If NC had a "World Class City", where would it be?

[Jerseyman4]

^Silicon Valley is part of the SF Bay metro area. Lots and lots and lots of money is to be made out there. Then theres the astronomical high cost of living too. I do feel that SF can be classified as a world city not just based out of just what i said but it does shares a lot of attributes in this list below:

* International, first-name familiarity (one would say "Paris", not "Paris, France"). CHECK

* Active influence and participation in international events and world affairs (for example, New York City is home to the United Nations headquarters).

* A fairly large population (the center of a metropolitan area with a population of at least one million, typically several million). CHECK

* A major international airport (for example, London Heathrow Airport) that serves as an established hub for several international airlines. CHECK

* An advanced transportation system that includes several freeways and/or a large mass transit network offering multiple modes of transportation (rapid transit, light rail, regional rail, ferry, or bus). CHECK

* In the West, several international cultures and communities (such as a Chinatown, a Little Italy, or other immigrant communities). In other parts of the world, such as Asia, cities which attract large foreign businesses and related expatriate communities, for example Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Moscow. CHECK

* International financial institutions, law firms, corporate headquarters (especially conglomerates), and stock exchanges that have influence over the world economy. CHECK

* Advanced communications infrastructure that modern trans-national corporations rely on, such as fiberoptics, Wi-Fi networks, cellular phone services, and other high-speed lines of communications. For example, Taipei is the very first Wi-Fi city in the world. PERHAPS

* World-renowned cultural institutions, such as museums and universities. PRETTY SURE

* A lively cultural scene, including film festivals, premieres, a thriving music or theatre scene; an orchestra, an opera company, art galleries, and street performers. CHECK

* Several powerful and influential media outlets with an international reach, such as the BBC, The New York Times, Le Monde, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters. CHECK

* A strong sporting community, including major sports facilities, home teams in major league sports, and the ability and historical experience to host international sporting events such as the Olympic Games, Football World Cup or Grand Slam tennis events. CHECK

[AuLukey]

^ You're right, I guess I have just looked at this whole World Class City as a recognizability thing not a check list.

[charlotte_bon_vivant]

Transitman, Atlanta is a four point Gamma City. It meets the criteria significantly in only four areas. Personally, I see Atlanta as a 2 or 3, but most certainly not a 4.

Aussieluke, the list is not created by Wikipedia. The entry is taken from GaWC's actual list. You can also read more in detail about the criteria on their site.

The research bulletin will give everyone a better understanding of where NC cities fall on the list and where they can change.

Thanks to Tesadoh who explained all of this to me many moons ago...

[MR-2]

According to the site, Charlotte was given a look, and it meets only 1 of the criteria. I have no clue what it was though.

[DanRNC]

I see Houston as only missing the following three, which again, I think you can link to a lack of strong universities and no history as an immigrant gateway.

Rice University is in Houston and is a great school. The Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas Medical School, and MD Anderson Cancer Center are all located in Houston as well. Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson are very highly regarded research institutions.

[eastsider]

I see Houston as only missing the following three, which again, I think you can link to a lack of strong universities and no history as an immigrant gateway.

* In the West, several international cultures and communities (such as a Chinatown, a Little Italy, or other immigrant communities). In other parts of the world, such as Asia, cities which attract large foreign businesses and related expatriate communities, for example Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Moscow.

* World-renowned cultural institutions, such as museums and universities.

* A lively cultural scene, including film festivals, premieres, a thriving music or theatre scene; an orchestra, an opera company, art galleries, and street performers.

Houston has two Chinatowns and also has the largest Asain, Arab, and Latin American populations in the U.S.

[krazeeboi]

^And Nigerian too, from what I hear (at least one of the largest).

[JDC]

Rice University is in Houston and is a great school. The Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas Medical School, and MD Anderson Cancer Center are all located in Houston as well. Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson are very highly regarded research institutions.

And still, if you get in a cab and ask to go somewhere with a friendly pedestrian atmosphere, they'll bring you to the mall.

