Which Texas City could reach world class status first. (Houston: casinos, to live in)

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by UTHORNS96

I think a better title would be which Texas city would become a World Class TOURIST city. Houston and Dallas pretty much have everything else you need to qualify a city as world class. They just lack the world-renown tourist attractions that are iconic to their cities.

If gambleing becomes legal in Texas, I hope that solves part of the problem. There is a bill before the state that would allow casinos to be built in Dallas and San Antonio. Im not sure about Houston.

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by Komeht

3/4s of Texas live in these cities - to the extent they are great cities we all benefit.

I live in Plano after moving from Houston here....both places are great to live in ... what some arbitrary measure by urban planners think makes no difference in my life. Lists are silly and for people without enough to do

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

I live in Plano after moving from Houston here....both places are great to live in ... what some arbitrary measure by urban planners think makes no difference in my life. Lists are silly and for people without enough to do

The goods, services, amenities, cultural and economic impacts of Ben g among the world's best cities are not "arbitrary". They impact all of Texans. To the extent we are on par with the other great cities of the world our lives have more culture, more opportunities, higher quality of life.

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by Komeht

The goods, services, amenities, cultural and economic impacts of Ben g among the world's best cities are not "arbitrary". They impact all of Texans. To the extent we are on par with the other great cities of the world our lives have more culture, more opportunities, higher quality of life.

You missed my point completely. Houston and Dallas area including Plano are already great cites due to a variety of reasons. Not the least of which is a good economy with more focus on manufacturing which generates great economic impacts by importing money to an economy in exchange for goods produced.

I see no need to wait or see which city makes some list in the future first.

I already know we are growing for the reasons above and more but a race to be first on some list of great cities means nothing to me. The so called already great cities are not where I want to live. I like it here NOW with the friendly people, diversity, pro business environment and cost of living. Lists are just lists for whose dog is bigger arguments that mean nothing to me.

[Komeht]

Being great=\=world class, not by a long shot.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by Komeht

Being great=\=world class, not by a long shot.

World Class cities are cities that have a core competency in something important that is demonstrated over a long period of time. Once these competencies are demonstrated the other aspects of world class recognition will follow. I don't think you can just click your heels and say We want to be a world class city three times and make it come true without them. If you want a city to be world class that is not now, you need to become a world class center of something, being regional is not going to cut this mustard.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

If you want a city to be world class that is not now, you need to become a world class center of something, being regional is not going to cut this mustard.

I think that has more to do with tourism. Atlanta is the center of the hip hop industry, I would not say that makes Atlanta world class. Atlanta, like Dallas and Houston, has elements of being world class but isnt there yet.

[sxrckr]

Originally Posted by UTHORNS96

I think a better title would be which Texas city would become a World Class TOURIST city. Houston and Dallas pretty much have everything else you need to qualify a city as world class. They just lack the world-renown tourist attractions that are iconic to their cities.

For NYC, London, Paris, LA, Chicago you could name ten things easily you want to do when you visit there. For Houston or Dallas, what immediately comes to your mind?

Don't get me wrong, both cities have great things to do, but they just lack those internationally known tourist attractions.

San Antonio is the "tourist" city in Texas.

And by the way, 90% of Houston is not ugly... HUGE overgeneralization. The freeways and some of the major roads are ugly, but many of the neighborhoods are quite attractive. And I'm talking about Houston city limits... not Channelview, not Pasadena, not unincorporated Harris County.

[sxrckr]

From an economic perspective, Houston and Dallas already are.

Otherwise, several of the cities do have some things that are world-class within them. Some of the museums come to mind.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by justme02

I think that has more to do with tourism. Atlanta is the center of the hip hop industry, I would not say that makes Atlanta world class. Atlanta, like Dallas and Houston, has elements of being world class but isnt there yet.

The OP still has not defined "World Class" in his view, so I'm going to go by what I think makes a city world class. Being the center of a sub-genre of pop music definitly does not qualify you, in and of itself, as world class. I believe I did say center of "something important", and if its solely about tourism then i guess Orlando and Branson has us all beat.

What does any part of this state have that would ever make it a tourist mecca? The closest thing we have is a coast that for the most part is ridiculed by people even in other parts of the state, a hill country that is nice but not spectacular and a few historical icons. Do you really think that just making our streets nice and tidy will attract people from around the world? If its strictly about tourism lets hope that some meteorite smacks us in just the right place and creates something that nobody has ever seen before.....