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I can be a messed up place politically and socially, primarily between the two states. Paranoid, disorganized, at war with itself, unable to get it's head on straight and work together to achieve a cohesive metro. Civic pride is lacking. All of that is odd to me because it somehow works out to be a great town in the end.
I'm a little surprised they didn't purposefully miscalculate the positioning of the freeways so they (the two sides of state line) wouldn't be connected to each other.
A lot of places have a little back and forth between neighborhoods or whatever, but Kansas City makes a lifestyle out of it.
Last edited by northbound74; 05-17-2012 at 10:32 PM..
Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
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Quote:
Originally Posted by northbound74
I can be a messed up place politically and socially, primarily between the two states. Paranoid, disorganized, at war with itself, unable to get it's head on straight and work together to achieve a cohesive metro. Civic pride is lacking.
I'm a little surprised they didn't purposefully miscalculate the positioning of the freeways so they (the two sides of state line) wouldn't be connected to each other.
A lot of places have a little back and forth between neighborhoods or whatever, but Kansas City makes a lifestyle out of it.
I suspected that was what you meant. I definitely picked up on that being there. There doesn't seem to be nearly as much of a divide between Missourians and Illinoisans that live in the STL metro area. The greater divide is across the Missouri River in St. Charles and also in Franklin and Jefferson Counties.
Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A2DAC1985
"Most" might be correct.
Minny certainly doesn't have a capitol building (because it's not the state capitol).
And what's so ridiculous about picking a square mile that offers the best of the best that a city can offer? No other city packs as much into a square mile as Indy does.
Extend it to 5 square miles, and Indy fails.
Extend it to 10 square miles, and Indy fails even harder.
Extend it to the entire city limits, and you might as well write the city completely off.
I'm not boosting the city. I have plenty of complaints about it, as other posters here could attest to. But I am saying that one little old square mile of Indianapolis offers everything a "city" should offer. But extend those boundaries further out, and Indianapolis quickly slides down the hill.
What's the big deal about having a capital building? Chicago doesn't have one, and it still schools Indy. St. Louis has the Arch, the Federal Courthouse, etc. Jefferson City has a capital building...Jefferson City is the best city in Missouri!:smack :
Omaha doesn't match up in the tourism department for sure. Unless you are a big zoo fan not many people would pass a trip to any of these 3 cities to come to Omaha.
The part where I think Omaha stacks up just well to many cities is its day to day livability. Great well maintained parks and trails. Strong sense of community. Really good local dining scene. Great music scene, STL has Rap/Hip Hop KC has Jazz and I think Omaha could make the claim for the "indie" title of these 4. Our performing arts facilities match up with just about anywhere. The new modern Holland Center and the traditional Orpheum pull plenty of national touring acts.
No pro sports is a deal breaker for some I know. Lots of college sports that are very well supported in the city. You have to head to KC to get your closest pro fix. I am a big Chiefs and Royals fan so I go to at least one NFL and 5 MLB games a year. Make a mini vacation out of it each time get some BBQ catch the game and usually swing by the Plaza or Westport.
Add on Omaha has the lowest unemployment of these 4 by a wide margin, great cost of living as well. A bit behind on shopping and pro sports other than that not much I miss out on here compared to these other 4.
Location: Midwesterner living in California (previously East Coast)
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MSAMHUNTER -
KC has more or less equal ammenities (quality and number) to that of Indy. To say otherwise would inaccurate. Please list an ammenity that Indy has which you claim KC doesn't have. You will come up with little to absolutely nothing. On a related note, both Indy and KC are ranked as "Gamma World Cities". Neither one above or below the other. Interesting indication of how the two stand on a global ranking.
As for culture, KC is known for BBQ (widely considered best in the country along with Texas). This also happens to be one of the most important cities for the development of Jazz Music (NYC, Chicago, and of course New Orleans being the other cities). KC's arts scene is consistently recognized as being one of the Top 3 strongest in the Midwest (Chicago and Minneapolis first usually). Where is Indy? Not even mentioned in the same sentence.
And as for comparing Indy's downtown to that of KC's? Both cities got ranked in a recent article on the issue from Forbes. Yes, Indy placed ahead at #4, but KC was #7. And that is just an evaluation of downtown. You branch out and evaluate the cities on the whole, I believe Indy would lose out to KC.
Location: Midwesterner living in California (previously East Coast)
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Also, there is another set of criteria is that hasn't been considered as much, which I believe warrants evaluating. That is the regional pull of the city. And by regional pull, I mean things like:
Do college grads/young people in that region primarily look to that city for jobs and as having the best future opportunities.
Is that city seen as a "tourist" destination for families
Do people in that region view the city as the destination to go to for higher end shopping purposes
Do people in that region maintain close/strong affiliation with that city's professional sports team (may seem trivial, but this is actually a unique measurer of regional pull)
Transportation hub (major airport with most connections, bus routes, and Amtrack)
St. Louis' regional pull is probably 45%-50% of Missouri, a little bit of Illinois closest to the border, and maybe a bit of the corner tip of Iowa.
