"The City Doesn't Sit on the Cutting Edge of Anything..." (Denver: home, quality of life)

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

You guys in Colorado have to drive for 4 hours just to go skiing.

Now you've really lost it. I can usually make it from SE Aurora (about the farthest you could be from the mountains) to the parking lot of Loveland in about an hour and fifteen minutes. Keystone or Winterpark in about 1:30-1:45. I suggest you stay on the Milwaukee forum and post your nonsense there instead of degenerating to complete made up lies on this forum.

[DenverLawGal]

Hey man, I sort of back you. Definitely with your last statement. But let's not turn this into a Milwaukee vs. Denver cuz the two just aren't comparable.

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

Again, you guys are missing my whole point. You all want Denver to be considered a world class city. My city does world class things by accident. Besides Milwaukee is located right next to Chicago, our two metropolitan areas form a giant megalopolis along with Gary, IN. We don't have to be "all things to all people" like Denver tries to be. Denver is totally isolated and that isolation makes Denver a more important destination for things like concert tours and traveling museum exhibits or theatre productions, despite its relatively small population. Chances are if something chooses to skip over Milwaukee, I can probably still catch it in Chicago or Madison which are located less than 2 hours from Milwaukee. If you're willing to drive 4 hours you can drive to Detroit, Indianapolis, St. Louis, or Minneapolis for baseball or NFL games. You guys in Colorado have to drive for 4 hours just to go skiing. Your closest neighbors are Salt Lake City and Kansas City, 8 hour car rides from Denver. If Denver is so perfect, then why does everyone on this board freak out when someone criticises any aspect of the city. My town is perfectly fine with the image of beer-bellies and bowling allies. Why can't you guys accept Denver is thought of as cow-town USA? Other cities of similar size like St. Louis, Portland, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Tampa don't have dialogues discussing whether or not they're on the "cutting edge" of society or not. Those cities never for a second regarded themselves as highly as Denver seems to. You guys get all flabbergasted when someone like me says Denver isn't everything you make it out to be.

[frisbiec]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

Again, you guys are missing my whole point. You all want Denver to be considered a world class city. My city does world class things by accident. Besides Milwaukee is located right next to Chicago, our two metropolitan areas form a giant megalopolis along with Gary, IN. We don't have to be "all things to all people" like Denver tries to be. Denver is totally isolated and that isolation makes Denver a more important destination for things like concert tours and traveling museum exhibits or theatre productions, despite its relatively small population. Chances are if something chooses to skip over Milwaukee, I can probably still catch it in Chicago or Madison which are located less than 2 hours from Milwaukee. If you're willing to drive 4 hours you can drive to Detroit, Indianapolis, St. Louis, or Minneapolis for baseball or NFL games. You guys in Colorado have to drive for 4 hours just to go skiing. Your closest neighbors are Salt Lake City and Kansas City, 8 hour car rides from Denver. If Denver is so perfect, then why does everyone on this board freak out when someone criticises any aspect of the city. My town is perfectly fine with the image of beer-bellies and bowling allies. Why can't you guys accept Denver is thought of as cow-town USA? Other cities of similar size like St. Louis, Portland, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Tampa don't have dialogues discussing whether or not they're on the "cutting edge" of society or not. Those cities never for a second regarded themselves as highly as Denver seems to. You guys get all flabbergasted when someone like me says Denver isn't everything you make it out to be.

Now, I think Denver is overrated just as much as you do, if not more, but I don't think most people think of Denver as a "cowtown." I would say many people have unrealistic expectations for Denver and think it is some mountain oasis and can be disappointed when they arrive (myself included).

Out of all of the places I have lived (Central New York, Maryland/DC metro, Tampa, FL and Seattle, WA), with the exception of Seattle, people tend to think that Denver is most likely this great place (and for many it is). Seattle, although I love it and think it is superior to Denver on almost all levels, has a similar inferiority/superiority complex that Denver has and like Denver, many people tend to love it or hate it.

When, I made the decision to move to Denver, I discounted the fact that I would miss green, and water (rivers, oceans, lakes, waterfalls), I quickly found that I did not like the landscape, the weather, the culture and the weather. So, I will chalk Denver up as a nice place to visit, but not a good place for me to live.

In regards to you saying that Tampa, St. Louis and Pittsburgh being of similar sizes, they are actually quite a bit smaller in population.

Back to the initial question at hand, Denver is not on the cutting edge of anything, but does not need to be. Most U.S. cities other than NYC, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, L.A., etc. are not considered "World Class Cities." Many cities would like to be considered that, but fail to make the grade (whatever the criteria is). I remember when I lived in Seattle there were constant articles in the newspapers and efforts taken by the Mayor to try to make Seattle a "world class city." Many native people preferred not being a "world class city" as it brings just as many negatives as positives. I think many of the people in Denver that are natives or have significant roots feel the same.

