Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I understand it's rugged, but I don't think thats the reason there aren't any major port cities...
Virginia's coast is just as rugged and has Norfolk, the 2nd largest container port on the east coast.
The major ports along the Eastern seaboard are at the point where there's a natural harbor. It's an ideal place for a port to be established and a city to crop up. Most of the places along the coastline of NC where this would be ideal are in the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds region, and the jagged coastline and strings of barrier islands prevent that from really being feasible. That's not the case with Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah, Miami, etc.
The Triangle. Both are growing rapidly, are home to many high-tech companies, and are multinodal. I know they have their differences as well, but I think they are pretty comparable areas.
You can't argue opinions. So if that is your opinion then fine. However, factually, the areas are night & day.Population, average income, level of development, etc.I don't think many would mistake the two areas.
You can't argue opinions. So if that is your opinion then fine. However, factually, the areas are night & day.Population, average income, level of development, etc.I don't think many would mistake the two areas.
I didn't say the two areas were identical; I said they were comparable.
In defense of Charlotte, a common myth I want to bust is we are just a banking town. We have a huge distribution center here making us have a pretty large major trading area. CMS actually has more employees than Bank of America so banking is not our highest employer. We also have a growing energy sector here, so we are way more than just a banking town. There is not really hype about Charlotte just people proud of the progress.
Understood and agreed. I only made the BofA/2nd largest financial center comment in the context of trying to explain why some Charlotte residents feel they are amongst the very tippy-top of cities in the country. I do not know of any major city whose economy is a one-trick pony. In addition to banking many know Charlotte for its major airline hub and NASCAR. However, Charlotte's biggest calling card/claim to fame is (arguably) banking. Thus the big BofA Plaza tower dominating the skyline & BofA Stadium, right?
I understand it's rugged, but I don't think thats the reason there aren't any major port cities...
Virginia's coast is just as rugged and has Norfolk, the 2nd largest container port on the east coast.
Wilmington isn't a major city (pop 100,000), but it's certainly a major port...it's #11 on the East Coast, just below Miami - which means that it's fairly substantial. NC State Ports - Port of Wilmington
Port of Wilmington
There is also Morehead City, NC...again, not a large city but a fairly large port at #18 on the East Coast. Neither is obviously as large as Norfolk, but it's not like the NC ports are nonexistent either.
Wilmington isn't a major city (pop 100,000), but it's certainly a major port...it's #11 on the East Coast, just below Miami - which means that it's fairly substantial. NC State Ports - Port of Wilmington
Port of Wilmington
There is also Morehead City, NC...again, not a large city but a fairly large port at #18 on the East Coast. Neither is obviously as large as Norfolk, but it's not like the NC ports are nonexistent either.
Oh thanks for that . I love looking at ports.
I didn't know it was that large.
The Port of Norfolk is about to expand onto an island in Hampton Roads which will make it the largest on the east coast, adding 54,000 jobs.
http://www.craneyisland.info/Images/clip_image003.jpg (broken link) Welcome to the Craney Island Eastward Expansion Web Site!
The Port of Norfolk is about to expand onto an island in Hampton Roads which will make it the largest on the east coast, adding 54,000 jobs.
Norfolk's port is huge...it was in an episode of X-Files recently on Sci-Fi. I couldn't find a photo of Morehead City, but it's a little smaller than Wilmington's. There are some good photos on the site I posted earlier for NC Ports.
Wilmington is MUCH larger than Morehead city! ha. I can't even find any aerial pictures of the port of norfolk, but like you said it's enormous. I can see the big cranes from miles away. It's so aweseme when your driving across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and see mega cargo ships. Ha I'm a geek!
But yeah I saw Norfolk on the X files more than once!
OK..
Charlotte metro & NoVA are comparable (a bit of a stretch IMO but...)
Triangle (Raleigh/Durham) metro & Hampton Roads are comparable
Some metro in NC of which I'm not aware & Richmond are comparable
Personally I am OK w/ that.
My take is regional. The more options in NC, DC, MD, etc. the better. So long as one area is not stealing pieces of the pie from another but, instead, growing the pie.
I want day-trip places where I can travel/vacation within a few hours drive.
I want reasonable relocation/job options that will not take me too far from VA.
College options.
So, best of luck to NC cities because when your cities do good the region does good.
Just please keep it all in perspective. Your cities have been hot/growing at a pace most agree is unsustainable. That growth has allowed your cities to catch-up to other cities (some in VA) that have had less accelerated, but none the less steady, growth also.
I'd rather see cities close to me getting better and gaining attractions/jobs than some city requiring a day or more drive or airline flight.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I couldn't find a photo of Morehead City, but it's a little smaller than Wilmington's. There are some good photos on the site I posted earlier for NC Ports.
