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Charlotte is overrated on CD, and continues to be. I'm never bothered until baseless statements are made. The Charlotte crew is very downtown (or uptown..whatever you call it) obsessed, and that's why I feel Charlotte has little to no personality or identity. What is Charlotte outside of its urban development? That's all you guys ever talk about lol. Anyway, I'm actually great over here
Well let's see, Uptown Charlotte alone is home to more Fortune 500 companies than the entire Triangle. Uptown Charlotte receives more visitors a year than the entire Triangle. Uptown Charlotte is also home to more national sporting teams than the entire Triangle. And guess who has the better, more recognizable skyline? You guessed it, Uptown Charlotte. Charlotte-Douglas is now the sixth-busiest airport in the United States. Concord Mills is the largest tourist attraction in the state of North Carolina. SouthPark Mall is the largest and most upscale mall in North Carolina, as well as one of the most profitable in the United States. Carowinds is the largest amusement park on the East Coast outside of Orlando. Public transportation exceeds anything found in the Triangle. Charlotte has a larger economy than the Triangle. Charlotte's economic GDP is also above average for a city of Charlotte's size.
So to answer your question, Charlotte's identity is being the poster city of the New South and influencing other Southern cities (Raleigh included), on how to develop into a city known outside of it's walls for more than a university and a research park.
Well let's see, Uptown Charlotte alone is home to more Fortune 500 companies than the entire Triangle. Uptown Charlotte receives more visitors a year than the entire Triangle. Uptown Charlotte is also home to more national sporting teams than the entire Triangle. And guess who has the better, more recognizable skyline? You guessed it, Uptown Charlotte. Charlotte-Douglas is now the sixth-busiest airport in the United States. Concord Mills is the largest tourist attraction in the state of North Carolina. SouthPark Mall is the largest and most upscale mall in North Carolina, as well as one of the most profitable in the United States. Carowinds is the largest amusement park on the East Coast outside of Orlando. Public transportation exceeds anything found in the Triangle. Charlotte has a larger economy than the Triangle. Charlotte's economic GDP is also above average for a city of Charlotte's size.
So to answer your question, Charlotte's identity is being the poster city of the New South and influencing other Southern cities (Raleigh included), on how to develop into a city known outside of it's walls for more than a university and a research park.
Thats because Uptown is so much better than downtown Raleigh, and is one of the primary differentiating factors between the 2 cities...along with light rail, Carowinds, Whitewater Center, a better airport, etc., etc. LOL
Uptown Charlotte isn't much better than the ever growing downtown Raleigh. It's bigger, but not better (imo). Again you're naming all these amenities that still haven't made the Charlotte area the dominating force in its own state of NC. Why is the Triangle still growing at the pace it is, when Charlotte "has a lot" (according to that commercial they show over and over again)? Lol. Your opinion doesn't equal fact my dear
Last edited by epicene101; 04-15-2016 at 09:32 AM..
Well let's see, Uptown Charlotte alone is home to more Fortune 500 companies than the entire Triangle. Uptown Charlotte receives more visitors a year than the entire Triangle. Uptown Charlotte is also home to more national sporting teams than the entire Triangle. And guess who has the better, more recognizable skyline? You guessed it, Uptown Charlotte. Charlotte-Douglas is now the sixth-busiest airport in the United States. Concord Mills is the largest tourist attraction in the state of North Carolina. SouthPark Mall is the largest and most upscale mall in North Carolina, as well as one of the most profitable in the United States. Carowinds is the largest amusement park on the East Coast outside of Orlando. Public transportation exceeds anything found in the Triangle. Charlotte has a larger economy than the Triangle. Charlotte's economic GDP is also above average for a city of Charlotte's size.
So to answer your question, Charlotte's identity is being the poster city of the New South and influencing other Southern cities (Raleigh included), on how to develop into a city known outside of it's walls for more than a university and a research park.
Yet Charlotte is light years behind Atlanta in Not only influence, but population. Like I said earlier, get back at me when Charlotte's Metro/CSA is light years ahead of Raleigh/RDU/The Triangle. Charlotte is an identity challenged city, that has used annexation to feel like a bigger city, when in fact it's a me too copycat that has no originality. No one takes it seriously lol. It's foundation is completely lacking in anything that makes a city truly great. All it has is ...taller buildings I guess lol.
Nothing Charlotte has accomplished has pushed it way ahead of the so called "bigger Greensboro" Raleigh. It's a soulless city that doesn't even dominate its state. Talk about underachieving lol. Again, at least it has Carowinds lol.
Last edited by epicene101; 04-15-2016 at 09:46 AM..
It seems like I've rattled a few cages lol. Are the Charlotte crew (and it's followers) really that insecure when it comes to Queen City Charlotte lol?
Uptown Charlotte isn't much better than the ever growing downtown Raleigh. It's bigger, but not better (imo). Again you're naming all these amenities that still haven't made the Charlotte area the dominating force in its own state of NC. Why is the Triangle still growing at the pace it is, when Charlotte "has a lot" (according to that commercial they show over and over again)? Lol. Your opinion doesn't equal fact my dear
Between Charlotte and the Triangle, roughly 90,000 people per year move to NC. Many of them are coming here to attend top notch universities so they can earn some real money (there's your main reason why 40,000 choose the Triangle, money and opportunity talks).