Indianapolis' regional pull is most of Indiana, and that is about it. The city loses northern Indiana to Chicago's massive pull. And Kentucky gravitates more towards Cincinnati. Ohio has it's own cities.
Omaha's pull is most of Nebraska, a decent chunk of Iowa, some parts of the Northern most bits of Missouri.
Kansas City's regional pull is about 40%-45% of Missouri, most of the state of Kansas, a bit of Nebraska, an even smaller bit of Iowa, and then a chunk of Oklahoma.
Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iamjacobm
Omaha doesn't match up in the tourism department for sure. Unless you are a big zoo fan not many people would pass a trip to any of these 3 cities to come to Omaha.
The part where I think Omaha stacks up just well to many cities is its day to day livability. Great well maintained parks and trails. Strong sense of community. Really good local dining scene. Great music scene, STL has Rap/Hip Hop KC has Jazz and I think Omaha could make the claim for the "indie" title of these 4. Our performing arts facilities match up with just about anywhere. The new modern Holland Center and the traditional Orpheum pull plenty of national touring acts.
No pro sports is a deal breaker for some I know. Lots of college sports that are very well supported in the city. You have to head to KC to get your closest pro fix. I am a big Chiefs and Royals fan so I go to at least one NFL and 5 MLB games a year. Make a mini vacation out of it each time get some BBQ catch the game and usually swing by the Plaza or Westport.
Add on Omaha has the lowest unemployment of these 4 by a wide margin, great cost of living as well. A bit behind on shopping and pro sports other than that not much I miss out on here compared to these other 4.
Actually, the St. Louis Zoo gives Henrly Doorly more than a run for its money. The St. Louis, San Diego, and Omaha zoos I believe all rank in the top 5 in the country.
Actually, the St. Louis Zoo gives Henrly Doorly more than a run for its money. The St. Louis, San Diego, and Omaha zoos I believe all rank in the top 5 in the country.
Plus StL Zoo is free! Probably biased, but I like Omaha's a little better than St. Louis'. The aquarium, indoor jungle and desert dome set Omaha apart for me. If the World Aquarium were in the StL Zoo that would be incredible. Both zoos are top notch though.
Another interesting bit, Omaha just got a $174 million dollar zoo renovation underway. Should keep us right at the top for a long long time.
Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iamjacobm
Plus StL Zoo is free! Probably biased, but I like Omaha's a little better than St. Louis'. The aquarium, indoor jungle and desert dome set Omaha apart for me. If the World Aquarium were in the StL Zoo that would be incredible. Both zoos are top notch though.
Another interesting bit, Omaha just got a $174 million dollar zoo renovation underway. Should keep us right at the top for a long long time.
I've never personally been to Omaha or the Henry Doorly Zoo. Closest I've been to Omaha was taking Route 2 to bypass it the south...was headed towards Wyoming, and we opted to take that to Lincoln instead. I've heard Henrly Doorly is located in one of the hilliest parts of Omaha. What is definitely true about KC, STL, and Omaha is that they all defy the stereotypical flatness of the Midwest...all three cities I'm told are hilly, and from pictures Omaha looks hilly throughout most of Douglas County except near the airport.
Also, there is another set of criteria is that hasn't been considered as much, which I believe warrants evaluating. That is the regional pull of the city. And by regional pull, I mean things like:
Do college grads/young people in that region primarily look to that city for jobs and as having the best future opportunities.
Is that city seen as a "tourist" destination for families
Do people in that region view the city as the destination to go to for higher end shopping purposes
Do people in that region maintain close/strong affiliation with that city's professional sports team (may seem trivial, but this is actually a unique measurer of regional pull)
Transportation hub (major airport with most connections, bus routes, and Amtrack)
St. Louis' regional pull is probably 45%-50% of Missouri, a little bit of Illinois closest to the border, and maybe a bit of the corner tip of Iowa.
Indianapolis' regional pull is most of Indiana, and that is about it. The city loses northern Indiana to Chicago's massive pull. And Kentucky gravitates more towards Cincinnati. Ohio has it's own cities.
Omaha's pull is most of Nebraska, a decent chunk of Iowa, some parts of the Northern most bits of Missouri.
Kansas City's regional pull is about 40%-45% of Missouri, most of the state of Kansas, a bit of Nebraska, an even smaller bit of Iowa, and then a chunk of Oklahoma.
I'll add Northeast Arkansas and parts of western Tennessee for St. Louis. St. Louis is a very common trip for those. Also, Northwest Arkansas for KC. I used to see Arkansas plates in KC quite a bit. I assume they were mostly from fast-growing NWA considering their cars were very nice and they didn't sound like Arkansas people I knew growing up.
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