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No, because ultimately companies will go where the workers are and where it is financially feasible for them to do business. RTP isn't going away anytime soon and with the location of the Google and Apple data centers (in the middle of rural NC, no less) we'll be good for a while.
@theoldnorthstate Even though it would be much cheaper to operate, high tech companies don't flock to places like Alabama and Mississippi (and the majority of the South,I'm a southerner BTW) even in a bad economy. They continue to flourish in high cost areas like California and Seattle. Care to speculate on why that is?
Last edited by VASpaceMan; 08-09-2013 at 04:33 PM..
@theoldnorthstate Even though it would be much cheaper to operate, high tech companies don't flock to places like Alabama and Mississippi (and the majority of the South,I'm a southerner BTW) even in a bad economy. They continue to flourish in high cost areas like California and Seattle. Care to speculate on why that is?
transportation, infrastructure and educated workforce.
@theoldnorthstate Even though it would be much cheaper to operate, high tech companies don't flock to places like Alabama and Mississippi (and the majority of the South,I'm a southerner BTW) even in a bad economy. They continue to flourish in high cost areas like California and Seattle. Care to speculate on why that is?
It's not just about cheaper costs of doing business. NC also has the skilled workforce via institutions like Duke, UNC, NC State, etc. (which are fixed), which, in combination with a lower cost of doing business, will continue to bode well for the state.
I agree that Duke ("Harvard of the South"), UNC, NC State act as a bulwark. No matter if North Carolina gets really regressive, those universities aren't going anywhere. The thing is those institutions were acting as a core and a well educated, progressive city was growing from that core. If North Carolina starts going backward, the Raleigh/Durham area will retreat/shrink/return to being mainly a college town. An outpost of intelligence in a "new Alabama". People will come there for a great education and then move on. However, I have hope for NC. As an educated southerner, who has lived all over, I've had to defend the South, had to explain to northerners, west coast ppl, ppl from other countries that all southerners aren't ignorant, intolerant, racist and so on. As an educated southerner, I believe in the idea of "new South". I don't think the dream will die, and I for one will fight for it.
I agree that Duke ("Harvard of the South"), UNC, NC State act as a bulwark. No matter if North Carolina gets really regressive, those universities aren't going anywhere. The thing is those institutions were acting as a core and a well educated, progressive city was growing from that core. If North Carolina starts going backward, the Raleigh/Durham area will retreat/shrink/return to being mainly a college town. An outpost of intelligence in a "new Alabama". People will come there for a great education and then move on. However, I have hope for NC. As an educated southerner, who has lived all over, I've had to defend the South, had to explain to northerners, west coast ppl, ppl from other countries that all southerners aren't ignorant, intolerant, racist and so on. As an educated southerner, I believe in the idea of "new South". I don't think the dream will die, and I for one will fight for it.
I completely disagree; you're disregarding RTP entirely as if it's not the largest research park in the world and can just disappear into thin air according to changing political winds. Again, look at all the high-tech industry that hasn't pulled up stakes in Austin with years of GOP leadership in their state legislature. And since you mentioned Alabama, although the state is still as red as ever, Huntsville is still a high-tech haven there. Although it's smaller than the Triangle and is more dependent on federal investment, the tech-oriented private sector there that relies on that federal investment isn't going anywhere and is actually experiencing growth.
While NC has certainly taken quite a dramatic turn to the political far right in terms of politics--which is viewed unfavorably by many--this notion of doom and gloom is being highly exaggerated IMO.
I completely disagree; you're disregarding RTP entirely as if it's not the largest research park in the world and can just disappear into thin air according to changing political winds. Again, look at all the high-tech industry that hasn't pulled up stakes in Austin with years of GOP leadership in their state legislature. And since you mentioned Alabama, although the state is still as red as ever, Huntsville is still a high-tech haven there. Although it's smaller than the Triangle and is more dependent on federal investment, the tech-oriented private sector there that relies on that federal investment isn't going anywhere and is actually experiencing growth.
While NC has certainly taken quite a dramatic turn to the political far right in terms of politics--which is viewed unfavorably by many--this notion of doom and gloom is being highly exaggerated IMO.
I agree with you! In the short run, I think companies will be concerned about the current politics, but at the end of the day, if NC continues to be a good state to do business, companies will still coninue to relocate here, mainly in the metro areas!
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