Which cities have grown or faded in relevance the most throughout your lifetime? (better, largest)
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The OP's hometown, Rochester, should be under the "faded" category, given that Xerox and Kodak were once industrial giants. Buffalo may have been slowly fading in the long run, but its actually attempting to bring its image back in at least the medium run, partly coming at the expense of Rochester.
Meanwhile, under the "grown" category, I'd place Orlando on there, and with the Brightline about to open, its role as a connector to much of the rest of FL will only continue to thrive, and there's even talks of a potential fifth WDW park set to open. Its come along way from being "home to Disney" back in the '70s/'80s.
Surprise nobody has said Las Vegas yet with the booming brethren, which like Orlando and theme parks, is so much more than just casinos nowadays, with the biggies being the arrival of more pro sports, with a MLB franchise coming soon. On the contrary, Atlantic City continues to lose its relevance, which can trace its decline back to the days of the boom in air travel despite a comeback attempt in the 1980s, with even the Miss America Pageant leaving town (itself losing relevance despite moving the other locations in recent years).
Among a couple of Plains cities, OKC seems to be gaining (mostly due to DFW spillover) and Wichita seems to be declining.
These cities continue to rise in prominence. I like that they offer a high quality of life and things to do.
Faded:
Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, St. Louis, San Francisco, Portland
For me the faded cities have lost their luster. Crime, run down areas, low vibrations feeling, congested etc. have kept them from being relevant to me.
So you actually believe Atlanta is less relevant today than it was when you were a kid?
These cities continue to rise in prominence. I like that they offer a high quality of life and things to do.
Faded:
Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, St. Louis, San Francisco, Portland
For me the faded cities have lost their luster. Crime, run down areas, low vibrations feeling, congested etc. have kept them from being relevant to me.
How has Portland declined? Seems a huge stretch to say it isn't relevant.
Problem with Chicago is the natural amenities outside of Lake Michigan is the absolute pits. It’s still a great city but a lot of the younger professional class enjoy hiking and skiing and it’s really hard to do both in Chicago. I don’t think crime is the real answer as there are many places to live in Chicago not even counting the suburbs where your risks of being a victim of crime is incredibly low.
Atlanta? I don’t really see it as fading. It’s growing rapidly and lots of good things are happening for the city.
I could see an argument for Atlanta peaking around 2010. I don't feel that it has declined at all (trust me, the metro is still booming with zero signs of slowing down), however I only arrived a few years ago. Some lifelong residents have expressed to me that the city is becoming more corporate and losing its identity, which was arguably the foremost influencer of American pop culture in the 2000s. That being said, a growing corporate presence could be one measure of relevance so I'm not sure it's less "relevant" in any way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Borntoolate85
The OP's hometown, Rochester, should be under the "faded" category, given that Xerox and Kodak were once industrial giants. Buffalo may have been slowly fading in the long run, but its actually attempting to bring its image back in at least the medium run, partly coming at the expense of Rochester.
Meanwhile, under the "grown" category, I'd place Orlando on there, and with the Brightline about to open, its role as a connector to much of the rest of FL will only continue to thrive, and there's even talks of a potential fifth WDW park set to open. Its come along way from being "home to Disney" back in the '70s/'80s.
Surprise nobody has said Las Vegas yet with the booming brethren, which like Orlando and theme parks, is so much more than just casinos nowadays, with the biggies being the arrival of more pro sports, with a MLB franchise coming soon. On the contrary, Atlantic City continues to lose its relevance, which can trace its decline back to the days of the boom in air travel despite a comeback attempt in the 1980s, with even the Miss America Pageant leaving town (itself losing relevance despite moving the other locations in recent years).
Among a couple of Plains cities, OKC seems to be gaining (mostly due to DFW spillover) and Wichita seems to be declining.
Solid take. I have felt Rochester was always below Buffalo in relevance (due to name recognition and sports), but the corporate giants kept the city afloat as an oasis in the Rust Belt for many years. When I was younger people talked about Rochester with more reverence, there was a sense of importance and "big city" vision. These days I go back and people talk down on the city or act like it's a small town. Even the leadership seems to have a provincial mindset/outlook. Rochester actually blew a unique opportunity to reinvent itself in the mid-2000s to early-2010s when the economy was the 2nd largest in New York State and metro population was growing fastest in Upstate New York, but Buffalo has leapfrogged that progress and regained it's ground as the #2 while offering better urban amenities and lower crime.
Las Vegas is a great pick for growing relevance. The expansion team boom is highly impressive. What was once a vacation destination in the desert has now become a major city in its own right.
Problem with Chicago is the natural amenities outside of Lake Michigan is the absolute pits. It’s still a great city but a lot of the younger professional class enjoy hiking and skiing and it’s really hard to do both in Chicago. I don’t think crime is the real answer as there are many places to live in Chicago not even counting the suburbs where your risks of being a victim of crime is incredibly low.
There is actually plenty to do within a short drive of Chicago, or even in the suburbs. It's certainly not bereft of hiking opportunities. Lots to do in WI, as well...as many Chicagoans have discovered. I kind of love the lakefront trail....beautiful views of the city and Lake Michigan. Views that are hard to beat.
There is actually plenty to do within a short drive of Chicago, or even in the suburbs. It's certainly not bereft of hiking opportunities. Lots to do in WI, as well...as many Chicagoans have discovered. I kind of love the lakefront trail....beautiful views of the city and Lake Michigan. Views that are hard to beat.
Well... relative to the other five alpha cities, NYC LA Boston SF and LA ... then the other Beta+ cities like Seattle, DC, Philadelphia and Miami (i think?) ..Chicago by far has the least for natural environment. Its not devoid of hiking, but, relative to its peers. Its lower.
So you actually believe Atlanta is less relevant today than it was when you were a kid?
Atlanta has faded to some degree.
Atlanta is obviously growing and obviously important. But when I was a kid, the Braves won the World Series and Atlanta hosted the Olympics. I remember the Olympic torch passing through my town on its way to the games… So, while it has grown since the 1990s it’s not hard to see how it’s less important on a relative basis. Also, it’s less dominant than it used to be regionally.
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