advantage of Vegas I didn't list. If I went there, it may show I'm more open to moving to Phoenix when I apply there in a few years. Similar deal in Dallas. only reason that came into play is I had a potential position in DC, but the company decided there was a better position for me in Dallas and closed the door on DC. So, I may be able to transfer there long-term.

[vegaspilgrim]

Ok, randomguymike, thanks for the clarification. I would say leave aside the question of urban form for a minute, since that it somewhat ambiguous. I would say education should be #1, everything else comes on the side. It seems like where you currently are, Ann Arbor, MI, has pretty much everything you are looking for-- except the warm weather. Even though I love Las Vegas, I wouldn't move there if education is important. They have UNLV, which is probably great if you want to get into hotel management, but average at best for anything else. Other than the area 51s and maybe the UNLV rebels, I don't see Vegas as a major sports town.