The Appeal? (Atlanta, Clayton: crime, buy, live in)

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by jsimms3

Having been in da' atl now for a while, I just do not see the appeal here that seems to attract over 100K a year to move here. I really thought I would like it here a lot considering how everyone raves about hotlanta, how its in just about every rap song,

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I would assume since you're describing Atlanta as "the ATL" and refer to "every Rap song" that you are black. If I'm wrong, correct me.

Ok first of all, don't judge a city's appeal on Rap songs. Rap songs also in some cases glorify other things that I hope people don't actually DO, so, if every-other song talks about "the ATL", it's just that - words in a song. Most likely it's also refering to the fact that there ARE a good number of black recording studios here that produce Rap and HipHop labels, so that's most likely why you hear it in the songs as well.

A real estate woman I know (who is black) also told me that a lot of black realtors and corporate head hunters around the U.S. are telling their black clients that Atlanta is "the place" to move to. She doesn't like this trend as they're making it sound like the land of milk and honey and really, they're just steering their black clients this way because it's as she phrased it, "a black city". She said whenever she goes to conferences she hears their hype about the city and in most cases, the people who are sending folks this way may have only actually been here once or twice, and at that to attend a special event. They have little actual experience with the whole city, and most of the time none in actually living here, but advertise it as though they're nearly natives. Now this girl likes living here, but she said it's only "average" as far as larger cities go, and again, she's against all the hype being tossed out to steer people here.

From MY personal standpoint having lived in the metro area for 21 years, I'm not terribly impressed either. I'm stuck here due to job and a couple of other reasons (health, financial obligations), otherwise I would have left long ago. When I moved here in 1984 Atlanta only had half the population, a third of the crime, and maybe one FOURTH of the traffic, so I've seen it grow out of control in all of the above areas. For someone who has just moved here their image and impression may be completely different, but many who have been here longer than 10 years or more has seen a decline so we are more negative about it (at least some are).

My beef with Atlanta is just that it has no character. Sure, we have small pockets of uniqueness like Virginia Highlands here and there, but overall Atlanta is just a bunch of cookie-cutter suburbs that all look alike and have clone shopping centers with the same stores, and inner city areas that are run down with failing infrastructure and lots of poverty. We have no Riverwalk, or Little Italy, or Chinatown, or Times Square, or any type of streetscape/cityscape designed area that is an attraction for folks. Olympic Park and the Aquarium are a small start and perhaps one day down the road that will lead to more in the way of entertainment zones within the city, but for now, there's really nothing that mentally stands out about Atlanta when people hear the name, other than "Rap" and that's hardly a draw for most.

There are worse cities to be in right now (Detroit - 14% unemployment, etc). Atlanta has tons of job opportunities, and if you like to shop, well, it's got malls, malls, malls. But if someone uses the words "unique with lots of character" to describe to me a place where they'd like to live, Atlanta is not near the top of the list based on that description.

[jsimms3]

^^^ have to agree with what you say there. By the way people I have done quite a bi of exploring. I do like the Highlands and little 5 points, I even kind of like downtown, I also like Midtown for what it is, a glorified office park with more stores and better restaurants and places to live. By the way what is the neighborhood in midtown that is north of Piedmont Park and east of Peachtree, like that area. And I do like Buckhead for the same reasons as midtown. However, everywhere else in Atlanta, and I know because I have family in east marietta and friends spread throughout, it all looks the same. COokie cutter, and no character. Not just cookie cutter, but brick, and I am starting to hate brick lol! This city really just does not have character at all.

To clarify some things, I am NOT black and that comment about the rap songs was somewhat of a joke to try to lighten my thread topic. Also, I am now living and going to school at Georgia TEch, so I am in the action and have a car to explore with as MArta only goes to limited areas. I have nothing aginst ATL, but I DO wonder why SOOOO many people move here as if it IS the land of milk and honey (it is in respect to jobs, nothing else whatsoever tho).

[darkone]

Referring to Atlantagreg's post, this is exactly why no one takes a vacation here in Atlanta. People move because either

a) Better Job here/Job transfer
b) (Much) Lower cost of living / Won't be "house-poor"
c) Black Mecca (if they are Black)
d) Climate (although this is not usually the primary factor).

One can get a, b and d here easily and possibly c if applicable, and one will be satisfied with what Atlanta has to offer, regardless of lack of character.

But if you want a unique city experience, the only legitimate ATL slogan applies: "Delta is ready when you are."

[Georgia]

Greg hit it rather well, but for my two cents on why folks are moving here.

From the racial aspect, Atlanta is being advertised as the new "Black" mecca in mag's such as Ebony, Jet, etc., all about the city, returning to their roots, the land of civil rights, etc.

From the senior aspect it is advertised in Southern Living, AARP, etc. as the new "Senior" mecca. All about lower taxes, good medical care, all four seasons, the largest airport.

From other aspects, Atlanta is being advertised in other mags as the new "International City" a mecca for young up and comers. Lower housing costs, lower taxes, UGA, Tech, AIU, Emory, Ogle, and this and that and the other thing.

Once here Atlanta becomes a two way thought process. They love it or hate it all across the ethnic, age, and other plane. I have AA friends who talk about missing NYC and Philly. About Atlanta offering not much in culture. I hear seniors talk about everything being so strung out, where they have to drive to everything plus being scared to death about hitting the highway around here About how they miss their old "safe" towns etc.

Then the "up and comers" mostly unaware that even though they get more home for their money as a "first time" homeowner there are taxes and upkeep on their 100% home loan. There are adval taxes on their new soon to be wrecked cars, 6% income tax and more traffic then most have ever seen before.

