Southern City Tiers (live, state, largest, comparison)
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Indirectly conceding your point? More like having to reiterate my point. There is nothing to concede. Stop with the backhanded compliments and semantics. Please point to the post where I stated Charlotte is a household name? I’ll wait.
“Building lots of skyscrapers for 20 years doesn’t deepen your reputation or standing in the world”. Actually it does, unless you think Charlotte hasn’t ascended in rankings. Those skyscrapers come from demand, jobs, economic vitality. There’s far more to it than skyscrapers (Which I also never brought up so not sure why you’re harping here). This thread is about southern city tiers. Let me put it this way: Charlotte has ascended those tiers since 1987, without being a household name.
See my post to urbancharlotte. Yes, we know the thread is about tiers, but micro points are made in every thread, you all just can’t jump back and forth when you realize your Charlotte isn’t “winning” on a particular front.
I used San Jose in my other reply. As a southeastern person how many times have you heard the average person say they are visiting or going to Cali... but visit San Jose. Now reverse the demographic, why would any one on the west coast ever really hear about Charlotte? Now add to the fact that San Jose identifies as the Silicon Valley, which is always referred to in our tech-centered world, it just shows that branding and name recognition takes time. More than 20 years of rapid growth.
If you can only interpret this as a diss, then I’m out of words.
Here's a little something to think about when it comes to California. From Felicity, CA to Crescent City, CA it is about 1,000 miles. It's 930 miles from Jacksonville, FL to NYC. In theory, a "California sized" state here in the east could contain the following cities.
Jacksonville
Savannah
Charleston
Atlanta
Charlotte
Raleigh
Richmond
Norfolk-Virginia Beach
DC
Baltimore
Philadelphia
NYC
I say this because a Denver and a Portland (peers to Charlotte in metro size and GMP) gets a lot of SHINE out there on the left coast. 2.5-3.5 million in the MSA/CSA category doesn't shine as bright in Charlotte's neck of the woods.
Maybe Portland, Charlotte is not really a peer to Denver.
All that aside, my point in bringing up San Jose is that mid-sized boom towns will take a bit to get their names cemented nationally. I think in San Jose’s case most people over here in the south have heard of the Silicon Valley, they just would vaguely tie to Cali and not particularly San Jose. Plus there are so many cities beginning with “San” the lesser known cities begin to fly under the radar. It is a lot that goes into why some city names stick and others don’t.
In Charlotte’s case, it just has increase its cultural capital. Like get more artists coming out of there and make a dope “welcome to Atlanta” type anthem. I’ll say by 2040 it will be well established as a well known name across the nation.
See my post to urbancharlotte. Yes, we know the thread is about tiers, but micro points are made in every thread, you all just can’t jump back and forth when you realize your Charlotte isn’t “winning” on a particular front.
I used San Jose in my other reply. As a southeastern person how many times have you heard the average person say they are visiting or going to Cali... but visit San Jose. Now reverse the demographic, why would any one on the west coast ever really hear about Charlotte? Now add to the fact that San Jose identifies as the Silicon Valley, which is always referred to in our tech-centered world, it just shows that branding and name recognition takes time. More than 20 years of rapid growth.
If you can only interpret this as a diss, then I’m out of words.
Again, are you replying to the right person? You can repeat your elevator speech over and over, the point (mine and of this thread) remains the same. Charlotte has ascended these tiers in rapid fashion, regardless of whether she is being brought up at the dinner table or not by someone in San Jose. I understand this will frustrate some, as is evident by your posts. I don't know how else to spell it out. Im not interpreting anything as a diss rather than wondering why this is the hill you're choosing to battle on when having a household name is a mute point in this instance.
Again, are you replying to the right person? You can repeat your elevator speech over and over, the point (mine and of this thread) remains the same. Charlotte has ascended these tiers in rapid fashion, regardless of whether she is being brought up at the dinner table or not by someone in San Jose. I understand this will frustrate some, as is evident by your posts. I don't know how else to spell it out. Im not interpreting anything as a diss rather than wondering why this is the hill you're choosing to battle on when having a household name is a mute point in this instance.
