do you think houston is just too big to ever have a city like vibe? (Dallas: 2014, how much)

[htownnoob]

Originally Posted by jfre81

I'm different. I don't always care for the "thing" as it was put.

I only went into two museums and the Capitol when I was in DC last summer. I was more interested in roaming neighborhoods, most of whom people who aren't familiar with DC have never heard of. In fact, most outsiders' view of DC seems to be the National Mall with the Capitol at one end, the Lincoln Memorial on the other, the monument in the middle and the White House along the side, all surrounded by a massive slum.

Hollywood effect. You only ever see that part of DC in the movies. Americans are profoundly ignorant of the world around them, including their own country.

You are not the average tourist as you have stated.
If you're a pure tourist I see no reason why you should be walking the streets of Truxton Circle or wandering down J street.

[Chicago3rd]

Houston has it's vibe. All cities have it's vibe. To think over 6 million people can live in one area and not somehow blend together to form it's own uniqueness is rather silly and narrow minded. Now the vibe wasn't to my personal taste so I moved...but it has its' personality and it's has many thriving scenes be they neighborhoods, restaurants, sports, liberal/conservative, hicks to sophisticated....Houston has it's own thriving vibe.

[htownnoob]

Originally Posted by Chicago3rd

Houston has it's vibe. All cities have it's vibe.

Some city's vibes are that of podunk town and that vibe does not entice people from all over the world let alone all over the country to visit. Sacramento and Stockton, CA come to mind. As does Huntsville, Alabama.

Houston is also not thinking like a lage major metropolis with things like this:

//www.city-data.com/forum/houst...y-article.html

"Metro wanted them to leave space to put a light rail on Katy Freeway and they refused to do it."

"288 was built to put in rail in the center, but instead of doing that, they are putting in toll lanes. I think it is very short-sighted."

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by htownnoob

Some city's vibes are that of podunk town and that vibe does not entice people from all over the world let alone all over the country to visit. Sacramento and Stockton, CA come to mind. As does Huntsville, Alabama.

Houston is also not thinking like a lage major metropolis with things like this:

//www.city-data.com/forum/houst...y-article.html

"Metro wanted them to leave space to put a light rail on Katy Freeway and they refused to do it."

"288 was built to put in rail in the center, but instead of doing that, they are putting in toll lanes. I think it is very short-sighted."

It has less to do with the city and more to do with certain suburban-district politicians who have an interest in concrete.

[htownnoob]

Originally Posted by jfre81

It has less to do with the city and more to do with certain suburban-district politicians who have an interest in concrete.

Atlanta has this issue (pubtrans) with OTP towns not wanting MARTA to extend into their area(s).

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by htownnoob

Houston has been on of the Top 5 largest cities in America for I don't know how many decades probably since the 50s/60s.
Houston is not an "average" city in size. But it has a nice down home feel to it. There is nothing drawing tourists here from Japan, China or Europe.
In order for Houston to be a Top 5 attractive city in the country, they will need some type of "it" factor.
Austin has SXSW and their weirdness.

The Rodeo brings domestic and international tourists to Houston. Not sure who told you otherwise.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by htownnoob

Atlanta has this issue (pubtrans) with OTP towns not wanting MARTA to extend into their area(s).

Atlanta and its central counties also have a more exclusively Democrat voting populace that helped them get MARTA off of the ground. Fulton and DeKalb Counties, which the rail serves, make up less than 1/3 of the entire metro's population. At 600+ square miles itself and one huge central county that includes many conservative districts, Houston does not have that. If the COH only included the Loop and Harris County was only everything inside Beltway 8, we would likely have what Atlanta has.

[htownnoob]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

The Rodeo brings domestic and international tourists to Houston. Not sure who told you otherwise.

My point was Houston's Rodeo is not as widely known (on a household name basis) as:
Chicago's Taste
DC Cherry Blossom Festival
Grammy's/Oscar's in Los Angeles
Spring Break in Miami
New Orleans Jazz Festival

I think about 2.5M ppl attend the Houston Rodeo each year. That is a substantial amount. But I wonder how it compares in national/international notoriety compared with the above events?

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by htownnoob

My point was Houston's Rodeo is not as widely known (on a household name basis) as:
Chicago's Taste
DC Cherry Blossom Festival
Grammy's/Oscar's in Los Angeles
Spring Break in Miami
New Orleans Jazz Festival

I think about 2.5M ppl attend the Houston Rodeo each year. That is a substantial amount. But I wonder how it compares in national/international notoriety compared with the above events?

Well, sure, but it's not as if that can't change.

[htownnoob]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Atlanta and its central counties also have a more exclusively Democrat voting populace that helped them get MARTA off of the ground. Fulton and DeKalb Counties, which the rail serves, make up less than 1/3 of the entire metro's population. At 600+ square miles itself and one huge central county that includes many conservative districts, Houston does not have that. If the COH only included the Loop and Harris County was only everything inside Beltway 8, we would likely have what Atlanta has.

You are strengthening reasons why Houston will not be on the level of Atlanta and other "Top Cities"'

United rules IAH and Southwest rules HOU just as Delta rules ATL, how easy is it to get from downtown Atlanta to ATL via public transport as it is from one of Houston's main airports to downtown Houston?

Public Transportation is an integral part of any major city.
Even Los Angeles has the FlyAway shuttles between Union Station and LAX.

I think Houston would really be on a different path if they truly wanted to be "world class". I think the powers that be are fine with the current situation,