Why I am Leaving Memphis (Jackson, Bartlett: apartment, home, schools)

[North Pulaski Player]

Memphis is probably one of the best places in the South to visit, but living there will make you lose your mind! The mentality of Memphians is just amazingly ignorant!

[NightOne]

Originally Posted by tennreb

That is not completely true. International Paper recently moved their world headquarters here, as did ServiceMaster. That's two Fortune 500 companies in the past five years. And companies headquartered elsewhere but having significant operations in Memphis have been expanding here, like Hilton Hotels and Medtronic. All of those are professional jobs.

Of the 170 people who were in the Downer's Grove, IL. HQ before ServiceMaster decided to move everything to Memphis, only 5 relocated to Memphis. The CEO was a Mississippi native that was already here and helped the company be acquired by a private equity group from NY. More layoffs and shakeups will be coming. The CIO and other top execs were among those who would not leave the Chicago area. Several of the 170 came to visit before making their final decision and didn't like what they saw.

So don't look at the SVM HQ relocation as a win because it wasn't. Add to that the tax breaks they received and it is a loss to the taxpayer as well.

[chuck1229]

Originally Posted by NightOne

Of the 170 people who were in the Downer's Grove, IL. HQ before ServiceMaster decided to move everything to Memphis, only 5 relocated to Memphis. The CEO was a Mississippi native that was already here and helped the company be acquired by a private equity group from NY. More layoffs and shakeups will be coming. The CIO and other top execs were among those who would not leave the Chicago area. Several of the 170 came to visit before making their final decision and didn't like what they saw.

So don't look at the SVM HQ relocation as a win because it wasn't. Add to that the tax breaks they received and it is a loss to the taxpayer as well.

Do you have direct knowledge, facts, on this matter, or are you making assumptions. If facts, please go further, is assumptions, stop chatting. I went through a big corporate move and there are many reasons why people don't or can't relocate.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by North Pulaski Player

Memphis is probably one of the best places in the South to visit, but living there will make you lose your mind! The mentality of Memphians is just amazingly ignorant!

Thats what I've been trying to tell people. This town is sick. Thank goodness that my time is almost up.

[JeniKer]

Well, the ball has started rolling & my fiance is already down there, so I'll be down in about 6 months to live. I wish it could be Knoxville we're going to!! But everyone, please keep writing, this is VERY interesting and helps me a lot!!

[madaamty]

For all you none believers, and all the ones who want to say Memphis is what you make of it, you are all blind, and naive. I was born and raised in Memphis, and I know first hand that what most are saying about Memphis is no lie. I could not wait to leave Memphis and never look back, and fyi, i am black.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by madaamty

and fyi, i am black.

IMO, Memphis is not a good place for anyone...especially blacks. Blacks are much worse off educationally, economically, morally and socially than any other place I have lived. Looking from the outside one will see that we have a lot of black politicians and black owned businesses. No other city in the country will you find blacks having the opportunity to shape the city like you do in Memphis. As you can see, they messed it up.

The biggest problem with Memphis is it never fixed itself from 50 years ago. Atlanta fixed itself. And look at it now. Atlanta does have problems but most of them are due to the hyper growth of the last 30 years is finally coming back to bite them in the butt. Since then Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill has fixed itself along with Austin Tx. Memphis is at a stand still.

I know this sounds harsh but Memphis is a mistake that should have never happened. It represents everything bad about our country magnified 500 times. Everything from racism and a jim crow mentality to corruption and hypocricy.

I have come to the conclusion that there is no hope for Memphis. They need to start all over from scratch and rebuild from there.

[Tunky]

When I found out that we would be moving to Memphis, I came to this board for some info. I couldn't believe it was as bad as people made out...figured this must be where the complainers hang out. My husband has worked here for just under 2 years and this morning he had a meeting with his employer to make our escape plan.

It's not ALL bad of course...but I don't want to waste anymore time here.

[chuck1229]

How does this person keep showing up on this site. Can't you ban users from specific IP addresses.

[umograd83]

Originally Posted by Tunky

When I found out that we would be moving to Memphis, I came to this board for some info. I couldn't believe it was as bad as people made out...figured this must be where the complainers hang out. My husband has worked here for just under 2 years and this morning he had a meeting with his employer to make our escape plan.

It's not ALL bad of course...but I don't want to waste anymore time here.

Well, we have been here for five and a half years. My husband has asked his boss at corporate for a transfer back. Looks like we will have to wait until next year, though. In the meantime, we are going to make the best of Memphis and visit places we have always meant to, but never have. We're going to New Orleans again. Over to Little Rock to the Clinton Library, etc. But I am so looking forward to going back home.