Austin will be the largest city in the US I predict (Houston: living, moving to)

[cBach]

I was out tonight and it was jam packed. What I found was most of the
people there were tourists from places like DC/NYC/LA.

Regardless that it was a 93 degree night, the streets were chock block full of people everywhere I went.

Everyone I talked to was raving about how great Austin is. You get a sense that Austin is like California was in the 1950's. It is the place to be, to move to, to just be associated with.

This is even before F1 is coming. Imagine what will happen then. We are destined to be the next NYC.

I was flirting with some high caliber chicks that had their own bodyguard. That is usually what you see in LA or NYC.

Nothing can stop us now. I both relish the fact that we are the most desirable city in America but I also fear what will happen to us once the crowds come here. We know the roads won't be expanded, but I guess we'll just keep building skyscrapers up.

One thing's for sure, this is the place to be.

[migol84]

Why was downtown packed? What was going on today in Austin?

[ImOnFiya]

You should have told those women that they're not all that and that having the bodyguard is just giving away free money. Plus, it's very anti-Austin.

(And, yes, I WOULD say it to them because it needs to be said. If not a good Samaritan off the street, then who?)

[migol84]

Originally Posted by ImOnFiya

You should have told those women that they're not all that and that having the bodyguard is just giving away free money. Plus, it's very anti-Austin.

(And, yes, I WOULD say it to them because it needs to be said. If not a good Samaritan off the street, then who?)

You got a point there. Austin is the last place you'd need a bodyguard. I remember a few years back like in 06, my cousin had just gotten off of work and met up with his then-roommate. They're hanging out in front of a bar and my cousin notices one short guy standing with them who looked familiar. He takes a second glance and realizes its Sam Rockwell smiling back at him. My cousin doesn't freak out and just nods his head nonchalantly so he wouldn't come off as some crazed fan. Anyway, not to name drop but this is just a great example of the kind of town Austin is... celebrities would never feel the need to bring in bodyguards with them. And if they do, they're just drawing all the attention to themselves even more.

[sagewithaflaw]

I suspect this post may have been made in a post-drunken revelry state

No doubt Austin will continue to grow, and is one of the trendiest spots in the nation, but I think more realistic goals would be cracking the top 10 U.S. cities (it is currently #14, and would have to overtake San Fran, Indy, and Jacksonville, which I think could easily happen). It's still a LONG ways off from being the biggest city in Texas - I don't see it passing Houston or the Big D even in the next decade, but perhaps San Antonio. And as far as metro areas, the Greater Austin area, despite it's impressive sprawl over the last few decades, is still at #35. I don't see F-1 as adding to the population growth - it will just bring in more tourists. Look at Vegas and all the entertainment to be had there -- it will always be a major tourist destination, but never a major city.

I have been downtown Austin and it is nearly always "hopping" on the weekends, but you have to realize that it is still a fairly small geographic area where the action is. One of the cool things about Austin is its dense core - it seems that everyone is pulled downtown on the weekends, there is a pull to the center of the city at night, and it makes it fun if you are looking for a "buzz" and that bustling feeling. By contrast, here in Phoenix, the city core is not the epicenter at all - most of the suburbs like Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, etc. all have their own scenes and people tend to stay in their own areas for dining/entertainment. I do envy the active downtown of Austin, but not all cities are like that. And as the sprawl continues in Austin, I wonder if the hangouts won't spread out as well - it has already become a bit of a pain to park downtown and it's not always easy to just pop in somewhere for a few drinks. When I lived there, I was close enough to bike downtown, but most people in the metro area don't have that option. For Austin to continue to grow as it has, I think the roads and expressways need to be augmented, and that will be a major difficulty from what I've seen.

I'm all for civic pride, and Austin has that in spades from it's denziens, but let's not get too ahead of ourselves. I love Austin for a lot of reasons, but I'm not sure I'd feel the same way if it does get as big as some are hoping...

[Jennibc]

While I love Austin, love living here, think it has much to offer etc., it will never be as big as NYC or Los Angeles.

[N. Olikee]

I think Austin is going through a "growth spurt." Just like Houston did in the '70s and Dallas did in the '80s......not that those cities aren't still growing, but "all of a sudden" people from all over the country / world were moving in.

I can remember coming to visit familly here back 15 - 16 years ago. We flew into the old "rinky dink" airport, and Austin was still a smallish town. At that time, my cousins lived in a (podunk) place I'd never heard of............Round Rock, and my Houston friends questioned why I would ever want to live in a small town, since I'm really a Big City girl.

[migol84]

yeah i don't think Austin will ever even reach 1.5 million in population. not even in 30 or 40 years.

[eepstein]

Tourists? Dude you must be drunk. Besides SXSW and ACL, what possible reason could anyone have to come to Austin besides get drunk on 6th street? Float on the rapidly sinking Lake Travis in the 100 degree heat? Count the pickups and Tahoes driving by?? Ok sir, time to sober up!!

And just for the record. California will ALWAYS be the place to be. There is no reason to live anywhere else. Sure, the economy sucks now, but do you really think the worlds 8th largest ecomony won't bounce back?? The moving to Texas "fad" will eventually come to an end.

Originally Posted by cBach

I was out tonight and it was jam packed. What I found was most of the
people there were tourists from places like DC/NYC/LA.

Regardless that it was a 93 degree night, the streets were chock block full of people everywhere I went.

Everyone I talked to was raving about how great Austin is. You get a sense that Austin is like California was in the 1950's. It is the place to be, to move to, to just be associated with.

This is even before F1 is coming. Imagine what will happen then. We are destined to be the next NYC.

I was flirting with some high caliber chicks that had their own bodyguard. That is usually what you see in LA or NYC.

Nothing can stop us now. I both relish the fact that we are the most desirable city in America but I also fear what will happen to us once the crowds come here. We know the roads won't be expanded, but I guess we'll just keep building skyscrapers up.

One thing's for sure, this is the place to be.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Sure, the economy sucks now, but do you really think the worlds 8th largest ecomony won't bounce back??

Um, Rome used to be an empire.