[Nostyle]

Here is a good definition of a world-class city, namely the "Global City."

Criteria are listed below. I have bolded and underlined any criterion for which Charlotte fits the bill.

I do not think any of NC's other cities will readily achieve this status in our lifetimes. I think that the city with the greatest name recognition may increasingly be Asheville, since it is such a powerful tourist draw.

Interesting criteria. Of the ones Charlotte does not qualify for, you can see that they're just a matter of time. Right now we're aware of so many large projects that are on the brink of development, and this trend will likely continue as Charlotte continues to grow. I think the diversity of the population is also growing too. Jeeze, there are parts of town right now that could be called "little mexico". But then again, there are also parts of town that could be called "little pittsburgh" and "little buffalo".

And I also think Charlotte is on the cusp of culinary greatness. Getting J&W to town was a big step for the city. The food scene will continue to blossom as well.

[voyager12]

North Carolina is fortunate to have several metro areas that all have fragments of what is considered to be "world class". But for all of Charlotte's banking fame, Asheville's beauty and progressive vibe, the Triangle's and Triad's educational and cultural advantages and Wilmington's coastal charm...etc etc none of the above have all of the factors together to make a "world class city". Which may not be a bad thing. For all the complaining about NC that I plead guilty too..I love it here, and "world class" cities are not utopias. Most are very fun to visit but ridiculously expensive to live in, overcongested and much too hectic. People seem to be catching on to this way of thinking because NC has one of the fastest transplant rates in the country In my opinion what North Carolina has now statewide is just as "world class" and much more manageable.

[spectacle21]

To piggyback off voyager12, I think we should be proud of what we have. Every city is not meant to be a world-class city. None of the metro areas in the state combined barely meet the lowest criteria of becoming "world class." Every small city is not meant to grow into this fantastical idea of a huge, robust, overcrowded metropolis.

[AuLukey]

North Carolina is fortunate to have several metro areas that all have fragments of what is considered to be "world class". But for all of Charlotte's banking fame, Asheville's beauty and progressive vibe, the Triangle's and Triad's educational and cultural advantages and Wilmington's coastal charm...etc etc none of the above have all of the factors together to make a "world class city". Which may not be a bad thing. For all the complaining about NC that I plead guilty too..I love it here, and "world class" cities are not utopias. Most are very fun to visit but ridiculously expensive to live in, overcongested and much too hectic. People seem to be catching on to this way of thinking because NC has one of the fastest transplant rates in the country In my opinion what North Carolina has now statewide is just as "world class" and much more manageable.

Maybe North Carolina is the World Class city... just very, very spread out.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

Atlanta is not a world-class city. Here's the box from above with BOLD noting where Atlanta fits the criteria:

* International, first-name familiarity (one would say "Paris", not "Paris, France").

* Active influence and participation in international events and world affairs (for example, New York City is home to the United Nations headquarters).

* A fairly large population (the center of a metropolitan area with a population of at least one million, typically several million).

* A major international airport (for example, London Heathrow Airport) that serves as an established hub for several international airlines.

* An advanced transportation system that includes several freeways and/or a large mass transit network offering multiple modes of transportation (rapid transit, light rail, regional rail, ferry, or bus).

* In the West, several international cultures and communities (such as a Chinatown, a Little Italy, or other immigrant communities). In other parts of the world, such as Asia, cities which attract large foreign businesses and related expatriate communities, for example Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Moscow.

* International financial institutions, law firms, corporate headquarters (especially conglomerates), and stock exchanges that have influence over the world economy.

* Advanced communications infrastructure that modern trans-national corporations rely on, such as fiberoptics, Wi-Fi networks, cellular phone services, and other high-speed lines of communications. For example, Taipei is the very first Wi-Fi city in the world.

* World-renowned cultural institutions, such as museums and universities.

* A lively cultural scene, including film festivals, premieres, a thriving music or theatre scene; an orchestra, an opera company, art galleries, and street performers.

