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I chose Cultural Institutions, Shopping/Retail, and Entertainment to cover a city’s art world. For Chicago’s size, you’d think it’d have a healthier art scene. The noncommercial art spaces are great, and there have been some interesting and important movements here in the past, but the commercial galleries struggle. It seems like there were three or four times as many galleries in River North and the West Loop in 2008. We need more art lovers here, and better art education to boot. So I guess Business/Finance is important too if that comes with more art buyers. I had a professor here that flat-out told us to go to NYC for a better career :|
One of the classic rock stations, 97.1, occasionally plays this little bit where they claim that Chicago is the greatest city in the world. Maybe it looks like that from the lake, but I think a healthy art scene is really important for being world class, and we are not there yet. The art scene here has to catch up with the influence and importance of the music, architecture, and theatre here
When your young and single at least as a man, Attractive People #1 it just is. Probably getting a decent job is #2. If that wasn't the case young people wouldn't feel the need to flock to cities. And THAT is a guarantee.
So many to choose from, this is really difficult... this is really quite an excellent poll and I wish there were more participants/votes as it fosters great discussion of what makes a fantastic city. This topic feels like it could be an urban planning thesis.
If I had to rank them, it would be:
1. Cultural institutions - This is to me the defining aspect of "world class"
2. Public transportation - This is tough because some very strong global heavyweights are terrible in this (see, LA), but I see it as a must for a vibrant functional city
3. Higher education - We need the next generation to want to stay, learn and grow
4. Parks and recreation
5. Walkability - Surprised this has so few votes, most fantastic cities have strong walkable urban centers
6. Business/finance - A strong economy is the backbone of a city's function so I may have ranked this too low but the top five criteria to me are just way too important to ignore. Still I would not disagree if someone wanted to say this is #1, as it attracts international investment and money as well.
7. Shopping/retail - This is a little underrated on the polling, locals need stuff to buy and a robust economy of goods and services. This isn't just about Hermes or Montblanc but also about great local artisans, selection of international brands and suppliers and having a wide range of shopping districts including high streets and indoor malls.
I think those 7 are an absolute must and if a city doesn't have them it would be hard for me to qualify it as world class, at least in terms of living standards for its residents and not as a showcase for international investment. Below are the optionals... but it's hard to say a city is world class if they don't have these as well
8. Architecture - Again, it's almost shameful I would rank this as #8 or below the 50% mark but if you look at the criteria above, hard to argue against those for what makes a fantastic city. This
9. Entertainment
10. Nightlife
The last two I think are just fluff.
11. Attractive people - This one seems purely imaginative - I mean what qualifies as attractive and ugly? Every city over 10,000 people will have beautiful young men and women. If you mean dressed well, are athletic/fit and take care of themselves, I guess that is a small factor, but it isn't going to really move the needle. Miami has hotter people than New York but the weight of this variable is so small... but what's even less significant:
12. Sports - I like sports, I consume and watch sports, but this is a nothingburger for world class IMO. I think you do kind of need one pro sports at a minimum, but having five, or having them as championship teams or bottom ringers doesn't really matter (see teams with few fans even if their team wins all the time vs. teams with sold out games even if they haven't won a championship in 50 years). This doesn't propel Denver to be anything more than...well Denver if Denver had one team instead of five major ones.
Great list of categories OP and thought provoking poll.
Being from LA I really just want two on that list. Parks and public transportation to be better. Other than that it would be cheaper housing cost & less homelessness.
When your young and single at least as a man, Attractive People #1 it just is. Probably getting a decent job is #2. If that wasn't the case young people wouldn't feel the need to flock to cities. And THAT is a guarantee.
Yeah for a 14 year old. Every city has attractive people.
Business & finance, higher education and cultural institutions. These three are very attractive to “knowledge workers.” Many of the other attributes on the list are also important.
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