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Location: Watching half my country turn into Gilead
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Quote:
Originally Posted by walker1962
Santa Fe though is not a suburb of Albuquerque and is also the state capital
Santa Fe is in the CSA though, and is only 50 miles away or so, linked by both commuter rail and an interstate with fast speeds. We’re not talking San Jose to San Francisco here, but it is definitely quite linked to Albuquerque.
And in that regard, Santa Fe, not Albuquerque, has the prestige “it” factor, both nationally and internationally. It’s a huge art market (both per capita and actual size), linked to numerous celebrities (George R.R. Martin, Georgia O’Keefe, Val Kilmer, Oprah, etc.), and is much more of a tourist destination. While Albuquerque is far larger, it has a poor reputation. Breaking Bad put it on the map, but the city is unfortunately pigeonholed into that artistic rendition (see this year’s murder rate). ABQ doesn’t have a great reputation, despite the balloon fiesta, Netflix and Sandia Labs/Intel/Amazon, etc. It’s a medium sized metro with poverty and drug issues in a poor state.
Meanwhile, Santa Fe is bourgeois, has a cooler climate, is wealthy and actively cultivates an artsy fartsy image (“The City Different”). Celebrities film in Albuquerque, but are spotted and live in Santa Fe (and Taos). Albuquerque may be the economic engine of the state, but it pales in reputation to Santa Fe.
Santa Fe is in the CSA though, and is only 50 miles away or so, linked by both commuter rail and an interstate with fast speeds. We’re not talking San Jose to San Francisco here, but it is definitely quite linked to Albuquerque.
And in that regard, Santa Fe, not Albuquerque, has the prestige “it” factor, both nationally and internationally. It’s a huge art market (both per capita and actual size), linked to numerous celebrities (George R.R. Martin, Georgia O’Keefe, Val Kilmer, Oprah, etc.), and is much more of a tourist destination. While Albuquerque is far larger, it has a poor reputation. Breaking Bad put it on the map, but the city is unfortunately pigeonholed into that artistic rendition (see this year’s murder rate). ABQ doesn’t have a great reputation, despite the balloon fiesta, Netflix and Sandia Labs/Intel/Amazon, etc. It’s a medium sized metro with poverty and drug issues in a poor state.
Meanwhile, Santa Fe is bourgeois, has a cooler climate, is wealthy and actively cultivates an artsy fartsy image (“The City Different”). Celebrities film in Albuquerque, but are spotted and live in Santa Fe (and Taos). Albuquerque may be the economic engine of the state, but it pales in reputation to Santa Fe.
Does Santa Fe really outshine Albuquerque though? It has the biggest tourist draw in the state by far, recently booming film industry and arguably better name recognition than Santa Fe (Even though it’s not as wealthy and has a so-so reputation).
Cape Coral is larger but its annexations. Fort Myers runs SWFL and it is Fort Myers' metro. Fort Myers is larger than it appears on paper. Honestly when it comes to SWFL, its Fort Myers, then Naples, then Bonita Springs/Estero, then Punta Gorda, then Cape Coral.
I see why people think it, but its interesting to me that people are saying St Pete over Tampa when Tampa currently has more to do and more going on. St Pete shines in its downtown and the beaches, and that's really it. There's just as much if not more going on around downtown Tampa than in downtown St Pete. And even then dtown Tampa is not as dead as people on this board think it is.
Also, Arlington over DC? What are yall smoking? And i've lived in Arlington. I can't think of any examples. The principal city always wins.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bartonro
Does Ft Myers, FL count? I believe that Cape Coral is larger but it seems like I hear about Ft Myers more.
Cape Coral is larger on paper, but Fort Myers runs SWFL and it is Fort Myers' metro. Fly into SWFL, you will hear "welcome to Ft Myers", not "welcome to Cape Coral." Honestly when it comes to SWFL, its Fort Myers, then Naples, then Bonita Springs/Estero, then Punta Gorda, then Cape Coral.
Because the bureau always lists the largest city first. I've been to Cape Coral, nothing runs through Cape Coral. It is not the most important city in SWFL, not even close. SWFL belongs to Fort Myers, and then Naples. That is where the airport, the jobs, the culture, the attractions, the sports, FGCU, and the life is.
Fort Myers has not annexed like CC has. 39 sq miles of land vs 106.
It is the same reason North Port is listed over Sarasota. But go to Sarasota, or Bradenton. North Port in reality is below both of them. No one who lives in Florida actually believes North Port is larger than Sarasota. Again, 14 sq miles vs 99...Sarasota, like Ft Myers, runs the metro.
Because the bureau always lists the largest city first. I've been to Cape Coral, nothing runs through Cape Coral. It is not the most important city in SWFL, not even close. SWFL belongs to Fort Myers, and then Naples. That is where the airport, the jobs, the culture, the attractions, the sports, FGCU, and the life is.
Fort Myers has not annexed like CC has. 39 sq miles of land vs 106.
It is the same reason North Port is listed over Sarasota. But go to Sarasota, or Bradenton. North Port in reality is below both of them. No one who lives in Florida actually believes North Port is larger than Sarasota. Again, 14 sq miles vs 99...Sarasota, like Ft Myers, runs the metro.
I agree with everything you said, which why I thought of Ft Myers for this thread. Since Cape Coral is listed first in the MSA, it's also a principle city.
Johnson County and Shawnee Mission KS over Kansas City
Maybe 30 years ago. Now, Kansas City, Missouri has turned things around rather significantly. The fastest growing part of the metro isn't even in Johnson County anymore. That would be the Northland, much of which includes areas within Kansas City's limits.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnhw2
While not exactly what OP asked for, North West Arkansas metro out shines Fayetteville, the largest city of the metro. My favorite city in the metro is Bentonville not Fayetteville.
I'm from Arkansas. Growing up in another part of the state, Fayetteville is all we really knew about that isolated northwest corner.
Something about Walmart was there, but half the time I got it confused with Benton down by Little Rock.
Now, all that mess seems the same with a few larger towns, none of which none really stand out above the rest.
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