* Several powerful and influential media outlets with an international reach, such as the BBC, The New York Times, Le Monde, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters.

* A strong sporting community, including major sports facilities, home teams in major league sports, and the ability and historical experience to host international sporting events such as the Olympic Games, Football World Cup or Grand Slam tennis events.

Atlanta has the media card that Charlotte does not have because of CNN/Ted Turner. Other than the High museum, which is an excellent but still probably a second-tier museum in the US, Atlanta does not have the cultural cache of Lincoln Center, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Fields Museum, etc. Atlanta, excepting Hartsfield, is a city that is very domestically focused with limited pockets of foreign language other than Spanish. It is not an immigrant gateway like Miami or Chicago.

Atlanta has superior universities to Charlotte, particularly in Emory and Georgia Tech. Having Spelman is a nice feather in the cap as well.

Transportationwise, despite having MARTA, the majority of people in the metro area will never embrace the transit system and in-state Amtrak intercity passenger rail is for all intents and purposes, dysfunctional to nonexistent.

It's funny- if you had to pick the hardest thing to get on this list, it's probably the universities. If you get enough money, you can buy just about everything else, but a prestigious University takes deacdes or centuries to groom. I know of only one city that overcame this hurdle- Winston-Salem. Of course, Winston is far, far off on so many of these other metrics.

How does atlanta not have the Universities, Worldwide HQ's, transportation and museums of a "world class" city? Atlanta is home to the largest aquarium in the world, the most recognized logo in the world, the arguably top engineering program in the world, and the largest airport in the world. Who sets these criteria? This is such a stupid argument anyway. How can you define a city's "World Classiness" by arbitrary criterium. Atlanta is a well known city. Is it "World Class"? Who cares.

[sax184]

How does atlanta not have the Universities, Worldwide HQ's, transportation and museums of a "world class" city? Atlanta is home to the largest aquarium in the world, the most recognized logo in the world, the arguably top engineering program in the world, and the largest airport in the world. Who sets these criteria? This is such a stupid argument anyway. How can you define a city's "World Classiness" by arbitrary criterium. Atlanta is a well known city. Is it "World Class"? Who cares.

G Tech? Top engineering program in the world? I mean, no offense to a terrific school, and I would be very proud to send a child there, but G Tech is not Stanford, MIT, or CalTech. Largest aquarium, largest aiport. Oh, and longest commutes of anywhere in America. The obsession with quantity over quality defines Atlanta, which is why its transportation system is a nightmare.

I agree with you that trying to quantify "world-class" is somewhat arbitrary, but these metrics are an attempt to pin down what makes people recognize cities. For the record, I did miss Atlanta as a Gamma 4-point city. My bad.

[cityboi]

Asheville seems more like a world class city than any other municipality in the state. Its not always about size, tall buildings and big arenas. Asheville has a world class culture like Charleston, Savannah or New Orleans. Right now none of NC's big 5 come close to being world class. Charlotte is very metropoltan and urban but that doesnt neccissarily mean those qaulities are world class. Phoenix, Arizona is very urban and its not world class. Charlotte and the rest of the big 5 cities have a southern culture and not a world culture. World class cities typically attract many people from all over the world as a place to live or visit.

[AuLukey]

Asheville seems more like a world class city than any other municipality in the state. Its not always about size, tall buildings and big arenas. Asheville has a world class culture like Charleston, Savannah or New Orleans. Right now none of NC's big 5 come close to being world class. Charlotte is very metropoltan and urban but that doesnt neccissarily mean those qaulities are world class. Phoenix, Arizona is very urban and its not world class. Charlotte and the rest of the big 5 cities have a southern culture and not a world culture. World class cities typically attract many people from all over the world as a place to live or visit.

Don't take this as a racist comment, but on my last visit to uptown Charlotte, I couldn't help but notice that caucasians were by far the minority.

[krazeeboi]

Phoenix, Arizona is very urban and its not world class.

Correction: Phoenix is very BIG, but not world class. It's a suburban sprawlzone down there.