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First SC city to break away from the pack


krazeeboi

Which city will be the first to break away from the pack?  

69 members have voted

  1. 1. Which city will become the "leader" in SC in years to come?

    • Charleston
      10
    • Columbia
      23
    • Greenville
      34
    • Other
      2


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Columbia, of course! ;) I think the proof is in the pudding (Columbia 2015)! The Columbia area was a sleeping Giant! It has lead and kept pace with the states other metro areas in growth rates from 1990-2000 just check the census, all without any real spark of growth such as "Innovista". Greenville County has gained more people in actual number but the metro area was the slowest to grow for those same years. Lexington, & Kershaw counties are growing just as fast and faster, while Spartanburg and Anderson counties are leveling off.

But most of all what I think will take Columbia to the next level is its well educated population (Richland Co. is 45th nationally), USC (#1 ranked international business program), feul cell technology, innovista, the technology incubator, of course the Congaree, Broad, & Saluda rivers, high QOL, low cost of living,central location of 3 major interstates to many day trip attractions (beaches, mountains, Atlanta, etc). I'm sure everyone gets the point. :thumbsup:

For more evidence one only need check out the Columbia thread, and the States featured article building our city! Building Columbia :thumbsup:

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Greenville.

1. It's the economic engine of the state.

2. ICAR, The Millinium Campus, The Global Trade Park

3. Tourism is picking up

4. Location on Interstate 85

5. State's largest and fastest growing (by actually number of people) county

6. Major corporations already call Greenville home for either their regional, United States, or North American headquarters-therefore making it easier to attract others and making a name for itself in the international market

7. Downtown :wub:

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It is interesting that some don't consider the three (or four, counting Myrtle Beach) major cities in South Carolina as being important regional players. With the high level of tourism in the coastal cities and the government, commerce, manufacturing, and entertainment in the inland cities, I think it is easy to see how far we've come and where we're headed in the long-run. Each of these has claimed its spot in the regional market, and has become more visible outside those "boundaries." I don't see any of them separating from the others, because we're working harder to grow together, and that seems to be clearly visible these days.

With that said, If one city were to outgrow the others, I would naturally wish it to be Greenville (wonder why :silly: ). I see extremely good quality growth in the future wih plans laid out decades ago being fulfilled today, and plans being made today that will guide the success of the next few decades.

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I don't see any of them separating from the others, because we're working harder to grow together, and that seems to be clearly visible these days.

That was beautiful. :cry::D

Seriously though, that's a very true statement. I really know of no other state whose major cities feed off each other to the extent that ours do. It's also a good thing that each of our regional centers has its own thing going on and are prospering in their own ways.

I was thinking about adding Myrtle Beach to the poll. Even though its not quite up to the level of our "Big 3" (at least in terms of population), the fact that Horry County is the fastest growing county in the state and Myrtle Beach's importance to tourism in this state (on some days, arguably constituting as SC's most populous city) speak volumes, and I believe the city will emerge as more of a regional player in the years to come. It would be cool to have a "mini Miami" in SC. ;)

I look for the Beaufort/Hilton Head area to emerge next, and coupled with Charleston, will make the Lowcountry more of a powerhouse in the state.

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This is by far the most difficult poll that has been posted. I honestly don't know which to decide on.

Each city has its strengths and reasons it could grow faster that the others.

The trick is that Greenville has Spartanburg and Anderson, which are not slowing down, to contend with. So at some point you to take these cities into consideration.

On the other hand, Charleston and Columbia are alone, but are still growing.

I am not so sure that each won't grow up at the same time. I like SC's situation with our 3 large and relatively equal cities.

I think that if Charleston goes for more density in the areas outside of downtown that it coudl easily beat out the others in population.

Its too late, and this is too complicated to think about :) I'll have to get back to you on this one.

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I voted for Greenville because growth on all levels is fueled by money. Greenville is the #1 location for international business growth in the entire country. This money being invested has brought BMW, ICAR, and many projects with funding authorized right there in Columbia. Here in the Upstate, the rippling effect of this growth is seen all over...most recently with the newly widened (big time) 385 into downtown that now provides easier access for everyone, but especially the business community.

Contrary to others' beliefs, I find it hard to believe that anyone outside of the state truly thinks of SC residents as being intelligent! We all know that we are no different than anyone else, but the stereotype sadly remains. So, Greenville in my eyes is just as "well-educated" as the other cities...with its equal share of ignorant nitwits in the mix, again, just like the other cities. To be educated doesn't always translate to money, growth, or population increases. That will never be a concrete piece of support. Besides, Greenville has Furman, Bob Jones, North Greenville, USC-Upstate (Spartanburg), Clemson (nearby), Wofford (Spartanburg), Converse (Spartanburg) and many other colleges that are available for those aiming to be "well-educated".

Isn't it funny how each of the 3 regions have vastly different opinions of each other? A lot of people I know think that anything south of Laurens might as well be foreign land which is sad.

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Wow. I dread the day when any organization that doesn't oppose the U.S. is not tolerated. Toleration begins with an agreement on disagreement, then an acceptance that the others are equally free to have their own opinon. We all need to fight together for our freedom to believe whatever we want (within the bounds of legality, of course), even though we don't see eye to eye on other issues. :)

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Given some of their past positions, I don't think Bob Jones is good for Greenville's reputation. That school would not be tolerated in much of the country.

I myself being a Greenville resident sometime have misgivings on the fact that Bob Jones is located in

our fair. But like others have said they don't reflect how a majority of us think. As a matter of fact most city

officials will more oftenly support Furman, Greenville Tech., and hell even Clemson(even though it 30 miles away) before Bob Jones. But being honest. If it wasn't for their extreme thinking. They would have a good

school. And most of the students, if you saw them, are for the most part average kids. Who don't drink.

