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Can Columbia Gain National Exposure


803metlife

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A comment about size of city and immigrants....

One of the ADVANTAGES of a small city like Cola is that the immigrants don't tend to end up in secluded ghettoes.

BTW, I'm one...

And I know nobody from my own country or any neighboring country, but I know a lot of other foreigners who are well integrated.

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it's funny that only people in s.c. thinks that charlotte is such this great big city.You guys really need to travel outside of the southeastern region.I can name over 20 cities that Charlotte can't even hold a candle against.seattle, sacr, la, ny. chi,d.c. houston, atl, phil, millw, detroit,miami, dallas, vegas, etc just to name only a few. I don't won't columbia to be charlotte or atl.Because cola is cola!! That will soon have it's own identity in time. Cola is not competing with Charl. So all the people worried about charlotte need to move to charlotte!! I meet people all the time that moved from Charlotte to D.C. and they said that Charlotte was boring, country and they needed the bigger city feel. And that's why so many people move from Charlotte to atl. Believe me it's way different living there than visiting. So it's up to the eye of the beholder!! Im not trying to have a pissing contest with anyone, but facts are facts. yes right now Charlotte does have more to offer than cola, but time will tell.

I, too, am not one to go "goo-goo" over Charlotte, but at the same time, it is well ahead of all of SC's major cities. I recognize the progress that the city has made and is making while at the same time realizing that it isn't my first choice as far as living goes. So for anyone wanting a true urban/larger city feel, he/she might as well go straight to DC, Chicago, Atlanta, NYC, or LA. But if one wants a progressive mid-sized city that will continue to gain regional and national importance, Charlotte is the way to go. I have no doubts that Columbia, as well as Charleston and Greenville, will one day get to the level that Charlotte is on.

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You guys have covered a lot of ground, so bare with me as a catch up.

Columbia is a solid mid-sized city. Charlotte is a large one. I personally view Spartanburg as a city trying to transition into the small-mid sized city category.

I am fairly certain that our Columbia is the largest Columbia out there, just like our Greenville is the largest. Greenville is not smaller than Columbia. Neither is Charleston. What SC has is three cities of equal size with varying strengths. We are positioned in such a way that there is no major infighting among our cities like you see in NC and states with one dominant city like New York, Illinois, or Georgia.

Charlotte is a good model for the future growth of Columbia. However, Columbia should learn from Charlotte's mistakes and adapt.

As far as recognition goes, I think Greenville-Spartanburg will be the most recognizable for two reasons. One is that hyphenated metros tend to be well reconized- (Raleigh-Durham and Dallas-Ft Worth). The other is that with the hypenated metro comes 'Spartanburg.' Spartanburg is the only city by that name, and certainly would not be confused for any other. I am not saying that Spartanburg is the key to the success of the state or the GSP metro, but it will be a factor, partacularly in terms of name recognition.

There are many times when people talk about 'Columbus' with out the state attached. I assume they are talking about GA, not OH until I hear otherwise. Thats just me though. I think that as Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston grow they will be come less confuesd with other places. Particularly Columbia.

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I am fairly certain that our Columbia is the largest Columbia out there, just like our Greenville is the largest. Greenville is not smaller than Columbia.

According to the 2000 UA figures, Greenville can be considered slightly smaller than Columbia and Charleston, but not substantially so. Greenville's UA in 2000 was 302,000 while Charleston's was 423,000 and Columbia's was 420,000. However, Mauldin-Simpsonville was considered to be a separate UA from Greenville (why, I don't know) when those suburbs are right next door to Greenville. So including the Mauldin-Simpsonville UA would give the greater Greenville area a figure of ~380,000, still smaller than Charleston and Columbia. In the grand scheme of things, that isn't that much of a difference. However, I think that Greenville's sprawl has really affected its core, which seems smaller and less developed than Charleston's and Columbia's (although that is rapidly changing).

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Lexington is indeed on the edge of Columbia's UA, as is Red Bank, Ballentine, South Congaree, Elgin & north of Horrell Hill.

As for adding additional urban areas / clusters - Columbia will likely include Camden (16k). But like krazee said - Greenville will have added Mauldin (76k) & probably Clemson (41k), Williamston (9k). Charleston might only add Moncks Corner (8k).

