Does Minneapolis have what it takes to be a global city? (St. Paul: home, theatre)

[mrconfusion87]

Just curious what you think on this issue...

Here's a list of characteristics as defined by the Wikipedia article on Global City (Global city - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The characteristics sometimes chosen include

• International, first-name familiarity; whereby a city is recognized without the need for a political subdivision. For example, although there are numerous cities and other political entities with the name Paris or variations on it, one would say "Paris", not "Paris, France".
• Active influence on and participation in international events and world affairs; for example, Washington, Berlin, Brussels are major capitals of influential nations or unions.
• A fairly large population (the centre of a metropolitan area with a population of at least one million, typically several million).
• A major international airport that serves as an established hub for several international airlines.
• An advanced transportation system that includes several highways and/or a large mass transit network offering multiple modes of transportation (rapid transit, light rail, regional rail, ferry, or bus).
• In the West, several international cultures and communities (such as a Chinatown, a Little Italy, a Tehrangeles or other immigrant communities); for example, New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, São Paulo and Vancouver. In other parts of the world, cities which attract large foreign businesses and related expatriate communities; for example, Hong Kong, Moscow, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.
• International financial institutions, law firms, corporate headquarters, international conglomerates, and stock exchanges (for example the World Bank, or the New York Stock Exchange) that have influence over the world economy.
• An advanced communications infrastructure on which modern trans-national corporations rely, such as fiberoptics, Wi-Fi networks, cellular phone services, and other high-speed lines of communications.
• World-renowned cultural institutions, such as museums and universities.
• A lively cultural scene, including film festivals (such as the Berlinale or the Toronto International Film Festival), premieres, a thriving music or theatre scene (for example, West End theatre and Broadway); an orchestra, an opera company, art galleries, and street performers.
• Several powerful and influential media outlets with an international reach, such as the BBC, Reuters, The New York Times, or Agence France-Presse.
• A strong sporting community, including major sports facilities, home teams in major league sports, and the ability and historical experience to host international sporting events such as the Olympic Games, Football World Cup, or Grand Slam tennis events.

Debate away!

[knke0204]

Well it says in the same article that Minneapolis IS in fact a world city. It says a Gamma World City.

[uptown_urbanist]

I don't think Minneapolis has any hopes of being a truly global city unless the metro area improves its public transportation system. I know that work is being done, but light rail lines are moving along at glacial speed.

I don't think Minneapolis will ever be a global city anyway, at least not at the top tier, but it can still have an important role on the national and even international stage.

[kuan]

Nope. With people like me who live here Minneapolis will never become a global city.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

I don't think Minneapolis has any hopes of being a truly global city unless the metro area improves its public transportation system. I know that work is being done, but light rail lines are moving along at glacial speed.

I don't think Minneapolis will ever be a global city anyway, at least not at the top tier, but it can still have an important role on the national and even international stage.

Public transportation is only a small part of the picture. Los Angeles is a major global city, and believe me, public transportation is much worse there. Miami is a global city, and there's even fewer public transportation options there.

I love Minneapolis, but it could have the best transportation system in the country and it would still be a minor global city.

[cdubs3201]

Originally Posted by mrconfusion87

Just curious what you think on this issue...

Here's a list of characteristics as defined by the Wikipedia article on Global City (Global city - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


The characteristics sometimes chosen include

• International, first-name familiarity; whereby a city is recognized without the need for a political subdivision. For example, although there are numerous cities and other political entities with the name Paris or variations on it, one would say "Paris", not "Paris, France".
• Active influence on and participation in international events and world affairs; for example, Washington, Berlin, Brussels are major capitals of influential nations or unions.
• A fairly large population (the centre of a metropolitan area with a population of at least one million, typically several million).
• A major international airport that serves as an established hub for several international airlines.
• An advanced transportation system that includes several highways and/or a large mass transit network offering multiple modes of transportation (rapid transit, light rail, regional rail, ferry, or bus).
• In the West, several international cultures and communities (such as a Chinatown, a Little Italy, a Tehrangeles or other immigrant communities); for example, New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, São Paulo and Vancouver. In other parts of the world, cities which attract large foreign businesses and related expatriate communities; for example, Hong Kong, Moscow, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.
• International financial institutions, law firms, corporate headquarters, international conglomerates, and stock exchanges (for example the World Bank, or the New York Stock Exchange) that have influence over the world economy.
• An advanced communications infrastructure on which modern trans-national corporations rely, such as fiberoptics, Wi-Fi networks, cellular phone services, and other high-speed lines of communications.
• World-renowned cultural institutions, such as museums and universities.
• A lively cultural scene, including film festivals (such as the Berlinale or the Toronto International Film Festival), premieres, a thriving music or theatre scene (for example, West End theatre and Broadway); an orchestra, an opera company, art galleries, and street performers.
• Several powerful and influential media outlets with an international reach, such as the BBC, Reuters, The New York Times, or Agence France-Presse.
• A strong sporting community, including major sports facilities, home teams in major league sports, and the ability and historical experience to host international sporting events such as the Olympic Games, Football World Cup, or Grand Slam tennis events.

Debate away!

No

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

Public transportation is only a small part of the picture. Los Angeles is a major global city, and believe me, public transportation is much worse there. Miami is a global city, and there's even fewer public transportation options there.

I love Minneapolis, but it could have the best transportation system in the country and it would still be a minor global city.

I agree that public transportation is only part of the picture, but I don't think we can compete even at the minor global city level without one.

And from my own experience (three years living in LA as a non-driver) I strongly believe LA's public transportation is much, much better than what exists in the Twin Cities. LA has an extensive bus system (including many express buses), a subway line, several light rail lines with more on the way, a commuter rail system, and regular AMTRAK trains at decent times heading north and south. It's cheaper, too.

[waltlantz]

That all has to do with what impact cultural or economic institutions that are BASED in the Twin Cities can make in the world at large.

The Twin Cities are regionally important (prolly 3rd most important in midwest), but for a city it's size most people can prattle off places like Amsterdam, Doha, Zurich or Geneva as more important in the global network due to them having more prolific institutions or organizations.

As of right now, it's really not somewhere that I think even savvy international buisnessmen really talk about alot, but hey your area is very healthy. Detroit is arguably a much more important city thanks to the auto industry, but we all know how healthy the Detroit area has been the past few decades.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by waltlantz

Detroit is arguably a much more important city thanks to the auto industry, but we all know how healthy the Detroit area has been the past few decades.

Not sure I agree with that summation- in previous decades, Detroit industry and culture (autos and music) had a huge impact on a national/ international scale, but that hasn't been seen for quite some time now. Having spent just a little time there, I would say that Detroit's world importance now lies in its post-apocalyptic feel of being trapped in what's left of a previous era that no longer matters to the world...perhaps due to its (and/or the auto industry's) failure to 'globalize'.

With that said- Minneapolis/ St. Paul is fairly insular/ inward-looking, which I think most residents are perfectly happy with...I doubt many people here really care about MSP's ranking on the world stage, and wouldn't be caught dead being brazen enough to think that something like that really mattered. However, I think MSP's geogrpahic location more than anything (smack in the northern-middle section of the country and not next to any major bodies of water) will prevent it from ever becoming a major 'global city'.

[Slig]

If Chicago didn't exist Minneapolis/St. Paul might've had a chance a better chance.