Dallas Skyline(WOW)Yes another Dallas to Houston comparison thread! (Fort Worth: crime, airport)

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by jbarn

You guys are dilusional about your city. You need to face facts and accept your cities faults and try to improve it, or it will never be the city that you actually think it is. There is nothing barren and raw about Dallas and throwing out statements like that only makes your arguments look even less legitimate. And I think that if you took a poll of folks in the US, Houston would definitely not come out ahead of Dallas as far as being cosmopolitan. I don't think most folks consider Houston to be a cosmopolitan city, it just does not have that cool factor, or the reputation. I think it is considered by most folks in the US to be a big, blue-collar city.

Except for the fact Dallas/Fort Worth is the largest inland metro in the United States not located near a significant body of water.

Its just this huge sprawling metro with nothing but wide open parched prairie grassland around it for as far as the eye can see in the summer time.

In the winter time Dallas is a depressing sight. The gray skies combined with the lack of anything green & everything brown is rather drab.

[Nairobi]

For someone who grew up near the sea, far inland cities just aren't my thing. It's one of the things I disliked the most about living in Atlanta. The trees and hills only partially made up for it.

Winter scenes aren't depressing to me. In fact, I really like it. There's nothing wrong with Dallas during that time of year.

[jbarn]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Dallas County is almost half the size of Harris County. To make it a fair comparion you would have to include another county adjacent to Dallas County to equal Harris County as Harris County covers way more rural land & unincorporated areas than Dallas County does. Going by percentages, its only natural Dallas County may lean slightly more Democratic.

Dallas County: 2.3 mill.

Harris County: 4.2 mill.

Dallas has never elected a Lesbian or Gay mayor & that's pretty much the peak of local policitics. Not only that Houston hasn't elected a Republican mayor since the late 70's/early 80's where Dallas has had several in that time frame.

So when that poster said that Houston is less socially conservative than Dallas, he meant Dallas County and its surrounding counties, as opposed to just Harris County? Actually, I think it was another one of those Houston booster statements that has no factual basis, but sounds good anyway.

[jbarn]

Originally Posted by AdamTx

Guests came to visit Dallas from back East for first time. Well, Reunion Tower was the best way to see the city and so up we went. As they were looking around they asked me what is that over there? Answer: oh that is west Dallas and the Trinity River. The Trinity what? Oh...well what is that over there? Answer: That is South Dallas. Ugh...well what is that over there? Answer: that is North Dallas. Oh. Well what is that over there? That is east Dallas. Oh. Well you ready to go back down? Answer: Most definately! Draw your own conclusions.

What exactly were you expecting to see up there? And when exactly did you go up there? I am not sure if you can get a very good view from inside the restaurant up there, as the observation deck has been closed for the last several years.

[jbarn]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

And you think Dallas is considered a city with a cool factor? Honestly I think most people that buy into the mainstream mentality would think Austin has the cool factor over both Houston and Dallas. However Dallas does a better job in a mainstream sense of branding itself publicly. But when they do brand itself it's so cluttered with the old Texas stereotypes that maybe most CMT viewers would enjoy. When alot of people visit Houston they might not know what to expect since it doesn't brand itself like Austin,Dallas,San Antonio but alot of people are pleasantly surprised. And for alot of people Houston has a "cool" factor. If you were to ask a large percentage of minorities in this nation which one is "cooler" I can bet you Houston would pop up more especially among African Americans. Houston had a huge success with hosting events like the Super Bowl, Final Four, NBA-All Star weekend which left a good impression on alot of people visiting from out of town. Trust me I went to both Super Bowls and All Star weekends in Dallas and Houston and the overall impression was not the same. Matter fact I even overheard some people from Atlanta call Dallas a mini less exciting Atlanta and that kind of offended me because I like Dallas and I thought it was a swipe at Texas.

And Cosmopolitan doesn't mean cool it leans more towards international/multicultural. So Houston is more cosmopolitan then Dallas. The lack of zoning allows different cultures to interact more so then DFW because in all honesty DFW is more segregated then Houston is. And Houston by far is no utopia, lack of zoning gives you that illusion but it is more interaction more then any other city in the state. I don't think Dallas is raw and barring though.

Oh and somebody said Dirk Nowitzki is the best international player of all-time. LOL, I guess he never heard of Hakeem Olajuwon. Who actually lived in Houston before he played for the Rockets and has been a stable in bringing businesses to Houston. A socialite of Houston. Not just a basketball player for the city yet doesn't really put a stamp outside of the sport.

You guys keep saying that the only reason outside folks think that Dallas is cooler or more cosmopolitan, etc...than Houston is because Dallas does a better job at branding itself? What is Dallas doing to brand itself that Houston isn't doing, and why isn't Houston doing it? I am just curious. What do you guys think Houston can do to brand itself better or differently than it is already doing?

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by AdamTx

Guests came to visit Dallas from back East for first time. Well, Reunion Tower was the best way to see the city and so up we went. As they were looking around they asked me what is that over there? Answer: oh that is west Dallas and the Trinity River. The Trinity what? Oh...well what is that over there? Answer: That is South Dallas. Ugh...well what is that over there? Answer: that is North Dallas. Oh. Well what is that over there? That is east Dallas. Oh. Well you ready to go back down? Answer: Most definately! Draw your own conclusions.

When was this? The observation deck has been closed for years.

[Dallaz]

Dallas population is now 1,223,229

Census Bureau: Five North Texas cities on fastest-growing list — and even Dallas’s “doughnut hole” is filling in | The Scoop Blog

[jbarn]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Except for the fact Dallas/Fort Worth is the largest inland metro in the United States not located near a significant body of water.

Its just this huge sprawling metro with nothing but wide open parched prairie grassland around it for as far as the eye can see in the summer time.

In the winter time Dallas is a depressing sight. The gray skies combined with the lack of anything green & everything brown is rather drab.

So when you say that Dallas barren, you are actually talking about the area outside the metro area, as I don't see much open parched prairie grassland with the metro area. Not sure what areas within the metro area that you would be referring to that would be considered barren and parched.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by jbarn

So when you say that Dallas barren, you are actually talking about the area outside the metro area, as I don't see much open parched prairie grassland with the metro area. Not sure what areas within the metro area that you would be referring to that would be considered barren and parched.

Drive north bound on any of South Dallas' freeways & you'll see for yourself how barren & parched the land is.

Heck just drive to Las Colinas via 114 where even the DART station there sits all alone in a field.

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Drive north bound on any of South Dallas' freeways & you'll see for yourself how barren & parched the land is.

Heck just drive to Las Colinas via 114 where even the DART station there sits all alone in a field.

I don't even know what that part is being argued. DFW, especially the Fort Worth side, is pretty barren and parched. It's wide open prairie, so I don't know what else anyone expected. It doesn't take away from DFW. It's just what it is.