My goodness. You started off responding to a point about Charlotte’s name recognition. Threads have many points. Have a good day
I wasn't trying to argue anything, I was just offering a perspective as someone who hasn't spent much time in that part of the country. I can't think of a single reference to Charlotte in popular culture. I know of several friends who have been to Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, and New Orleans, though I don't know a single one that has been to Charlotte or expressed an interest to go there. The first time I ever heard of it was way back when I googled what the largest cities in the U.S were., something I can't say the same for most cities in the top 50. I was just expressing surprise that it's developing into this top tier southern city when it still feels anonymous on a national level. Not a dig at Charlotte, it just is what it is.
I didn't interpret it as a "dig" on Charlotte, but unless someone is a recent immigrant or something, I just don't see how they wouldn't have heard of Charlotte in real life or even have heard it mentioned on TV, assuming they actually watch TV. The DNC was in Charlotte in 2012, the NBA All Star game was there a few years ago, it has hosted NCAA tournament basketball games, there were the riots over a police shooting of a Black civilian some years back, the RNC was supposed to be there this year, etc. Along with its professional sports teams (Panthers, Bobcats/Hornets), Charlotte has had enough national coverage in the past couple of years for someone who watches a fair amount of TV to have heard it mentioned IMO.
I can't think of a single relevant pop culture reference to Charlotte. Can you?
Judging by your posting history; it seems that you live in Columbus, Ohio. You also seem to lean to the left politically. In 2012, the Democratic National Convention for President Barack Obama was held in Charlotte. This year, a scaled-down (due to Covid-19) Republican National Convention for Donald Trump was held in Charlotte. In 2019, the NBA All Star Game was held in Charlotte. That game was postponed from 2017 due to a controversial transgender bathroom bill that sparked a national debate (Charlotte was the center of that bill). In 2016, Charlotte was all over the National news due to a police shooting 4-day protest (that turned into a full blown riot). You can verify all of this with a 5 minute Google search.
Last edited by urbancharlotte; 12-18-2020 at 09:07 AM..
Rioting don’t mean much, but the Conventions were a somewhat big deal (though they are now heavily skewed to purple states which means there is a narrow band of potential hosts). Not sure they count as breaking into pop culture in the same way Portlandia did. I mean they obviously don’t. Similarly with an all-star game. They add to news quotient which is good but more limited in reach.
Charlotte is a bit Anywhere USA. Like the Southern version of Indianapolis or Sacramento. Jack of all trades, master of none. It fills a niche, but it isn’t famous for being anything much beyond a nice place to live. And before the incoming, yes, that describes the Triangle pretty much as well. It’s not a bad spot to be in, but smaller places like Charleston, New Orleans, and Memphis will have stronger brand names even if most people would rather move to Charlotte (and in fact do).
Rioting don’t mean much, but the Conventions were a somewhat big deal (though they are now heavily skewed to purple states which means there is a narrow band of potential hosts). Not sure they count as breaking into pop culture in the same way Portlandia did. I mean they obviously don’t. Similarly with an all-star game. They add to news quotient which is good but more limited in reach.
Charlotte is a bit Anywhere USA. Like the Southern version of Indianapolis or Sacramento. Jack of all trades, master of none. It fills a niche, but it isn’t famous for being anything much beyond a nice place to live. And before the incoming, yes, that describes the Triangle pretty much as well. It’s not a bad spot to be in, but smaller places like Charleston, New Orleans, and Memphis will have stronger brand names even if most people would rather move to Charlotte (and in fact do).
Rioting don’t mean much, but the Conventions were a somewhat big deal (though they are now heavily skewed to purple states which means there is a narrow band of potential hosts). Not sure they count as breaking into pop culture in the same way Portlandia did. I mean they obviously don’t. Similarly with an all-star game. They add to news quotient which is good but more limited in reach.
Charlotte is a bit Anywhere USA. Like the Southern version of Indianapolis or Sacramento. Jack of all trades, master of none. It fills a niche, but it isn’t famous for being anything much beyond a nice place to live. And before the incoming, yes, that describes the Triangle pretty much as well. It’s not a bad spot to be in, but smaller places like Charleston, New Orleans, and Memphis will have stronger brand names even if most people would rather move to Charlotte (and in fact do).
I get all of that. However, I was responding to an Ohio resident that claims to have never even heard of the name Charlotte, North Carolina. This is very different from not knowing anything about Charlotte. This person (in their mind) sees Charlotte as a Kingstree, South Carolina or an Ahoskie, North Carolina. Sorry, but unless this person just touched down onto US soil, there's no excuses for that level of unawareness.
And before meep chimes in (probably already has) he lost all credibility when he called Drake a Memphis rapper.
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