Georgia cities become close to Atlanta (Columbus, Savannah: home, transportation, offices)

[tckr83]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

First of all, the capital's not going anywhere and you know it. Secondly, even if the capital moves, Hartsfield-Jackson, MARTA, all the F500 companies, the universities, etc.--the real drivers of growth in metro Atlanta--aren't moving. All you'd be doing is setting up the state to be like Illinois. Y'all peg way too much on state capital status.



How about better city leadership for starters? For instance, Augusta has suffered from terrible local leadership for a while now and it's going to take time to undo that damage.

You mean leadership like this? This sums up my whole point... leaders in Atlanta, government or otherwise... using power and influence to drive/swing A LOT of growth to Atlanta... whether you'll admit it or not, it happened and the other cities in Georgia couldn't compete with that.

Atlanta's former mayor sentenced to prison - CNN

[nortonguy]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

First of all, the capital's not going anywhere and you know it. Secondly, even if the capital moves, Hartsfield-Jackson, MARTA, all the F500 companies, the universities, etc.--the real drivers of growth in metro Atlanta--aren't moving. All you'd be doing is setting up the state to be like Illinois. Y'all peg way too much on state capital status.



How about better city leadership for starters? For instance, Augusta has suffered from terrible local leadership for a while now and it's going to take time to undo that damage.

How is the past leadership of Augusta worse compared to other cities?

Is the current mayor Kasim anymore progressive than Deke?

The mayor of Augusta won two straight elections with over 60% of the time.. I'll take the mayor of Augusta OVER every single mayor in Georgia......

The only difference now is both Gov. Deal and the Board of Regents have decided it's Augusta's 'time'.... It's easy to have so called 'great leadership' when they state is pumping millions into your city..

[River_Dawg]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

First of all, the capital's not going anywhere and you know it.

...and Atlanta will remain to be the city-state of Georgia. Everyone know it. Is there harm in moving the capital in your point of view?

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Secondly, even if the capital moves, Hartsfield-Jackson, MARTA, all the F500 companies, the universities, etc.--the real drivers of growth in metro Atlanta--aren't moving.

Really?!!!! lol Being the capital of Georgia didn't hurt Atlanta recruiting those companies, just saying

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

All you'd be doing is setting up the state to be like Illinois. Y'all peg way too much on state capital status.

Georgia is already like ILL lol One huge metropolis and the rest of the state. All eggs in the Atlanta basket.

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

How about better city leadership for starters? For instance, Augusta has suffered from terrible local leadership for a while now and it's going to take time to undo that damage.

So every city outside ATL in GA needs better city leadership? No we need better representation in the Gold Dome. All roads lead to Atlanta in GA literally. But the 2nd tier cities will just have to be savvier and more creative than Atlanta because that what will take. Atlanta politics are no better than Augusta's, Columbus or Savannah......TSPLOST was rejected in Atlanta by the citizens, now it back to the drawing board for the great city leaders of Atlanta.

Macon Ga could be the state capital. Great location, historically rich, close to the big city Atlanta, revitalize the city. I know this will never happen but I'm just trying to make a case.

[Newsboy]

This argument that it's somehow Atlanta's fault that Georgia's 2nd-tier cities haven't prospered as much is totally bogus. It really does all come down to dynamic leadership, both locally and in the statehouse (I'm talking your state reps and senators, NOT the governor).

Best example I can think of is John Rousakis, the late mayor of Savannah whose grand vision and leadership in the 1970s led to revitalization of River Street and the city becoming the tourist Mecca that it is today.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by tckr83

You mean leadership like this? This sums up my whole point... leaders in Atlanta, government or otherwise... using power and influence to drive/swing A LOT of growth to Atlanta... whether you'll admit it or not, it happened and the other cities in Georgia couldn't compete with that.

Atlanta's former mayor sentenced to prison - CNN

Obviously Campbell is an exception, but you're actually summing up my position quite well. Other cities in GA didn't have the progressive local civic and business leadership that would have caused them to enjoy some of the growth Atlanta has experienced over the decades. They didn't have a Grady, Allen (Sr. And Jr.), Hartsfield, Woodruff, Jackson, Young, Payne, etc. And that's been the biggest difference.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by nortonguy

How is the past leadership of Augusta worse compared to other cities?

Is the current mayor Kasim anymore progressive than Deke?

The mayor of Augusta won two straight elections with over 60% of the time.. I'll take the mayor of Augusta OVER every single mayor in Georgia......

The only difference now is both Gov. Deal and the Board of Regents have decided it's Augusta's 'time'.... It's easy to have so called 'great leadership' when they state is pumping millions into your city..

I meant leadership prior to Deke, which, as I understand it, was corrupt. I don't know how that compared to the other cities in GA outside Atlanta though.

As Newsboy has stated, local progressive leadership, especially sustained over a period of time, makes all the difference. Other comparisons would be Mayor Riley in Charleston who almost single-handedly initiated that city's downtown revitalization and Mayors Heller and White in Greenville.

[tckr83]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Obviously Campbell is an exception, but you're actually summing up my position quite well. Other cities in GA didn't have the progressive local civic and business leadership that would have caused them to enjoy some of the growth Atlanta has experienced over the decades. They didn't have a Grady, Allen (Sr. And Jr.), Hartsfield, Woodruff, Jackson, Young, Payne, etc. And that's been the biggest difference.

That's your opinion... I have stated that Atlanta has had its share of influential citizens that has gone a long way to spur Atlanta, but, Atlanta has had help and quite frankly I'm done if you can't admit that... there's simply no point in continuing. Augusta had its share of influential people/families as well, but the state support has been in another city and local money only went so far back when the cities were actually competing. Today it's not a competition.

Leadership can only take you so far w/o money... MCG in Augusta is a good example of that. Now that MCG has possibly the worst leadership it's ever had, it's getting money and will exceed what it did under previous presidents... because of money... it sure won't be because of the clown they installed as president.

[Newsboy]

Savannah has also benifited mightily from excellent COUNTY leadership, I might add. Chatham County has very good local services, roads, libraries, parks and recreation, and the schools are improving by leaps and bounds. We have an awesome airport, unified metro police department, the largest convention center outside Metro Atlanta, fantastic public transit system and very effective (and agressive) area chamber and CVB. Again, this all due to dynamic LOCAL leaders who have the drive and know-how to make things happen.

[River_Dawg]

......and Atlanta local leader have more drive and know-how than Savannah's?

[PJA]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

Savannah has also benifited mightily from excellent COUNTY leadership, I might add. Chatham County has very good local services, roads, libraries, parks and recreation, and the schools are improving by leaps and bounds. We have an awesome airport, unified metro police department, the largest convention center outside Metro Atlanta, fantastic public transit system and very effective (and agressive) area chamber and CVB. Again, this all due to dynamic LOCAL leaders who have the drive and know-how to make things happen.

Augusta has most of those things too but yet both cities don't have near the population has which I think is several posters point. Savannah would probably be much bigger with more state support, but to be honest I don't think population is as huge of a deal as people make it out to be. Atlanta has this huge population and and overwhelming amount of business but with all that comes problems.

Out of the second tier cities, Savannah has a lot going for it because of its proximity to the ocean, so of course its going to have the tourism numbers, Augusta has its golf community and medical community going for it, and now the state is actually investing a lot of money there finally. Macon could captialize more on its historic districts and it also has decent interstate access. Not sure what Columbus would focus on but I'm sure they have something that they could use to draw more businesses or residents. But the bottom line is most companies are going to go to Atlanta, they have the interstate access, rail access and major airport access already in place. And until the other metros get that, atlanta is going to continue to dominate.