Greenville SC, Knoxville showdown

[motonenterprises]

Had a customer today who relocated to Greenville from Knoxville. She said she moved here for better opportunities, she runs her own business in Greenville. She said it has been very good to her. She also said that Knoxville didn't have the growth and opportunities that Greenville did, after I asked her were they in anyway alike. What are your thoughts on this one?

[krazeeboi]

Hmmmm, if I were to compare Knoxville with any SC city, it would obviously be Columbia, since they are practically the same size in terms of urbanized areas and are college towns. Knoxville has almost no representation here on UP, so it's kinda hard to say exactly what's going on there in terms of economic and urban development. From what I know about both, I'd have to go with Greenville on this one. Loads of development and increasing exposure are certainly putting the city on the fast track.

[ironchapman]

As much as I like greenville, Knoxville wins this one for me. It just seems like it has more to do.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

In my experience with both cities, Greenville is a much nicer looking city then Knoxville. Knoxville is, well, a bit of a dump. When we were looking for a place to move to in the south we went all through knoxville and could not find one 'nice' area, but I am sure they exist. Greenville also has a much nicer downtown then knoxville.

[nashvol85]

I'm living in Knoxville currently. I'll give it some representation when I can. lol

Anyways, I don't think that Greenville can compare to Knoxville in terms of traffic.

[krazeeboi]

Maybe not as a city, but as a region, that's a different story. The greater Greenville sprawl is nothing to balk at.

"My sprawl is worse than your sprawl!"

In spite of that, Greenville is a pretty progressive Southern city.

[motonenterprises]

I have only been to Knoxville once. Didn't feel any larger than Greenville to me. The customer I talked to has lived in both areas, no better resource than that.

[nashvol85]

I-40/West Knoxville > anything Greenville has

[motonenterprises]

I-40/West Knoxville > anything Greenville has

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I beg to differ, have you ever been here? Go to the SC board and look at all of the development going on in and around Greenville. Definetly not > than Greenville as you say. I have been to Knoxville, Greenville has a bigger feel and nicer downtown.

[nashvol85]

I beg to differ, have you ever been here? Go to the SC board and look at all of the development going on in and around Greenville. Definetly not > than Greenville as you say. I have been to Knoxville, Greenville has a bigger feel and nicer downtown.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lol...I'm more talking about the bottle neck in West Knoxville. It's amazing...that side of town (West Knox/I-40/Kingston Pike) has more traffic than most places in Nashville. A city Knoxville's size shouldn't need 5-6 lane interstates (each side)...but it's getting that way. The geography of the city determines where the growth goes.

[motonenterprises]

One thing I will give Knoxville credit for is how nice the people are there. There didn't seem to be many blacks there, but they gave me no problems. I wouldn't think the traffic would be no more the I-85 or I-385 for that matter at rush hour. These get pretty "bottlenecked" too.

[bobliocatt]

I've driven through both and to me Knoxville seems a lot larger, especially in the downtown core. However, Greenville's Main Street is pretty impressive, in terms of vibrancy.

[nashvol85]

One thing I will give Knoxville credit for is how nice the people are there. There didn't seem to be many blacks there, but they gave me no problems. I wouldn't think the traffic would be no more the I-85 or I-385 for that matter at rush hour. These get pretty "bottlenecked" too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Knoxvillians are surprisingly nice to everyone. Even though the city is only maybe 10-15% black, I never hear about racial problems. The only problems that I hear about occur outside of town out in the boonies.

And Knoxville's traffic problems aren't just at rush hour. I've seen 5 damn lanes of the interstate come to a complete stop at 1pm. The interstate between the I-75 junction and the I-75 split (just before DT) is under construction forever. If they ever complete it, it will be nice, and maybe even solve some of their traffic problems. The problem with Knoxville is that with the landscape (long parallel ridges and foothills) causes all of the developement to be concentrated on corridors. That's why I-40/I-75 have to share for about 20 miles into town. Plus, this is the hotspot for developement, so every new retail/commercial/residential project seems to be building out there. The only other good highway on the west side is Kingston Pike, which is slow and overloaded with traffic itself.

Bottom line is that I've been to cities 2-3 even 4 times larger that don't have the interstate/secondary highway logjam that Knoxville has on the west side. No city that small should have such huge problems. There is even a nickname for the I-40/I-75 junction....malfunction junction...and that name has been around since the 70's.

[jmanhsv]

Yeah, I-40 West is always backed up. I went through there on a Sunday, and we were stuck in traffic for half an hour. Same with 10:00 on a Friday night. No accidents or anything like that. Just normal traffic flow.

What is up with these Greenville v. ________ threads? This is the third one I've seen lately.

[MAJIKMAN]

I'm living in Knoxville currently. I'll give it some representation when I can. lol

Anyways, I don't think that Greenville can compare to Knoxville in terms of traffic.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now you are saying that in a good or bad way. I have been to Knoxville a couple of times, and if I can may say, There are some bad drivers there. Their a little bit screwy.

