What To Call Our Region?

[poonther]

Hey the intent of this name whether you call it a marketing name or a regional name was to represent the REGION. Let's for the sake of this thread include in the region just the metro counties: Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, Wakulla...I'd still like to add Liberty. While I'd like to add Franklin, they already identify w/The Forgotten Coast region. This new name needs to be inclusive of the WHOLE region. While Red Hills is ok, it doesn't include the coastal areas of the region.

I do care what locals, tourist and those around the nation think of this name. Big Bend is just a made up name by the late editor of the Democrat when he was in a pinch. Even he has been quoted that the name is too simple. It isn't really recongized around the state and definitely not nationally. When I tell folks in South FL that I've lived in the Big Bend, I've actually been ask "I didn't know you ever lived in Texas." Plus it just sounds too elementary to me and too much like the clock tower in London. I don't think it's as widely known as Treasure Coast or Gold Coast or even the new Emerald Coast.

We aren't asking everyone to change to the name immediately. Those on the Emerald Coast still sometimes refer to the area as the Miracle Strip, but people ARE starting to recongize the area as the Emerald Coast from other areas.

I like Capital Coast. It links the "inland" Capital w/ the Coast. But if you don't like that name, what would be a good name that describes the entire region listed above. Capital Hills while nice doesn't offer Wakulla anything.

While Leon is land-locked, the coast is only 20 miles away. That's not really that far. Most Capital cities in the US are much more inland than us.

I still like Capital Coast best, but I'm willing to listen to many more ideas. Big Bend isn't an option for me. It's a new day in this area and we need a new name. Just b/c something has always been that way (Big Bend , Miracle Strip) doesn't mean it always has to stay that way (Emerald Coast.) Big Bend hasn't worked real well for our region, so let's spread our wings and see what we can come up with. I do appreciate all the replies. You guys are a great sounding board and have come up w/some great ideas for and against names. I look forward to many more suggestions.

[Relient J]

I don't mean to be a thorn in your side, poonther, and I definitely appreciate your perspective on this forum. I also realize that as an ex-Tallahasseean my views have less of a bearing on this discussion than most of those who have chimed in on this thread.

That said I just don't see the need to give a specific name to those counties you listed. Big Bend is quite sufficient for me. It's traditional, descriptive, and more distinct in my opinion than a name which uses the generic suffix "coast."

If a new name really is called for, I would be more in favor of Taurean's Capital Hills suggestion as it avoids using the word "coast," or the Apalachee Bend name that you mentioned earlier.

[csmurphy8885]

once tallahasse bits you, the scar is permanent. even a visitor's eyes see the beauty! I do so wish our capital looked more like a lighthouse... then the coast would be more apparent

[poonther]

I don't mean to be a thorn in your side, poonther, and I definitely appreciate your perspective on this forum. I also realize that as an ex-Tallahasseean my views have less of a bearing on this discussion than most of those who have chimed in on this thread.

That said I just don't see the need to give a specific name to those counties you listed. Big Bend is quite sufficient for me. It's traditional, descriptive, and more distinct in my opinion than a name which uses the generic suffix "coast."

If a new name really is called for, I would be more in favor of Taurean's Capital Hills suggestion as it avoids using the word "coast," or the Apalachee Bend name that you mentioned earlier.

No thorn at all Relient J, I appreciate your perspective. I think you represent the thoughts of those w/deep roots here (don't you have deep family roots in this region) and you also represent not just those who live in Tally, but those who have lived in rural areas around Tally.

My problem w/Hills is that it doesn't represent the coastal areas much like you guys don't like coastal b/c it doesn't represent the inland areas. It's very hard to find something all inclusive.

Apalachee Bend is the name that the late editor of the Democrat wishes he had coined instead of Big Bend. Maybe Big Bend is the best name. I'm don't think so, but I'm not everybody.

Oh yeah, just b/c you don't live here anymore doesn't me your comments don't count b/c they do!

Hey CS funky/fun idea about the lighthouse. That would have been much better than the big phallic symbol we have now.

[Go Gators]

My problem w/Hills is that it doesn't represent the coastal areas much like you guys don't like coastal b/c it doesn't represent the inland areas. It's very hard to find something all inclusive.

I understand what your saying, that Tallahassee is only 20 miles from the coast. But in Central Fl, where Im from the "inland" counties (like Polk to Hillsborough, which is only 20 miles to the coast as well) arent included in the coastal name/region. (I think its Treasure Coast around the Bay area, not sure though). Thats my only "beef" with using coast as a suffix.

[poonther]

The Tampa Bay area is often called the Suncoast. Hillsborough (Tampa) is part of that area. Polk (Lakeland) is not. I'm not sure what they call the Polk County area. I think parts of it are Peace River Valley, but only a small part of it. I've also heard Polk called Imperial Polk which I think is in it's charter or something.