The other 50,000 are choosing metro Charlotte each year. Take away Duke, Chapel Hill, and RTP (none of which are located in Wake county) and Raleigh would fall flat. In fact, it's an insult to the rest of the Triangle when Raleigh's name is mentioned without the others. Much of western and northern Wake county are suburbs of Durham/Chapel Hill jobs. More than 50,000 Wake county residents commute into Durham county daily. That's the largest single county commuter give-away in the state.
Based on commuting, there's probably 200,000 Wake county residents who depend directly/indirectly on metro Durham/Chapel Hill, but Raleigh gets the credit for those folks (because they live in Wake). If metros were allowed to split counties, I'd say the true size of metro Durham is around 800k while metro Raleigh's true size is 1 million.
You say that Charlotte is overrated, but I think that prize goes to Raleigh. When it comes to influence and economics, Durham/Chapel Hill are peers to Raleigh. It's almost comical the way how the Raleigh crowd wants their city's name all over something that is 45% Durham's.
Between Charlotte and the Triangle, roughly 90,000 people per year move to NC. Many of them are coming here to attend top notch universities so they can earn some real money (there's your main reason why 40,000 choose the Triangle, money and opportunity talks).
The other 50,000 are choosing metro Charlotte each year. Take away Duke, Chapel Hill, and RTP (none of which are located in Wake county) and Raleigh would fall flat. In fact, it's an insult to the rest of the Triangle when Raleigh's name is mentioned without the others. Much of western and northern Wake county are suburbs of Durham/Chapel Hill jobs. More than 50,000 Wake county residents commute into Durham county daily. That's the largest single county commuter give-away in the state.
Based on commuting, there's probably 200,000 Wake county residents who depend directly/indirectly on metro Durham/Chapel Hill, but Raleigh gets the credit for those folks (because they live in Wake). If metros were allowed to split counties, I'd say the true size of metro Durham is around 800k while metro Raleigh's true size is 1 million.
You say that Charlotte is overrated, but I think that prize goes to Raleigh. When it comes to influence and economics, Durham/Chapel Hill are peers to Raleigh. It's almost comical the way how the Raleigh crowd wants their city's name all over something that is 45% Durham's.
Since the Charlotte crew loves size, it shouldn't be hard to understand why Raleigh/Wake County receives more attention. Raleigh is the leader in the Triangle, but it isn't dominate, and it doesn't want to be. Raleigh isn't insecure, and understands it's place. Also Raleigh would be fine on its own. It's often mentioned by its self on national "best cities" lists. I would never discount the obvious influence Durham/Chapel Hill have.
That's why I feel like the Triangle is more dynamic than the Charlotte area. Charlotte has nothing like Durham/Chapel Hill/Cary attached or near its borders, so it doesn't have to worry about "competition". Raleigh is growing and flourishing despite the other great cities/towns in the Triangle. The Triangle works as one force (even though we have our squabbles) lol.
Since the Charlotte crew loves size, it shouldn't be hard to understand why Raleigh/Wake County receives more attention. Raleigh is the leader in the Triangle, but it isn't dominate, and it doesn't want to be. Raleigh isn't insecure, and understands it's place. Also Raleigh would be fine on its own. It's often mentioned by its self on national "best cities" lists. I would never discount the obvious influence Durham/Chapel Hill have.
That's why I feel like the Triangle is more dynamic than the Charlotte area. Charlotte has nothing like Durham/Chapel Hill/Cary attached or near its borders, so it doesn't have to worry about "competition". Raleigh is growing and flourishing despite the other great cities/towns in the Triangle. The Triangle works as one force (even though we have our squabbles) lol.
I stopped reading after your first sentence. Wake county historically had cheaper rural land than Durham. Also, it was far easier culturally to develop farm land than it was to gentrify Durham county. Wake's growth is an even split between Raleigh and being a bedroom community of Durham. Raleigh is nothing more than the most populated municipality within the Triangle. Raleigh has to share the driver seat with co drivers who are just as important.
I stopped reading after your first sentence. Wake county historically had cheaper rural land than Durham. Also, it was far easier culturally to develop farm land than it was to gentrify Durham county. Wake's growth is an even split between Raleigh and being a bedroom community of Durham. Raleigh is nothing more than the most populated municipality within the Triangle. Raleigh has to share the driver seat with co drivers who are just as important.
That last sentence sums up Charlotte's role in the state of NC lol.
That last sentence sums up Charlotte's role in the state of NC lol.
No person on this thread has ever stated that NC is nothing without Charlotte. You've let those commercials about Charlotte mess with your head.
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Charlotte-Douglas is now the sixth-busiest airport in the United States. Concord Mills is the largest tourist attraction in the state of North Carolina. SouthPark Mall is the largest and most upscale mall in North Carolina, as well as one of the most profitable in the United States. Carowinds is the largest amusement park on the East Coast outside of Orlando. Public transportation exceeds anything found in the Triangle. Charlotte has a larger economy than the Triangle. Charlotte's economic GDP is also above average for a city of Charlotte's size. 