People do get too worked up sometimes when people put down their "city," but it seems to be the same everywhere . . .

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by frisbiec

In regards to you saying that Tampa, St. Louis and Pittsburgh being of similar sizes, they are actually quite a bit smaller in population.

Um, no they aren't. Here's the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 estimates for the following MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)
Denver-Aurora: 2,464,866
Tampa-St. Petersburg: 2,723,949
St. Louis: 2,803,707
Pittsburgh: 2,355,712

[EastSideMKE]

Denver just thinks it's bigger than those other cities.

[katmoney]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

Again, you guys are missing my whole point. You all want Denver to be considered a world class city. My city does world class things by accident. Besides Milwaukee is located right next to Chicago, our two metropolitan areas form a giant megalopolis along with Gary, IN. We don't have to be "all things to all people" like Denver tries to be. Denver is totally isolated and that isolation makes Denver a more important destination for things like concert tours and traveling museum exhibits or theatre productions, despite its relatively small population. Chances are if something chooses to skip over Milwaukee, I can probably still catch it in Chicago or Madison which are located less than 2 hours from Milwaukee. If you're willing to drive 4 hours you can drive to Detroit, Indianapolis, St. Louis, or Minneapolis for baseball or NFL games. You guys in Colorado have to drive for 4 hours just to go skiing. Your closest neighbors are Salt Lake City and Kansas City, 8 hour car rides from Denver. If Denver is so perfect, then why does everyone on this board freak out when someone criticises any aspect of the city. My town is perfectly fine with the image of beer-bellies and bowling allies. Why can't you guys accept Denver is thought of as cow-town USA? Other cities of similar size like St. Louis, Portland, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Tampa don't have dialogues discussing whether or not they're on the "cutting edge" of society or not. Those cities never for a second regarded themselves as highly as Denver seems to. You guys get all flabbergasted when someone like me says Denver isn't everything you make it out to be.

Do us all a favor, quit your Denver bashing and stay in the Milwaukee forum.

I am sick and tired of reading all the negativity!
I'm from Chicago, and..yes, Denver lacks the culture and diversity that Chicago has. I've come to accept Denver for what it is. I live here for two reasons, and the city of Denver is not one of them. 1-the weather. 2-snowboarding (and, are you smoking crack? it does not take 4 hours to get to ski resorts from here)


I realize that it isn't for everyone. In fact, if I didn't like snowboarding or doing outdoorsy stuff, I would absolutely HATE it out here. The city is lacking in many aspects but it has really grown on me in the year or so I've been here.

[frisbiec]

Originally Posted by

Um, no they aren't. Here's the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 estimates for the following MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)
Denver-Aurora: 2,464,866
Tampa-St. Petersburg: 2,723,949
St. Louis: 2,803,707
Pittsburgh: 2,355,712

If you just take into account the city population and not the metro statistical area, Denver is indeed significantly larger. Does it really matter?

U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 statistics for city population.
Denver: 588,349
St. Louis: 350,759
Tampa: 336,823
Pittsburgh: 311,218

Milwaukee: 602,191, you'd think that since the population is larger here, they would be on the cutting edge of things (insert sarcasm)

and quit whining about Milwaukee and Denver, they both have crappy beer associated with them Both cities compete for the drunkest city on a yearly basis

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

Um, no they aren't. Here's the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 estimates for the following MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)
Denver-Aurora: 2,464,866
Tampa-St. Petersburg: 2,723,949
St. Louis: 2,803,707
Pittsburgh: 2,355,712

Thank you.

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by katmoney

Do us all a favor, quit your Denver bashing and stay in the Milwaukee forum.

I am sick and tired of reading all the negativity!
I'm from Chicago, and..yes, Denver lacks the culture and diversity that Chicago has. I've come to accept Denver for what it is. I live here for two reasons, and the city of Denver is not one of them. 1-the weather. 2-snowboarding (and, are you smoking crack? it does not take 4 hours to get to ski resorts from here)


I realize that it isn't for everyone. In fact, if I didn't like snowboarding or doing outdoorsy stuff, I would absolutely HATE it out here. The city is lacking in many aspects but it has really grown on me in the year or so I've been here.

Why even live in Denver if you don't like it? Why not move up to Glenwood Springs or Durango then?

As far as drive times are concerned, are you taking traffic into account? I've sat in my car just outside the Eisenhower tunnel for hours while road crews cleared away an accident scene. Traffic on I-70 coming into Denver on a Sunday night is worse than the traffic right after a Broncos game.

[frisbiec]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

But by that logic that means Milwaukee is larger than Denver.
Milwaukee: 602,191

Well, Milwaukee is larger than Denver, Boston, Seattle, DC, Vegas, Portland, etc . . . it is the 22nd largest city in the U.S.