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Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
7,409 posts, read 6,540,013 times
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Ok, if you say so....no, wait a minute--let me provide some context:
"Every few years, cities are rated ranked by the Globalization and World Rankings Research Institute. It is considered the leading institute ranking world cities. Cities are ranked into Alpha, Beta and Gamma cities by taking into account many factors; economic factors are deemed more important than cultural or political factors though in this ranking."
"Several characteristics are used to define an alpha city. The first is first name familiarity around the world. Alpha cities are also economic powerhouses. They are meccas for the international business community, and they usually house the core of their national financial industry, including stock exchanges. Many international companies have offices in every alpha city so that they can be in touch with the most current events going on around the world, and alpha cities are major waypoints for shipping as well, with the city often being situated on a port."
Maybe you should contact them if you think they overstated--or understated--the case based on economic factors, providing your rationale. Seems odd they would rank Miami as an alpha city--with economic factors playing an important role--if it were an impoverished area that only relies on tourism--as another poster, not affiliated with the institute, has claimed...yes/no/maybe?...I'm not here to denigrate Seattle--which I earlier stated I enjoyed visiting on business--as much as I am to disprove that Miami is on par with Haiti....I can assure you Coral Gables (including its various enclaves), Brickell, Key Biscayne, most of Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, most of Miami Beach (including the various islands and up to Sunny Isles) are quite well off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mhays25
Funny, someone is quoting the "alpha" thing but doesn't seem to know what it means.
Last edited by elchevere; 03-02-2019 at 09:48 PM..
If GAWC was used to measure "business connectivity" it would at least be reasonable to quote it. But people seem to think it's measures business importance or influence (no) or prominence on a larger scale (really no).
Seattle is a much smaller city than Miami but its 2017 GDP was a little bit larger. Also the two largest companies in the world by market cap (depending on the day) are based in Seattle.
That said, Miami is more prominent than Seattle in a cultural sense.
If GAWC was used to measure "business connectivity" it would at least be reasonable to quote it. But people seem to think it's measures business importance or influence (no) or prominence on a larger scale (really no).
Seattle is a much smaller city than Miami but its 2017 GDP was a little bit larger. Also the two largest companies in the world by market cap (depending on the day) are based in Seattle.
That said, Miami is more prominent than Seattle in a cultural sense.
Miami destroys it but I’d rather live in Seattle...more historically urban and livable
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
7,409 posts, read 6,540,013 times
Reputation: 6677
Well aware of MSFT and AMZN, having worked 33 years in tech for a bellwether semiconductor company.
Seattle will have more corporate, career growth and wealth building opportunities than Miami for many depending upon industry and individual. Whereas tourism remains vital to Miami, other industries of note include international trade/export, international finance/banking, aviation, and the usual suspects—healthcare/hospitals/medical, law, construction, sales, and real estate/development.
Florida is the 4th largest economy in the US, with Miami-Dade the largest county in the state so it’s not void of wealth or opportunity by any means with only service workers as another poster would have you believe...(heck, Bezos—graduate of Miami’s Palmetto HS, Class of 1982).
Quote:
Originally Posted by mhays25
If GAWC was used to measure "business connectivity" it would at least be reasonable to quote it. But people seem to think it's measures business importance or influence (no) or prominence on a larger scale (really no).
Seattle is a much smaller city than Miami but its 2017 GDP was a little bit larger. Also the two largest companies in the world by market cap (depending on the day) are based in Seattle.
That said, Miami is more prominent than Seattle in a cultural sense.
Last edited by elchevere; 03-03-2019 at 06:21 AM..
Miami destroys it but I’d rather live in Seattle...more historically urban and livable
How does Miami destroy Seattle? If your main priorities are warm/hot weather, swimmable beaches, and nightclubs then I guess it does.
But if you prefer a more temperate climate, stronger economy, urban districts, better live music scene, (by most metrics) better restaurants and dive bars, and stunning natural beauty then you could say Seattle destroys Miami.
How does Miami destroy Seattle? If your main priorities are warm/hot weather, swimmable beaches, and nightclubs then I guess it does.
But if you prefer a more temperate climate, stronger economy, urban districts, better live music scene, (by most metrics) better restaurants and dive bars, and stunning natural beauty then you could say Seattle destroys Miami.
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
7,409 posts, read 6,540,013 times
Reputation: 6677
I was going to bring that up but Seattle does have a very good restaurant scene. There are some cuisines Miami does better and some Seattle does better...of course any city in which Thomas Keller, Stephen Starr and Jose Andres have opened up restaurants (full fledged ones—not in name only or chains like a Wolfgang Puck Cafe Express and/or some celebrity TV reality show clown whose buildouts are better than the food) along with high end NYC outposts, as in the case of Miami, is an asset.
The other areas mentioned by Vincent I will challenge: (1) Seattle wins and can have dive bars. I prefer classier bars and lounges in which dress codes are enforced. These are separate from nightclubs; (2) I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but not sure if temperate is the correct or best term for Seattle’s climate—not when I pulled up the 10 day weather forecast yesterday and the low reached 27 and the high will only be in mid 40’s to mid 50’s... I would call that chilly bordering on cold unless one is using NYC or CHI as a basis of comparison; and (3) Miami is not without its urban districts (Brickell/Downtown, The River/Wharf, Midtown, Wynwood, good portions of Miami Beach).
No question Seattle has a more diversified and better economy with a much larger corporate HQ presence, depending upon individual and career path/industry. Seattle has the benefit of a mountain backdrop and nice skyline though—as you are aware— the Miami skyline with greenish/turquoise waters of the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay with marinas and cruise port (let’s not forget the green palm trees) is no slouch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by polo89
Better restaurants? That's definitely debatable..
Last edited by elchevere; 03-05-2019 at 08:38 AM..
The reason why Miami is losing this poll is simple. The kind of people who enjoy Seattle are the same kind of people on this website voting on polls like these. Introverts and tech geeks. Isn't this kind of bias widely known throughout this forum yet? Add in all the Spanish speakers and it's a done deal. If you were to poll the entire world most people would ask "What country is Seattle in again?" Let me know when you're ready for that list.
But this is precisely why these polls are interesting. I don't really care what the general population thinks is better, that's so vague and generic and you can already find that out through conversations and migration numbers. CD is an urbanists' hub and discussion forum, we're looking from an urbanists' lens of what is better. It's not all tech geeks and introverts in here either.
I find the Miami vs. Seattle debate very interesting. A couple of reasons.
1. They are on the complete opposite ends of this country. Seattle the at the very far northwest corner and Miami at the very far southeast corner. They are also so far away from each other when you think about it. If you fly from one to the other, you are completely flying across the country (literally). How long is that flight?!
2. Miami is always warm to hot in weather, while Seattle is always cool to cold.
3. Miami is pretty much a Latino and lesser extent black city. Seattle is a very white and asian city.
4. Their economies are worlds apart. Seattle thrives on technology, Miami on banking and tourism.
5. One is super flat, the other one the complete opposite.
6. Seattle is a more introverted, simpler, intellectual city. Miami is a more extroverted, stylish, flashy city.
I could go on on how different these cities are.
Some similarities through:
1. Water, water, water everywhere for both.
2. Both are some of the most lush cities you will see in the US.
3. The closest major cities to both are actually in different countries (Vancouver and Havana).
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