[MAJIKMAN]

lol...I'm more talking about the bottle neck in West Knoxville. It's amazing...that side of town (West Knox/I-40/Kingston Pike) has more traffic than most places in Nashville. A city Knoxville's size shouldn't need 5-6 lane interstates (each side)...but it's getting that way. The geography of the city determines where the growth goes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Their telling the truth on that (talking about the interstate). maybe some of the worst traffic in Tenn.

[goodbye]

As much as I like greenville, Knoxville wins this one for me. It just seems like it has more to do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What do you base that knowledge on? Have you been to either city? "Seems" is a very ambiguous word, sounding as though you don't really know the subject well enough to give any informed advice on the matter. Please explain.

[motonenterprises]

One thing I will give Knoxville credit for is how nice the people are there. There didn't seem to be many blacks there, but they gave me no problems. I wouldn't think the traffic would be no more the I-85 or I-385 for that matter at rush hour. These get pretty "bottlenecked" too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is bought to my attention that some may take this particular post the wrong way. For those of you who choose to read way too much into a post, this is actually a plus for Knoxville. A lot of places that you go to where race is so heavily tilted white, people of other races are stared at, etc. and made to feel uncomfortable. Not the case in Knoxville, despite our interracial relationship we were treated great!

[timalucas]

Knoxville is a proper city.

Greenville does not really have a core like Knoxville.

Knoxville has a proper airport, better shopping, better museums, more culture (KSO is world class). I don't get it, how does Greenville even compare (in any way?) Yes!! I have been to Greenville, and believe it's getting more votes because of all the Carolinians on this board!!

[motonenterprises]

I disagree with you. Didn't seem as live as Greenville when I went there. One of my customers are from Knoxville and says it doesn't hold a candle to Greenville when it comes to opportunity. She said Greenville has been very good to her and she is here to stay.

[satalac]

What do you base that knowledge on?  Have you been to either city?  "Seems" is a very ambiguous word, sounding as though you don't really know the subject well enough to give any informed advice on the matter.  Please explain.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

oh give him a break. he answered the question that was asked to the best of his knowledge. just because he picked knoxville over your hometown doesn't mean he's wrong in his mind. that being said, do you have anything to counter him with your knowledge of knoxville? i'm not trying to be a jerk, i just want everyone to be nice and respect everyone's opinions.

[krazeeboi]

What is up with these Greenville v. ________ threads? This is the third one I've seen lately.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Because Greenville is on a roll!

I think Greenville and Huntsville would actually make for a pretty good comparison though.

And that Greenville vs. Augusta thread was started waaaayy back when; someone just gave it a little "bump." The Chattanooga and Knoxville threads are the most recent.

[nashvol85]

Now you are saying that in a good or bad way. I have been to Knoxville a couple of times, and if I can may say, There are some bad drivers there. Their a little bit screwy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lol...no sh#t...everyone in Knoxville drives like they are high on meth or something. I think a lot of it can be attributed to university students not knowing the area, but damn, that doesn't explain the rest of them.

[Spartan]

Basicly Greenville is well known for being a nice loking city, and having a great downtown. Its progress in the past 10 years is simplt astournding. And what's more- 5 years from now you probably won't recognize the place. They have so much good stuff going on there, its just amazing. All of this gives it a good reputation.

This is not my opinion, but my impression from what others have told me. I have had very many people tell me that Knoxville is a dump. Nothing going on there except UT. I just keep hearing bad things about it. Being myself (which works out well for me), I have done the research, and I know that Knoxville does have some good things going on downtown, and its not all bad. I almost went to UT

But in all honesty, Knoxville has the Sunsphere (which is apparantly a warehouse for wigs if you ever watch the Simpsons) and you just cant beat that

But we also have many more Greenvillians on this board than we do Knoxvillians, so there is definately a strogn bias. I appreciate those of you from Knoxville or that know about the area keeping us informed and giving that city a vioce

[timalucas]

The two cities are in different leagues!!

Knoxville is home to the corporate HEADQUARTERS of the following LARGE corporations:

TVA (worlds second largest power company)

ALCOA (worlds largest aluminum company)

Scripps TV networks (HGTV, DIY, Food network, Fine Living etc. etc.)

Jewelry Television TV Networks

Regal Entertainment Group (Country's largest movie theater company)

Brunswick Boat Co. (including Searay) - One of the worlds largest boat companies!

Mastercraft Boat Company

Ruby Tuesday Restaurants

Oak Ridge National Lab (One of the worlds most important research facilities)

Seimens Molecular Imaging Headquarters (CTI)

I'm probably missing some out, and there are dozens more companies with satellite offices here! Greenville is nowhere near as important and is a more "blue collar" society!

Also Knoxville is racially tolerant because it tends to be populated with more educated and enlightened people (after all we do have some higher education establishments here too)