Moving to St. George (Washington: hotel, home, schools)

[AliceF]

My husband and I have been reading the St George and Cedar City threads for about 2 months or so with interest.... we are staying in St G for a week while looking around the area to see if it is on our short list for a retirement home. Would like to know if there are this anything special either town is celebrating over the Labor Day holiday? Much thanks.

[carlessbiker]

Originally Posted by Blondie-Rabbit

There is a lot and I mean a lot of empty commercial property. As to the fastest growing area in the contry, that was a few years ago. It doesn't rank up there in the top 500 anymore. .

That's odd, I've been looking for good commercial property for a while now and have had a hard time finding everything. Most of what I've found is either in contract or won't be finished until the end of the year. Another odd item, not ranking up in the top 500 anymore..... Check out the census that ended in June 2006.
100 Fastest Growing Counties
We seem to be number 19.

Originally Posted by Blondie-Rabbit

St. George Ivans, Washington, Santa Clara, and bloomington all run together. It is still less than 60K for that area. The county has 70K people.

Yeah, back in the 90's. St. George alone has 75,000 people and the county is reaching 130,000. Still small compared to a real city, but in that little valley it can feel a big congested.

[carlessbiker]

Originally Posted by AliceF

Would like to know if there are this anything special either town is celebrating over the Labor Day holiday? Much thanks.

I don't know about Cedar City, but down in St. George we are celebrating the end of the heat. Labor Day is when we all come out of our caves and start facing the real world. Just kidding, it's not that bad.

Over Labor Day, the City of St. George puts on free concerts in one of the parks.
City of St. George, Utah :: Concert in the Parks

Also, Tuacahn Theater is in full swing. It's nothing special for Labor Day, but if you haven't seen a show in this beautiful outdoor theater in the cliffs, it is a must do.
Tuacahn Live Musical Theatre Presents Broadway in the Desert amidst the towering redrock cliffs of St. George Utah

I believe Springdale (base city to Zion NP) puts on event around Labor Day.

[carlessbiker]

Originally Posted by Blondie-Rabbit

The airport in St. George feeds Vegas and SLC.

It feeds L.A. and SLC, not Vegas.

[Blondie-Rabbit]

Had to check on that. You're right. A couple of years ago there was a little fight. Skywest has the service to St. George but doesn't go to Vegas. Cedar City has the US air affiliate and goes to SLC and Vegas but not LA. The fun and games of smaller airports with only a few flights a day. BUT on the other hand they are building (still remains to be seen when it will ever be done) a new regional international (means they will go to Mexico) airport to take the pressure off Vegas since they can't expand any further. That has prompted the expansion of the real estate market in Mesquite so the first stop going to Vegas from the new airport will be their town.

[hoody]

More questions on St. George.... What's the good points on living there. Why do you live there?

[Aerorick]

Just a word on the airport as I know a little about them and their impact on a city. Basically the only differance between an international airport and a regional one is whether it has customs. And that is determined by the demand for direct flights in and out of the country. Whether it be Cancun or Moscow it doesn't matter.
It would be great if the new airport, 2012?, has the traffic to have such a convienence. And it would do more for the economic growth the area than argueably anything else. Business people want a place where clients and customers can get to and from easily.
If it helps out McCarren that would be great too. Cause' I just looked and that airport handles 46 million passingers a year. And that's 126,000 a day.

[carlessbiker]

Pro's
1) Weather
2) Outdoor Recreation
3) Proximity to large cities (Vegas or SLC) without actually being a large city or simply a suburb of one.
4) Natural Beauty
5) Proximity to mountain ranges above 8,000 feet.
6) Sunshine - It's the desert
7) Mesquite a mere 1/2 hour drive away.

Con's
1) Backwards attitude and mindset of the "Good 'Ol Boy" network.
2) No nightlife.
3) Resistance to positive change
4) The infrastructure has not kept up with the growth.
5) Low wages / High cost of living
6) Dixie State College is a horrible institution. The High Schools are more progressive.

Thats all I can think of now.

[hoody]

Biker,
Is it a problem bringing in alcohol into Utah as a visitor? If so, is it a bigger problem purchasing " a bottle of rum" at the state owned liquor store?

[Blondie-Rabbit]

No problem bringing it in, nor a problem buying it at the state stores.