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City-Data sleeping on Omaha once again- A 1 million population metro…and the perfect “mid major” metropolitan area…
I would have to agree with you here. Omaha is an excellent example of a city that's not quite major, but is highly important to its region and has general (even if vague) name recognition nationwide.
I don't think many people appreciate how much Las Vegas has grown into a major city and is now much more than just a tourist destination, same with Orlando. Las Vegas now has a metropolitan area similarly sized as Baltimore, Pittsburgh or Columbus. Milwaukee is an old legacy city though with an urban reputation and its culturally important because of its beer even though Budweiser is in St. Louis and Coors is near Denver.
I have to think if we're talking about 1-2 million MSA areas. You'd have to think Raleigh-Durham, Richmond, Hampton Roads, The Piedmont Triad (WS, Greensboro), Charleston, etc.
Part of it deals with the cities' stature overall not just population. Nobody ever talks about Providence or Hartford, ever. And isn't Hartford technically part of the New York City metropolitan area and not its own city, just like Wilmington, Delaware is part of the Philadelphia metro?
Lafayette is well known as the heart of Cajun country and for its cultural uniqueness and contributions. Tallahassee is a major college town and state capital of an important state. Biloxi is a major tourist destination on the Gulf Coast. I consider Boston to be the only truly major city north of NYC, with Portland, Maine possibly a semi-major city.
So nobody ever talks about Providence and Hartford, but Lafayette is "well known" and Biloxi is "major"?
I personally don't think that is true. I'm willing to bet Biloxi might be more known than Hartford. Frankly, never heard of Hartford until your post, but I am from the South and not aware of secondary cities of the Northeast, so maybe just my own ignorance. But I will point out that Biloxi does have quite a bit of notoriety as the "Las Vegas" of the South and its not uncommon for Biloxi to appear in pop culture
You've never heard of Hartford, CT until you reading that post? That's interesting. But I'm more than certain it has more name recognition than Biloxi simply because it's one of the oldest cities in the country, has a big insurance sector, and is located in the much more populated Northeast corridor.
I'm a Southerner born and bred and while I'm aware of its casinos, I have never heard Biloxi referred to as "the Las Vegas of the South" until today (and I don't think it fits at all since Vegas is about more than casinos). And the last time I heard it referred to in a pop culture context is way back when Family Matters was still airing and Steve's cousin, Myrtle Urkel, was visiting from Biloxi.
While the smaller cities of the Bos-Wash corridor are overshadowed by its largest hubs in the national consciousness, within the corridor itself nobody is confused as to the location or stature of Hartford and Providence. They also have name recognition in the business and higher ed domains, respectively.
I have to think if we're talking about 1-2 million MSA areas. You'd have to think Raleigh-Durham, Richmond, Hampton Roads, The Piedmont Triad (WS, Greensboro), Charleston, etc.
Charleston's MSA is only about 800K but of course, it has an outsized reputation and elements of a semi-major city.
You've never heard of Hartford, CT until you reading that post? That's interesting. But I'm more than certain it has more name recognition than Biloxi simply because it's one of the oldest cities in the country, has a big insurance sector, and is located in the much more populated Northeast corridor.
I'm a Southerner born and bred and while I'm aware of its casinos, I have never heard Biloxi referred to as "the Las Vegas of the South" until today (and I don't think it fits at all since Vegas is about more than casinos). And the last time I heard it referred to in a pop culture context is way back when Family Matters was still airing and Steve's cousin, Myrtle Urkel, was visiting from Biloxi.
While the smaller cities of the Bos-Wash corridor are overshadowed by its largest hubs in the national consciousness, within the corridor itself nobody is confused as to the location or stature of Hartford and Providence. They also have name recognition in the business and higher ed domains, respectively.
While I do agree, I do think for some people Biloxi is more known as a name than Hartford, particularly in the south to people not well traveled. 90% of my friends wouldn't think of Hartford Connecticut. Plus Biloxi as a name stands out, Hartford could be a last name.
While I do agree, I do think for some people Biloxi is more known as a name than Hartford, particularly in the south to people not well traveled. 90% of my friends wouldn't think of Hartford Connecticut. Plus Biloxi as a name stands out, Hartford could be a last name.
I think the same is true for just about any place based on geographic proximity. Someone in the deep south states is more likely to be familiar with Biloxi. Just as someone in the Mountain West is more likely to have heard of Flagstaff, or someone in the Pac NW would be more likely to have traveled to Bend OR. A place like Hartford CT has a much higher likeliness of being in the average American's awareness than any of those cities. Being based in the Midwest I have never heard anyone mention Biloxi. I've had several friends have go to to Hartford for work.
I think this is showcased by the fact that the only posters to have made an argument that Biloxi is known more than Hartford that are regular posters for Alabama and Louisiana. It feels like folks participating in this conversation are misinterpreting their regional tribal knowledge as a universal perception. I think when that regional bias is removed it's a much different conversation.
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