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Lexington is indeed on the edge of Columbia's UA, as is Red Bank, Ballentine, South Congaree, Elgin & north of Horrell Hill.

As for adding additional urban areas / clusters - Columbia will likely include Camden (16k). But like krazee said - Greenville will have added Mauldin (76k) & probably Clemson (41k), Williamston (9k). Charleston might only add Moncks Corner (8k).

I would be very suprised if Clemson is added. There is way too much undeveloped land between here and Greenville. If it is added it will be a purely political decision. However, if Clemson-Seneca-Pendleton cracks 50k with its urban cluster it could be come a full fledged urban area. I can definately see that happening.

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Clemson being added would be similar to Sumter or Aiken being added to Cola's UA both cities are about 45 mins. from Cola.

Somehow that doesn't sound right.......Sumter(which is right next to Columbia) is 45 min. and Aiken which is basically Augusta metro area is the same distance from Columbia???? I guess it depends what part of the city you are in....Because Northeast Columbia to Sumter (for me) is only 35 minutes....someone living in West Columbia/Irmo it would probably take them 50 minutes.....and for Aiken, it definately takes me at least 45 to 50 min. whereas Westies would take less of course...all depends how fast you drive too....but it would make more sense to add Sumter in the UA rather than Aiken...

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Somehow that doesn't sound right.......Sumter(which is right next to Columbia) is 45 min. and Aiken which is basically Augusta metro area is the same distance from Columbia???? I guess it depends what part of the city you are in....Because Northeast Columbia to Sumter (for me) is only 35 minutes....someone living in West Columbia/Irmo it would probably take them 50 minutes.....and for Aiken, it definately takes me at least 45 to 50 min. whereas Westies would take less of course...all depends how fast you drive too....but it would make more sense to add Sumter in the UA rather than Aiken...

I agree. As a Sumterite I can attest that it only takes me 25 mins. to drive from the Food Lion on Hwy 76 in Sumter to the Bi-Lo on Garners Ferry rd. in Columbia.

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Only 1500 feet seperate the Clemson UC from the Greenville UA. But still - you would probably be right, they may determine the Clemson (future) UA as having too strong of an identity to be merged. Nonetheless - there is development between Greenville & Clemson but realistically it is more like a 5 mile difference between developed portions of Easley & Clemson.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Somehow that doesn't sound right.......Sumter(which is right next to Columbia) is 45 min. and Aiken which is basically Augusta metro area is the same distance from Columbia???? I guess it depends what part of the city you are in....Because Northeast Columbia to Sumter (for me) is only 35 minutes....someone living in West Columbia/Irmo it would probably take them 50 minutes.....and for Aiken, it definately takes me at least 45 to 50 min. whereas Westies would take less of course...all depends how fast you drive too....but it would make more sense to add Sumter in the UA rather than Aiken...

True...Even if your in Southeast Columbia you can get there in about 25 or 30 minutes....If you want to be techincal....Columbia city limits (from Fort Jackson) to Sumter city limits is only 13 miles seperating them. lol

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who knows maybe one day Main street can look like Peachtree in ATL (but hopefully just a little more dense) :)

Be careful what you wish for. Next thing you know Main Street will be renamed Palmetto, Marion will become East Palmetto, and the Eau Claire/North Columbia stretch will sprout nightlife, office and residential highrises that rival the Downtown district.

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Be careful what you wish for. Next thing you know Main Street will be renamed Palmetto, Marion will become East Palmetto, and the Eau Claire/North Columbia stretch will sprout nightlife, office and residential highrises that rival the Downtown district.

Actually, I would really like that

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  • 2 weeks later...

Columbia's Free Times mentions three upcoming events set to give the city increased exposure:

• Feb. 8-11, the Chevy Open bass fishing tournament, part of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour for anglers, is slated to be held at Lake Murray. According to the Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism agency, about 400 fishers from 37 states, Canada and Japan will take part in the competition.

• The International Downtown Association, headquartered in Washington, DC, plans to hold its spring conference this year in Columbia. The event is scheduled for April 22-24. Check out the agenda; GREAT stuff. Interestingly enough, conferences of this sort within any resonable distance of Charleston include trips down to the Holy City (including the recent one held in Charlotte).

• In July 2007, the Junior Wildwater World Championships are scheduled to be held on the Saluda River, an event that is estimated to lure 100 or so competitors to the city.

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