Attracting best and brightest

[Misfit Toy]

Attract the best and brightest? Here's what I think...

We don't have Wall Street like NYC does...we don't have corridors of power like Washington, DC does...we don't have Hollywood like LA does...and we don't have miles of beaches like Miami does...

So what's a fairly conservative Midwest city to do? I can tell you in two words - lighten up.

That's one thing Cincinnati does have - people who tilt toward the friendly side, but are capable of being more friendly and personable than what they are. If every one of us here in the Cincy area would go a little bit out of our way to get to know one person we might not otherwise make the effort to know...that would do as much to attract people here as all the bike trails and streetcars in the world.

[natininja]

If Cincinnatians act as good diplomats outside the city, that would help more. I have piqued several people's interests about the city who would never have given it any thought otherwise.

A few things I do:
When asked where I am from, I proudly say "Cincinnati". I don't say "Ohio", and I don't say "Cincinnati, Ohio". People know which state the city is in. Everyone has heard of the city. You can just say the city's name.

I work little bits of trivia into conversation. If a celebrity with Cincinnati ties gets brought up, I point out the Cincinnati connection. If P&G is brought up, I mention Cincinnati. If we're talking about DC comics or the Super Friends, I talk about Union Terminal being the Hall of Justice and hype up how awesome the building is. Because it is awesome.

On a related note, I talk about the historical significance of the city. It is nationally significant, but that recognition has been lost over the years. I bring that back into focus. If people are genuinely curious and open-minded, it's not hard to get them interested.

Know and believe and communicate that the city is relevant and special, and that people are missing out by not knowing or experiencing that. The main thing to not do is exaggerate. People will see through that, and think you're just a homer. Know what is unique or special about the city, and what is not. If you start hyping up things that are not unique, you will just look provincial, which is what they expect and are looking for. Prove them wrong.

If you come across as knowledgeable about other places, particularly places the people you're talking to respect, and you project conviction about Cincinnati holding its own side-by-side with those places (you don't have to do direct comparisons), anyone who is not provincial themselves will be forced to think twice about their more-than-likely preconceived notion that Cincinnati is worth ignoring.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by natininja

If Cincinnatians act as good diplomats outside the city, that would help more. I have piqued several people's interests about the city who would never have given it any thought otherwise

That's a great point. My brother in-law came to visit from Portland a few months back, where he works as an air traffic controller. He had been told by a person from the Cincinnati metro (Westchester) how bad Cincinnati was, so he came to visit fully braced. I took him all over the inner city and he ABSOLUTELY was stunned at what he saw, and how wrong his friend was. I took him to N KY, OTR, Mount Adams, Clifton, CUF, and of course Prospect Hill. He made a point to straighten his friend out as well when he returned.

[motorman]

^ natininja, the quality of uniqueness isn't Cincinnati's alone, but it is Cincinnati's position in the Midwest. Really, what's there not to like about the renaissance of Ohio's Queen City?

[natininja]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

That's a great point. My brother in-law came to visit from Portland a few months back, where he works as an air traffic controller. He had been told by a person from the Cincinnati metro (Westchester) how bad Cincinnati was, so he came to visit fully braced. I took him all over the inner city and he ABSOLUTELY was stunned at what he saw, and how wrong his friend was. I took him to N KY, OTR, Mount Adams, Clifton, CUF, and of course Prospect Hill. He made a point to straighten his friend out as well when he returned.

I know a guy from West Chester who moved to NYC at 18. He obviously thinks Cincy is crap, but has never said it directly. He's just so dismissive when I try to talk to him about Cincy. His loss. I just hope he is not poisoning the well as much as I am doing the opposite.

[5thgencincy]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

... I took him to N KY, OTR, Mount Adams, Clifton, CUF, and of course Prospect Hill...

Prospect Hill, I'll have to check that out.
Proximity to Pendleton, which I was very interested in when I move here 2 years ago, because they were supposed to have a laundromat (turned out shutdown). I felt a good feng shui there, until the consistent appearance of thugs (cringe). Even if not thugs, blocking the street on a consistent basis, which means no cops, which is not good. Then when casino construction started, I knew I'd never be moving to Pendelton. Pendleton reminds of Printer's Row chicago loop which is good.
Another good feng shui for me is near Brush Factory 2019 Central Avenue. Reminds me of NW chicago loop before Boeing built their tower there (nice). Oasis in the city.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by 5thgencincy

Prospect Hill, I'll have to check that out.
Proximity to Pendleton, which I was very interested in when I move here 2 years ago, because they were supposed to have a laundromat (turned out shutdown). I felt a good feng shui there, until the consistent appearance of thugs (cringe). Even if not thugs, blocking the street on a consistent basis, which means no cops, which is not good. Then when casino construction started, I knew I'd never be moving to Pendelton. Pendleton reminds of Printer's Row chicago loop which is good.
Another good feng shui for me is near Brush Factory 2019 Central Avenue. Reminds me of NW chicago loop before Boeing built their tower there (nice). Oasis in the city.

Prospect Hill is a small historic district that's basically downtown, but in Mount Auburn. You sound like you know that already, but just in case. It's a tight knit neighborhood, with residents literally from all walks of life.

[neilworms2]

Know and believe and communicate that the city is relevant and special, and that people are missing out by not knowing or experiencing that. The main thing to not do is exaggerate. People will see through that, and think you're just a homer. Know what is unique or special about the city, and what is not. If you start hyping up things that are not unique, you will just look provincial, which is what they expect and are looking for. Prove them wrong.

You hit the nail on the head on this post!

I've been working to clean up the now wikivoyage article to remove any kind of provincialism and focus in on what someone outside the region would like. The article had a whole section on Mt. Washington, and while I'm sure there are nice things there, I never really saw that as an area that would appeal to outsiders the way that OTR would.

I'm kind of guilty of the same things you do, sometimes even getting the response, I've never heard that described so cool, to which I respond, well the city does have its issues one of the biggest ones being a intensely pervasive cynicism and strong anti urban attitude (the last one especially shocks Chicagoans who find it baffling). Still its a diamond in the rough and getting better all the time.