New York Times: Dallas the world's 17th most compelling destination in 2009 (Houston: apartment, condo)

[MaryS80]

Originally Posted by WillysB

I'd concur with that. My experiences in Europe have shown me that on learning I'm from Texas a European would show a smile and indicate a reaction of 'Dallas'. On learning I was from Houston the expression would change to something more like 'oh, Texas'.

I know a lot of Dallas natives want to shed the image that the show left behind, but it's still popular in parts of the world. These days most people visiting Southfork ranch are tourists from outside the country.

[DWong]

Ya, really... 17th most compelling destination.. I guess if you just look @ the list you would scratch your head too? I think it was best said, DFW is a business destination, unless you HAD to go.. you ain't taking the family there. If you researched it the tourism, $$$ isn't tourism $$ spent in DFW, it's all business. You know when they ask you business or pleasure???

Again, I don't know what it is with these arts and cultural centers... they are more for local than for out of towners. When I travel to tourists place with family or just the wife, those are the last places we go - if we do at all.
Maybe the past 20 years or so cities have been obsessed with creating these performing arts things and such, but lets face it.. unless it's in NY, CHI, SF or LA.. NO ONE is traveling to whatever city to watch it.

Below Average weather, top 25% in crime in cities top 100 populated cities, nothing naturally beautiful to see (prairies?), surburbia at it's finest... lets face it... it is what it is. It's good old fashion americana capitalism at it's finest (maybe the last large city that isn't overtaken by liberalism).

[TrueDat]

Originally Posted by DWong

.Maybe the past 20 years or so cities have been obsessed with creating these performing arts things and such, but lets face it.. unless it's in NY, CHI, SF or LA.. NO ONE is traveling to whatever city to watch it.

That's not necessarily true. Santa Fe's built an entire tourist industry on arts (and restaurant) tourism. Granted, it may be a minority interest, but there are people who travel for various productions, museums, etc. Just as there are people who travel for baseball spring training or want to see all the baseball stadiums. To say NO ONE is interested in these things is not true. But satisfying a collection of varying minority tastes can mean a good amount of money for cities that can pull it off.

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by DWong

unless it's in NY, CHI, SF or LA.. NO ONE is traveling to whatever city to watch it.

The article seemed slanted towards two groups... culture lovers who genuinely like to travel to new and interesting cultural centers, and to hedonists who are amused by exotic locales. DFW is in the first group, due to the art, architecture and performances in the Arts District.

Since the DFW area is larger and has better entertainment than 95% of the metros in America, the people of those metros have plenty of motivation to come to DFW and enjoy what they can't find at home. Especially if they've already seen NY, Chi, LA, etc, and have lost interest in them.

I've already visited museums in LA and SF, among other places. I wouldn't go back to their museums for another look, I'd go visit museums I hadn't seen before, in a city that I hadn't seen before.

And yes, plenty of people travel to DFW to attend sporting events, roadshows, concerts, opera, film festivals, literary series, and to visit unique and irreplaceable museums such as the Kimbell or the Nasher. Or the Kennedy Assassination museum. And the Dallas Arts District as a visual and performing arts center is (or will be) unsurpassed in America, except for possibly Lincoln Center in NYC.

Just as idle speculation, does anybody want to visit the place where Robert Kennedy was killed? It seems that the entire world is fascinated by the JFK site in Dallas.

OTOH, I'd expect that most people don't visit cities, they go on vacation to resorts such as Cancun, Disneyworld, Branson, or Myrtle Beach.

[CMDallas]

Originally Posted by aceplace

The performing arts halls in the Dallas Arts District will be something most cities can't afford to put up. Besides the three arts museums, and their performance spaces, we will have the Meyerson, of course, the Wyly theatre, the Winspear, and the new Dallas concert hall with its 3 auditoriums. Plus, we will have a performance hall in the new Arts District High School. The DCPA organization will have a full schedule of performances in the Wyly and Winspear, the Meyerson will be booked as it is now, and the Dallas hall will have performances by other groups in the city that can't fit into the other three halls. The High School will also have performances by talented young people.

The existing Dallas Summer Musicals organization will not be programming the new halls. They will continue to program the Fair Park Music Hall with the summer musicals series and the Majestic Theatre with the winter schedule of plays, and will also be programming the Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff. The Latino Cultural Center will also have a schedule of performances.

Don't overlook the fact that the new buildings will also be excellent pieces of architecture, certainly an added value that will be attractive to many. I especially like the architecture of the Latino Cultural Center.

