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I just looked at the first list, the GaWC. Yes the one below it LA moved up ONE spot and switched with Chicago, I wouldn't call that "leapfrogging" though. There's about 4 or 5 different lists so clearly it's pretty debatable.
I agree LA has many World Class amenities but it comes in a relatively unattractive package. It's not the easiest or a very likeable city for a tourist to visit based on it's built environment.
Meh just another CD opinion, the fact still remains
Those are called suburbs; all big cities have them. And Chicago, for as urban, transit-developed and neighborhood-friendly as it is, certainly has its share of sprawl. Then there's LA. LA, by any measure, is probably the biggest sprawler of any Acity in the United States (maybe Phoenix, maybe Las Vegas as well). Its name is nearly synonomous with sprawling, car-centric, highway-dependent culture. Play a word association game with someone not from LA and I bet in 50% of the cases, "sprawling" or "suburban comes up in the first five responses. To be fair, I'm also aware that there is a good deal of density in LA's outlying regions (it's massive)
This is a picture of LA (below). The sprawl in this picture goes nearly to those mountains in the background. Granted, the downtown (small blip in the center) is in the picture, but I'd love to get a sense of how many square miles this covers.
It's also funny that you say "check mate" about LA leap-frogging Chicago in population. Meanwhile much of the discussion here is whether or not LA should be considered a true world class city whereas it's already assumed that Chicago is a bona fide. Glass houses, right? ... And, thousands upon thousands of them lined up nicely along well-manicured lots in suburban tracts.
Who cares what common people associate what with who?
Chicago urban area = 2440 sq miles, population 8.6 million
Los Angeles urban area = 1736 sq miles, population 12.1 million
Meh just another CD opinion, the fact still remains
The fact that Chicago ranks ahead of LA on some lists and LA ranks ahead of Chicago on other ones? Yes that is true. LA is a great city but it doesn't really stand alone when it comes to rankings like this.
The fact that Chicago ranks ahead of LA on some lists and LA ranks ahead of Chicago on other ones? Yes that is true. LA is a great city but it doesn't really stand alone when it comes to rankings like this.
Look at the wiki link again thoroughly, then come back to me
The GAWC ranking is NOTHING MORE than a ranking of the number of satellite offices a city has of specific law firms, banks, insurance firms, accounting firms & advertisting firms.
That's it.
The last time they actually did a ranking that actually weighed the combined economic, cultural and political impact of cities in the world was in 2004, the Top 5 was London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris and SF(Hahaha)
And yet, time and time again, it is treated like the Holy Bible of city rankings. Good job exposing how flawed it is.
Look at the wiki link again thoroughly, then come back to me
Ranked Higher
GaWC: Chicago
Global Cities Index: LA
Global Cities Competitiveness Index: Chicago
Global Power City Index: LA
World City Survey: LA
Like I said, LA isn't in a class of its own here. I'm not sure what's so bad about being ranked with or near Chicago in these meaningless lists anyways, it's a great city too.
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