Im in the same boat as Greg in a way. I'm on one side, my wife another. Which means we stay here for a while longer
But then again, as we continue to Wal Mart America and do away with our identity in the name of political correctness and open borders it won't matter where you go soon since everything will be the same. Overpopulation, WalMarts, and bumper to bumper highways. Maybe Atlanta is just leading the way.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by darkone

Referring to Atlantagreg's post, this is exactly why no one takes a vacation here in Atlanta. People move because either

a) Better Job here/Job transfer
b) (Much) Lower cost of living / Won't be "house-poor"
c) Black Mecca (if they are Black)

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But it's exactly that which confuses me.

Why as a black person would someone relocate and uproot and start over and move to Atlanta for the reason of, "because a lot of black people live there"? I mean, that to me sounds off the wall.

White, Black, Brown, whatever - everyone is different. Just because someone is a particular color and there are a lot of people of that particular color in an area, should make it a "mecca" for those people just based on how many are in an area. I mean there are so many different types of people how can skin color alone mean that a city is one thing for everyone?

Example: Over the years I've known a lot of black people via work and socially who have moved here from elsewhere such as the West Coast (CA, WA state, etc), Denver, New England, etc. Many of them used words like "ghetto" and "low class" when describing the Atlanta climate to me. Most were very frank about not liking "Southern black people", and many today are no longer living here because of that reason - they didn't fit in and didn't WANT to fit in with those who were more local and native to the area. So why then are so many black realtors, magazines, and corporate head hunters all over America still pushing their black clients here as though it was one big black pot of harmony in their community? Seems to me from my limited experience that the only black people I've ever known who really loved Atlanta were either from smaller southern towns, or, a few from other black-majority cities like Detroit or Baltimore - and even with that most said it was just nicer weather they liked more here.

I've never moved to a city because it was mostly white, or mostly Democratic or mostly anything else in particular, so I just find it confusing how so many folks will pick Atlanta simply because there's so many people of a skin color here. (??)

As far as whites go, it seems to always be job related and they hear the "everyone finds good jobs in Atlanta" from their head hunters. They fail to tell them all it takes an hour commute each way to get to those jobs, and that the standard idea of unique entertainment here is a tan stucco strip center with an Applebees, Marshals, and Target in it.

[darkone]

Well, I am not black and cannot answer from that point of view, but my guess is that Atlanta has a large black middle class population unlike some other cities and that these types of blacks want to be part of that middle-class AA community, rather than living uneasily amongst whites in some other city's suburbs. They can visit southern dekalb, rockdale etc. and feel a sense of community. I think this is the appeal which is sold to blacks around the country.

Whites in general will move due to job considerations/cost of living, but wherever they go in the U.S., many majority-white suburbs await, so to live in a mainly white community is never a reason to move to any particular metro area. All of them are the same in that regard.

[jxu66]

Most people who move to Atlanta are from State of Georgia and the rest of Southeast states (SC, AL, FL, MS) due to job market. Contrary to popular belief, most people live in Atlanta are borned in Georgia. Same for Dallas, which is second on the inflow people list. Most people move to Dallas are from Southwest due to job market. It is a little misleading on this forum since everybody tends to move to Atlanta from far way states and asks for info regarding Georgia. That's part of reasons SEC sports are so popular in Atlanta while pro teams (except Falcons) only get lukewarm support.

[Georgia]

I dont think we have to worry about that anymore either.
According to ESPN radio Atlanta has lost the SEC basketball tournament.
Something due to the Mayor's comments about a "low key" event without many incidents.
I think the NCAA thought 34 fights, over a dozen purse snatchings, 6 muggings, 1 murder, 1 attempted murder, and a shootout at the CNN center during the event quailified as anything but "low key"
Just quoting what I heard on the radio.

[jxu66]

From Sec sports site, Atlanta hosts Sec basketballs in 2008 and 2011. SEC Woman's basketball in Gwinnett arena this year was big success. I bet that they will come back to Arena many times in the future. http://secsports.com/index.php?s=&ch...rticle_id=5634

2007 - March 8-11 Atlanta, Ga. (Georgia Dome)
2008 - March 13-16 Atlanta, Ga. (Georgia Dome)
2009 - March 12-15 Tampa, Fla. (St. Petersburg Times Forum)
2010 - March 11-14 Nashville, Tenn. (Gaylord Entertainment Center)
2011 - March 10-13 Atlanta, Ga. (Georgia Dome)
2012 - March 11-14 New Orleans, La. (New Orleans Arena)

ACC has basketball tournament in 2009 and 2012 in Atlanta.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by jxu66

From Sec sports site, Atlanta hosts Sec basketballs in 2008 and 2011. SEC Woman's basketball in Gwinnett area this year was big success. I bet that they will come back to Arena many times in the future.

2007 - March 8-11 Atlanta, Ga. (Georgia Dome)
2008 - March 13-16 Atlanta, Ga. (Georgia Dome)
2009 - March 12-15 Tampa, Fla. (St. Petersburg Times Forum)
2010 - March 11-14 Nashville, Tenn. (Gaylord Entertainment Center)
2011 - March 10-13 Atlanta, Ga. (Georgia Dome)
2012 - March 11-14 New Orleans, La. (New Orleans Arena)

ACC has basketball tournament in 2009 and 2012 in Atlanta.

I did hear the Gwinnett arena in the future, but ESPN did state they are moving out of Atlanta city and will not return to the dome in 2008 and currently looking for a new city.

Guess we will see, I hope we don't lose the revenue