When the new halls open this fall, we will also have the opening of the DART Green line between Victory and Fair Park. This will give visitors much better access to the museums in Fair Park as well as the performance venue beside it, whatever it's called these days, Smirnoff Center, or whatever.

No doubt, I think I wanna go down there to see what makes us 17.

Originally Posted by DWong

- (maybe the last large city that isn't overtaken by liberalism).

ehh...nope... Houston and maybe San Diego...and I guess Fort Worth would be that, Dallas is more liberal than Houston by a significant margin, we have huge numbers of Gays and I don't know what else but look on any "most liberal city list" and you'll see Dallas (city proper) beats out cities you once thought of as "very liberal"

[abijigoku]

Oh Please. Dallas isn't that special and when you switch from 'times recommandation' to 'reader recommendation' Dallas falls to 35.

Dallas is boring unless you are a booze hound, a history lover, or have no personality.

Its a place to visit but thats it.

[DWong]

Originally Posted by TrueDat

That's not necessarily true. Santa Fe's built an entire tourist industry on arts (and restaurant) tourism. Granted, it may be a minority interest, but there are people who travel for various productions, museums, etc. Just as there are people who travel for baseball spring training or want to see all the baseball stadiums. To say NO ONE is interested in these things is not true. But satisfying a collection of varying minority tastes can mean a good amount of money for cities that can pull it off.

Good point, but I'd think you said it, it is a VERY small industry. It probably doesn't pull much of a profit and can't hold it's own water without some sort of public funds. People are interested in them, however lets face it, the arts aren't a major tourist attraction (even in the most artsy cities)

[DWong]

Originally Posted by aceplace

The article seemed slanted towards two groups... culture lovers who genuinely like to travel to new and interesting cultural centers, and to hedonists who are amused by exotic locales. DFW is in the first group, due to the art, architecture and performances in the Arts District.

In my ever growing old age, I don't see many people who actually travel for cultural/art stuff- esp those who have families. Lets face it, I think the it's a very important thing in society, however it makes up a VERY small % of tourism - if any. Again, it's mostly locals who visit.

Since the DFW area is larger and has better entertainment than 95% of the metros in America, the people of those metros have plenty of motivation to come to DFW and enjoy what they can't find at home. Especially if they've already seen NY, Chi, LA, etc, and have lost interest in them.
Again, local entertainment is pretty much the same in ALL large metros. There are a few things that are special to every place, but again, is it something that people who only get 2 weeks vacation are going to use to see? Probably not in DFW - which is fine.

I've already visited museums in LA and SF, among other places. I wouldn't go back to their museums for another look, I'd go visit museums I hadn't seen before, in a city that I hadn't seen before.

And yes, plenty of people travel to DFW to attend sporting events, roadshows, concerts, opera, film festivals, literary series, and to visit unique and irreplaceable museums such as the Kimbell or the Nasher. Or the Kennedy Assassination museum. And the Dallas Arts District as a visual and performing arts center is (or will be) unsurpassed in America, except for possibly Lincoln Center in NYC.

Just as idle speculation, does anybody want to visit the place where Robert Kennedy was killed? It seems that the entire world is fascinated by the JFK site in Dallas.

OTOH, I'd expect that most people don't visit cities, they go on vacation to resorts such as Cancun, Disneyworld, Branson, or Myrtle Beach.

Yes, true, however I like a good mix of city culture such as CHI, NYC or SF, then take the kiddies to Disneyworld, Seaworld, Hawaii etc.

[DWong]

Originally Posted by abijigoku

Oh Please. Dallas isn't that special and when you switch from 'times recommandation' to 'reader recommendation' Dallas falls to 35.

Dallas is boring unless you are a booze hound, a history lover, or have no personality.

Its a place to visit but thats it.

OUch - can you elaborate?

[DWong]

Originally Posted by CMDallas

No doubt, I think I wanna go down there to see what makes us 17.


ehh...nope... Houston and maybe San Diego...and I guess Fort Worth would be that, Dallas is more liberal than Houston by a significant margin, we have huge numbers of Gays and I don't know what else but look on any "most liberal city list" and you'll see Dallas (city proper) beats out cities you once thought of as "very liberal"

San Diego - take out the Military it's VERY liberal. In fact, it went Obama - 1st time it went Dem since I can remember? SD makeup is a young and liberal with a HUGE college makeup. Well, gay population are everywhere now - but I think it takes more than just that to make a city "liberal".
DFW with it's HUGE family population is the reasons why it's still has conservatism in it's roots. Go outside Dallas itself, it's probably the largest conservative area in the US if I'm not mistaken? African American population which again, I believe is almost 25% accounts for a large part of the liberalism.