Now where is the Irony. College kids that don't drink. :rofl:

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Being a Clemson student, I received an email from the school (that was sent to all students) about a meeting that was being held inviting all current students to meet with the Greenville CVB. This mass meeting was aimed for students to learn about Greenville and to give feed back in an effort to attract young people after graduation. They wanted feedback on what people liked and what they didn't as well as how they can become more attractive and what would make them want to move to Greenville and find a job there. I couldn't attend it, but it sounds like Greenville is really reaching out for input and trying to keep people in this area! I was impressed by the effort and I really think that they will listen to the responses and take them to heart! :thumbsup:

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That's a good effort on Greenville's part. Columbia, or rather The State newspaper, has done something similar, as it has asked the residents of the Columbia area what is needed in that particular market. Great responses were given. It shows that our citizens are very concerned about making these cities regional contenders.

While Bob Jones has affected Greenville's reputation to a certain extent, it's also a good thing that the university has decided not to align itself with the Christian Exodus movement. That shows that the university isn't as "extreme" as we might like to think.

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Downtown Greenville is on the verge of becoming a magnet for musicans looking for a state-of-the-art, professional recording studio. OMG is expanding in the West End, and with Noel Golden, a Grammy Award-winning producer from L.A., and platinum-selling musician Edwin McCain, is hoping to fulfill their dream of creating a World-class music scene in Greenville. McCain is recording his latest album in the studio. :shades:

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Given some of their past positions, I don't think Bob Jones is good for Greenville's reputation. That school would not be tolerated in much of the country.

Most of mainstream America IMO has no clue where Greenville, SC is but have heard "stories" of Bob Jones and when they hear that the university is located here, well, I doubt that their opinions of SC, and now Greenville, go up or down. We are fighting an old, unfair stereotype as a state and other Americans probably just say, "Well there you go. The two go hand-in-hand."

Wow. I dread the day when any organization that doesn't oppose the U.S. is not tolerated. Toleration begins with an agreement on disagreement, then an acceptance that the others are equally free to have their own opinon. We all need to fight together for our freedom to believe whatever we want (within the bounds of legality, of course), even though we don't see eye to eye on other issues. :)

My thoughts exactly. All cities in our state need to support and promote each other in order for any one city to achieve the next level of growth. Although Bob Jones supports rules and beliefs of which some I disagree with, it brings a lot of people to the area for education. (Also boasts a well-known and respected art collection all over.) We need to take the large number of schools statewide and also the international business investments and aggresively attack our education system. Raise the bar in the state and show what we can do then the state grows and brings jobs, people and away we go.

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Having once lived in Greenville, I was only expressing my frustration over the negative reputation that school has brought to Greenville over the decades. Sorry for bringing it up.

Back to the subject of this thread, I really think it is a tossup between Greenville & Columbia. I don't think Charleston or the other cities in the poll are really in the contest.

I think the thing holding Greenville back is that it competes with Spartanburg and has yet to learn to compete with it. Its big advantage is the international investment and it's located on the all important I-85 corridor. Columbia's advantage and ironically its disadvantage as well is its reliance on government money. If it wasn't for the state govenment being located there along with Ft. Jackson, it would be much smaller.

My rule of thumb is the first of these cities to build rail transit, will be the one that is pulling ahead, but beyond that I would give Greenville the slight lead.

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I was taking a look at Greenville's Vision 2025, which I haven't looked at since it was developed years ago, and I found some neat stuff:

It's really too long to read, but from what I read it seems a lot more complete than Columbia's...

Some of their projections for Greenville in 2025:

MSA: 1.3 Million people (I assume this is if Anderson and Spartanburg are not sucked into Greenville's MSA, because we're almost there now with our CSA)

Greenville County poulation: 580,000

Clemson reaching its top 20 goal and garners over $500 million in research

ICAR has reached 2 billion dollars in investments

500 international companies from 50 countries (currently 276 companies from 26 countries)

Greenville's annual charitable contribution to programs such as United Way consistently ranks among the highest per capita in the South East

Expanded terminal and second runway at airport

Linked Bob Jones and Gville Tech to form a major four year college in Greenville to fill a gap. Make Pleasantburg the education corridor

Those are just some that I ran across in a quick scan. more to come later i'm sure!

All of these goals are very obtainable and most of the projects have already begun to develop. We're well on our way to surpassing many of their goals!

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Here's something interesting that will also play a factor I think:

The percentage of people living in poverty:

Greenville Co- 11.5

Richland Co- 13.4

Charleston Co- 14.5

South Carolina- 14.0

This could reflect on a lot of things... possibly the education in these areas? whatever it is it could directly affect growth of these regions.

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IMO, "breaking out" and becoming a full-fledged major city does not take mere population growth alone. The city must have an identity, in that the city itself is the destination. Thus, the city must have a good tourist economy, but also be a major location for different companies and provide the population with well-paying jobs. Greenville and Columbia have some of these things, but Charleston has the identity and tourist attraction that makes it the "destination".

Think about it...New York, San Francisco, Boston, Miami...these cities all have those qualities. With Charleston's new developments, more companies locating there, the new bridge, and tourist economy, my hometown might be the first to break away. In 2015, Charleston will be very different in terms of population and density.

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Even though I would love all three cities to become major cities my pick would be Charleston. Charleston is already more nationally known than any of the three. Plus Charleston Native made a good point about being a tourist destination along with a high population as well as a place that attracts businesses (if you attract people through tourism, you best believe you can attract businesses). Plus Charleston's MUSC hospital is one of the best hospitals in the state and if I'm not mistaken, there are plans to add to the already large complex.

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