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Old 09-10-2012, 12:10 AM
 
766 posts, read 1,249,673 times
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I understand that oil is the life blood of this city and I see an amazing transformation of our urban landscape as the industry continues to develop --- something of Dubai proportions. However one thing that worries me is the over reliance on this one industry. The medical center is huge now but if the oil price were to collapse, I dont see the city being able to sustain this massive population which can lead to an exodus of Detroit proportions? Anyone agree?
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Old 09-10-2012, 12:24 AM
 
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Possibly. And like Detroit, Houston doesn't have anything to sustain it as far as tourism. Both have popular museums, lots of historical stuff and food to eat but both are cities people either go to because it's where they're job has them relocated or they're visiting family.

No one has ever really gone to Detroit on vacation to see the city. The same with Houston. I've always heard people describe Detroit as ghetto. I guess they mean everyone left but the black people If that's the similarity Houston will become Mexico/Central America.
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Old 09-10-2012, 07:30 AM
 
Location: Houston
1,473 posts, read 2,143,943 times
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In the 80.s Houston economy was almost 80 % oil, since the bust it has dropped to 60 % and dropping , do into part to efforts to never but our eggs in one basket again. Biomedical research and aeronautics are a big part. And renewable energy is a growing field
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Old 09-10-2012, 08:48 AM
 
Location: Pearland, TX
3,333 posts, read 9,151,535 times
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Same with Vegas, Calgary, Rotterdam and others. Move with the change, strain through it like Houston did in the early '80's when oil tanked. We're still here.

Ronnie
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Old 09-10-2012, 08:57 AM
 
833 posts, read 1,878,585 times
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We will always have need for energy so I ever think we will be the Detroit. We are a port city and have other industry here and low cost of living keeps other smaller business wanting to stay in Houston. When oil has a bust because let's face it basic economics what goes up must go down the question is will oil & gas have gotten into alternative energy enough to keep this city what it is.

Look on the bright side though if there is a bust all the annoying transplants that just want to complain about Houston will leave.
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Old 09-10-2012, 06:34 PM
 
Location: Sugar Land
2,465 posts, read 5,775,970 times
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Very diversified. If we get a Republican president will be even better.
Soon the Panama canal will kick in so the Port of Houston will see a tremendous explosion.
And oil is not going anywhere. We're just learning how to milk it longer. Kidding, is actually harder to get it out of the ground with very little margin.
Houston will be fine for many years to come
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Old 09-10-2012, 06:38 PM
 
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unless a cheap, viable alternative source of fuel is discovered and/or invented, Houston won't end up like Detroit
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Old 09-10-2012, 07:32 PM
 
Location: Houston, TX
2,239 posts, read 3,223,257 times
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Unless we run out of oil, people become immortal, all banks collaspe, we stop space exploration and the Panama Canal along with the Port disappear, Houston will never be like Detroit.
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Old 09-10-2012, 10:35 PM
 
Location: C.R. K-T
6,202 posts, read 11,413,088 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jtothemak View Post
We are a port city and have other industry here and low cost of living keeps other smaller business wanting to stay in Houston.
Out of the big 6, there are only 3 with American headquarters. Conoco is the only one headquartered here in Houston and they are the "sometimes" Supermajor (and, unluckily, the one considering splitting into two!!). The two big American ones, Exxon and Chevron have most (if not all) of their workers here but their top brass are in "headquarters" cities, Dallas and San Francisco respectively.

Houston is definitely not a headquarters town. What makes it so bad to live in that it's only good enough for your workers to live in? It gets described ranging from oil patch to blue collar town for some reason. Houston needs to know why the major players in the industry that it (supposedly) specializes in are not headquartered here instead of DFW and S.F. The American companies with Houston headquarters tend to be small/medium sized companies and servicing industries with Conoco being the biggest.

It's like having all the Wall Street top brass in N.Y.C. but dumping the workers in Charlotte. Might as well move the trading floor there since the traders are there!

DFW has headquarters for various industries from Exxon to JCPenney and all the way to bankrupting Blockbuster and whoever owned Bennigan's. Some call that diversified. What makes DFW attractive for executives but not Houston? We need to get those dollars before it ends up in NorthPark!

Is it the urban planning, the housing stock choices, etc. that repel executives of household name companies? What makes it that way and what changes should be made? Houston's future is at stake and we don't want our fair city to end up like Detroit.
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Old 09-10-2012, 11:07 PM
 
Location: Houston, TX
2,239 posts, read 3,223,257 times
Reputation: 1180
Quote:
Originally Posted by KerrTown View Post
Out of the big 6, there are only 3 with American headquarters. Conoco is the only one headquartered here in Houston and they are the "sometimes" Supermajor (and, unluckily, the one considering splitting into two!!). The two big American ones, Exxon and Chevron have most (if not all) of their workers here but their top brass are in "headquarters" cities, Dallas and San Francisco respectively.

Houston is definitely not a headquarters town. What makes it so bad to live in that it's only good enough for your workers to live in? It gets described ranging from oil patch to blue collar town for some reason. Houston needs to know why the major players in the industry that it (supposedly) specializes in are not headquartered here instead of DFW and S.F. The American companies with Houston headquarters tend to be small/medium sized companies and servicing industries with Conoco being the biggest.

It's like having all the Wall Street top brass in N.Y.C. but dumping the workers in Charlotte. Might as well move the trading floor there since the traders are there!

DFW has headquarters for various industries from Exxon to JCPenney and all the way to bankrupting Blockbuster and whoever owned Bennigan's. Some call that diversified. What makes DFW attractive for executives but not Houston? We need to get those dollars before it ends up in NorthPark!

Is it the urban planning, the housing stock choices, etc. that repel executives of household name companies? What makes it that way and what changes should be made? Houston's future is at stake and we don't want our fair city to end up like Detroit.
Ummmmmm......


FYI....Houston has the MOST fortune 500 companies headquartered here after NYC. Not including the burbs.
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