The Treasure Coast is Indian River (Vero) St. Lucie (Ft. Piecrce) and Martin (Stuart) and yes the are all coastal counties.

I do understand what you are saying. Any ideas for a different regional name for us that doesn't include coastal, hills or big in it?

[DaiDreamer5]

The Tampa Bay area is often called the Suncoast. Hillsborough (Tampa) is part of that area. Polk (Lakeland) is not. I'm not sure what they call the Polk County area. I think parts of it are Peace River Valley, but only a small part of it. I've also heard Polk called Imperial Polk which I think is in it's charter or something.

The Treasure Coast is Indian River (Vero) St. Lucie (Ft. Piecrce) and Martin (Stuart) and yes the are all coastal counties.

I do understand what you are saying. Any ideas for a different regional name for us that doesn't include coastal, hills or big in it?

The Tallahassee Area?

[Florida]

How about Greater Tallahassee?

[Relient J]

I think you represent the thoughts of those w/deep roots here (don't you have deep family roots in this region) and you also represent not just those who live in Tally, but those who have lived in rural areas around Tally.

My family's roots in North Florida on my dad's side go back to about 1950 (if I'm remembering correctly) in Madison County. Originally my family on his side was from South Georgia. The roots on my Mom's side go back to, I believe, the 1800's in Hamilton County. My parents both attended NFJC and ultimately FSU, and we lived in Madison and Leon counties my whole life until I moved off to North Georgia to college. We lived within the city limits of Tallahassee for two years in mid-to-late 80's at Fulton Hill Apartments near the Tallahassee Mall and Sealey Elementary, though I never lived within Tallahassee's city limits again until mid 2004 to early 2005. At that time I, and then my wife after we got married in July 2004, lived in a 1940's era neighborhood off Park Ave. between Magnolia and Monroe (not too far from where 417 Park Ave. will be located).

There's a brief history of me.

[poonther]

The Tallahassee Area?

Yep, let's try and think "outside the box" on this one.

While Greater Tallahassee is thinking more regionally which I like, it has no "pop."

Thanks for your brief bio Relient J. Now I feel like I know and understand where you are coming from better. You just proved to me why your opinion on all these Tally threads is important. Thanks!

[Relient J]

I appreciate your valuing my opinion. What I really meant about my opinion mattering less was that I'm no longer there, so I speak as a former citizen of Tallahassee. Just a matter of practicality, but I'll keep putting in my two cents.

[Go Gators]

The Tampa Bay area is often called the Suncoast. Hillsborough (Tampa) is part of that area. Polk (Lakeland) is not. I'm not sure what they call the Polk County area. I think parts of it are Peace River Valley, but only a small part of it. I've also heard Polk called Imperial Polk which I think is in it's charter or something.

Your right, Polk is referred to as "Imperial Polk County." Other than that, Polk County doesnt really identify with any other region. Thats what I was trying to point out. As close as we are to the coast (both actually), we arent included in any of their names.

Big-Bend 4-Life (cheesy, I know )

[EbonyGardens]

Stick with the Panhandle. It sounds better.

[poonther]

Stick with the Panhandle. It sounds better.

I think Panhandle is too broad of a regional name. It covers everything from P'cola to almost Lake City. I also think sometimes that P'handle has a negative quality about it for some reason IMO. Downstate folks sometimes seem to put P'handle and words like ignorant, toothless and hick in the same sentence. That type of image was partly why they renamed the Miracle Strip to the Emerald Coast. Of course we all know those images are false.

[P_McLane]

I understood Poonther's idea to be for a regional name that could be used for marketing purposes and to distinguish our dynamic and growing area from the rest of the state. I stand by TaureanJ's intuitive and catchy Capital Coast. While Leon County may not be coastal, Tallahassee is the city for many of the Big Bend and Panhandle coastal counties, and I think it would help marketing enormously if Tallahassee were associated in the popular imagination with the beautiful and award-winning beaches to our South. And there is no reason that we could not share a bit of beachfront with "The Forgotten Coast." No one is going to be drawing up a strict map with rules and penalties for misuse! This is about crafting a sense of Tallahassee as naturally beautiful - as a nice mid-sized city for living and working, with coastal attractions nearby. The Capital Coast - business 5 days a week, with sailing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, picnicking all just 30 minutes away - just far enough away not to be a resort town. The Capital Coast - where Florida works and plays.

[AlaninTally]

I really like your tag line P_McLane! It really fits with how our region is the center of government for Florida and one of the (if not THE) best natural areas in the State.

I am having a little trouble with tying us into a "Coast" designation but I guess I am not thinking very regionally

Did someone already say the "Appalachee Coast?" The Forest Coast? The Arboreal Coast?

[poonther]

I really like your tag line P_McLane! It really fits with how our region is the center of government for Florida and one of the (if not THE) best natural areas in the State.

