Why is Fayetteville treated like it does not exist? (Charlotte: high crime, property tax)

[ozmoe571]

Speaking as the son of a former National Guardsman, Fayetteville gets some disdain from those within the state who have had to serve on the National Guard and go to Fort Bragg on the weekends. There's no good way to go there from the other metropolitan areas of the state except lousy, boring drives to and from the area, and that includes having to take I-40 and then I-95 to Fayetteville. It's arguably the biggest city in North Carolina with the worst routes in and out of it. So, when you don't have to serve at Bragg anymore, you generally won't go back to Fayetteville because it's inconvenient and there's no need to do so. At the same time, I-95 skirts it so far to the east of the city limits that it's easy to ignore Fayetteville off the road for most casual drivers, certainly much more than with I-85 and I-40 in Asheville, Charlotte, the Triad and the Triangle. Finally, Fayetteville has got to market itself better as a reason why families should move there beyond relatively affordable housing. Other than being close I-95 and 90 minutes or so away from beaches between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, its advantages seem quite sparse for becoming a resident there.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by drrckmtthws

I will say that growing up in Fayetteville and living in Augusta GA after college for a couple of years, quite honestly Fayetteville is probably better. For one thing the paper factory and meat factory ruins the air quality of the town, it can't be healthy. I do miss the river walk and the alligator park and Savannah rapids. But in Augusta the cut off is way more dramatic, on one side you have houses that look similar to king st Charleston along Walton way and the other half around the pain college area it's pretty much poverty.

Augusta certainly has its issues and more blight than one might expect, but it also has some distinct advantages over Fayetteville that I think put it in a better position in the long run. As you noted, Augusta utilizes its river better and its downtown seems to have more going on. Augusta has some pretty neat historic sites of interest (First Baptist Church, Sacred Heart Cultural Center, etc), its has new civic institutional buildings (convention center, library, courthouse), and it has two claims to fame nationally: James Brown and the Masters. Old Town is a very historic and charming neighborhood, something I'm not sure Fayetteville has an answer for. Being home to the state's medical university, you have access to really good healthcare and I'm pretty sure it's a notch above Fayetteville when it comes to restaurants and retail. It has a very nice mall for a city its size and it has even managed to land a Topgolf which is scheduled to open in the near future. And although Augusta (and just about everywhere else in Georgia) is overshadowed by Atlanta, at least it has some status as the second-largest city/metro in the state. Fayetteville is even more overshadowed and obscured in NC, by several cities at that. When people talk about NC cities, it's Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Asheville, and Wilmington. Fayetteville seems to be somewhat close to High Point and Greenville in terms of stature and recognition, or just a bit above. And I'm not beating up on the city either but that's my perception.

[poppydog]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

When people talk about NC cities, it's Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Asheville, and Wilmington. Fayetteville seems to be somewhat close to High Point and Greenville in terms of stature and recognition, or just a bit above. And I'm not beating up on the city either but that's my perception.

Asheville, Boone, Outer Banks, too...

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

1. Durham
2. Greensboro
3. Raleigh
4. Asheville
5. Chapel Hill
6. Charlotte
7. Greenville
8. Winston-Salem
9. Elizabeth City
10. High Point
11. Wilmington
12. Cary
13. Wake Forest
14. Wilkesboro

Not my personal ranking, but Fayetteville didn't even make the cut above Elizabeth City and Wilkesboro!

Then there's Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

1. Apex
2. Wake Forest
3. Matthews
4. Morrisville
5. Garner
6. Clemmons
7. Cary
8. Chapel Hill
8. Huntersville
10. Mint Hill

BTW, they rank Fayetteville 41 out of 50 cities/towns in NC.

[builder24car]

My job in Fayetteville gives me a nice paycheck every week. I'm not complaining!

[Wumbo420]

Downtown and eastern Fayetteville smell really bad ��

[Charlotte485]

Because if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.

[bpains29]

I grew up in Fayetteville, and it was pretty terrible, but it has improved over the last 20 years or so. Downtown has seen some of the biggest changes, and there's still a ton of growth in "Outer Fayetteville" (southern Harnett and Hoke Counties). Yeah, Fayetteville and the Sandhills really need their own sub-forum

[thebermudatriad]

I just saw that there is a ground breaking ceremony for a new skatepark in Fayetteville this weekend. The park will be built by Team Pain, who makes the best skateparks in my opinion.

[Screenwriter70]

Fayetteville is a dump, only a tad better than Durham.

[LordHelmit]

Originally Posted by Screenwriter70

Fayetteville is a dump, only a tad better than Durham.

Fayetteville better than Durham? Not a chance. Not even close. Durham is literally leaps and bounds better than Fayetteville in literally every way possible. It really isn't even a question. You're actually the only person I've met who has this opinion? Fayetteville better than Durham? You must have mistyped but if not, please explain. FWIW, I have lived in both Fayetteville and Durham, so really curious to see what you have to say