I am having a little trouble with tying us into a "Coast" designation but I guess I am not thinking very regionally

Did someone already say the "Appalachee Coast?" The Forest Coast? The Arboreal Coast?

The late editor of the Democrat really wanted to change his coined Big Bend to Apalachee Bend, that's really what got me to thinking about this.

I really like P_McLane's tag line and the use of the column as its logo. I have no problem w/us being associated w/the word coast. Go to the top of the Capitol or look south just as you take off from TLH airport and you'll see it's right there so very close.

So again I'll send out the challenge to come up w/a regional marketing name that does not include the words Big, Coast or Hills since these are the words we have trouble with. How 'bout something w/canopy in it?

Anything's better to me than the dorky Big Bend.

[P_McLane]

The late editor of the Democrat really wanted to change his coined Big Bend to Apalachee Bend, that's really what got me to thinking about this.

I don't want for readers to take this the wrong way, but I think it's important that we not rely on a multi-syllabic American Indian word for our place name. In the history of the United States many Indian place names have successfully entered the popular consciousness and lost their native association - Miami comes to mind. But Tallahassee and Apalachee sound very Indian (not English) to most of the world, and hence, are difficult to make into fluid phrasing for marketing purposes. Compare "Miccosukee Woods" or "The Milwaukee Coast"; with "Milton Woods" or "The Marlborough Coast." This is not an observation as to ethnicity, purely linguistic. "The Forgotten Coast" sounds good, and so it is memorable, and would be effective for marketing purposes. "Apalachee Bend" sounds strange, and would not be memorable to anyone who did not already live nearby, and I do not think it would be effective in an advertisement.

[poonther]

^ Good point that I would have never thought about. Good examples there defending your point P_McLane. All the other regional nicknames in the state subscribe to this type of point too....Emerald Coast, Treasure Coast, Gold Coast etc etc.

So does that mean we must stick w/the dorky Big Bend since so many don't like Capital Coast? I know GG prefers BB 4-life.

[Relient J]

Big Bend rocks!

[Glenn]

How interesting that we started (actually poonther started it) talking about this very same topic back in February of 2006. Now, 18 months later, the Tallahassee Chamber in conjunction with Moore Consulting Group is conducting an online survey to come up with a name for our region for the same reasons we stated this needed to be don. To help define us as one large region instead of just a series of small towns.

http://www.ourregiontomorrow.org/

I look forward to reading the responses on the site to see how close they are to the ones we all previously came up with. I'm glad the Chamber has taken an interest in this regional approach & coming up with an official name for defining our region.

[TD]

How interesting that we started (actually poonther started it) talking about this very same topic back in February of 2006. Now, 18 months later, the Tallahassee Chamber in conjunction with Moore Consulting Group is conducting an online survey to come up with a name for our region for the same reasons we stated this needed to be don. To help define us as one large region instead of just a series of small towns.

http://www.ourregiontomorrow.org/

I look forward to reading the responses on the site to see how close they are to the ones we all previously came up with. I'm glad the Chamber has taken an interest in this regional approach & coming up with an official name for defining our region.

[CapeFish]

Big Bend is what I hear the most.

South Floridians, like me, just call it the Capital Region of Florida.

The coast is called The Forgotten Coast I believe.

[poonther]

Interesting find Glenn. I knew the Chamber was all about regionalism at their conference and I'm glad to see them bring up this issue of re-branding the area.

I noticed they seem to only include Thomas County, GA as part of our region (seems the rest of the GA counties are different shade) and it's hard to tell if they include Franklin County or not. Anyway the naming of the region IMHO becomes more difficult when you include the two states. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem w/GA included in the region, it just makes it a little tougher for the naming or the tag line. I mean you have to leave out any reference to FL at all since it includes two states.

From our own UP poll I think we found out that many folks were still partial to the old name Big Bend and did not want a change. Of those that wanted a change, no clear winning name or slogan seem to emerge.

It will be interesting to see what happens w/the Chamber poll and hopefully if they find a good name and slogan, they will start using it to identify our region. It will take the cooperation of all the region's counties, chambers, municipalities and media to make the re-branding a success.

P.S. Capefish it's always odd for me to see you refer to yourself as a South Floridian, however I take no offense to it. I generally reserve that term for those that live in the Urban Core of WPB to Miami. When I lived in South FL we always referred to you guys in the Naples/Ft Myers area as SW Florida and we were just South FL. And on that topic, most folks I knew in SFL (most transplants from the NE) didn't even know our region existed. Often times I was asked the question: "You're a grad. of FSU, is that the school in Gainesville or Tallahassee?" UGH!

[Florida]

Big Bend is what I hear the most.

South Floridians, like me, just call it the Capital Region of Florida.

The coast is called The Forgotten Coast I believe.