Is Atlanta the most Important City in the South

[ATLman1]

You can think that all you want, but you still haven't answered the question. Every region of the country has a city that is more important than all of the others. Atlanta, therefore, would be the most important in the south. If you are trying to hint that Charlotte, which is a 1/3 the size of metro Atlanta, is on the same par as Atlanta, then buddy you need a touch of reality. There is no other city that can compare to Atlanta in the south just like no other city can compare to NYC, LA, and Chicago in their regions.

[benjamin]

Who the hell ever said that in order for a city to be the most important in a region it has to be on par with LA, NYC or Chicago? That statement literally contradicts the meaning of the phrase "the most important." The phrase doesn't mean "be on par with NYC, LA, and Chicago," it means "the city that has the most general importance." This doesn't mean that the most important city has to be important to every city, section, person, or speck in the region! Just that compared to the other cities of the region its the most important! This really isn;t a dificult concept. What you are doing is like if someone were to ask "who in this room has the most money on them?" Lets say tom is in the room and has 3 more dollars than everyone else in the room. Then, the answer is that Tom has the most money in the room! You wouldn't say Tom doesn't have the most money in the room because in another room Richard has 40 more dollars than Tom and Tom isn't on par with Richard when it comes to money now would you? Weird analogy? Maybe. But does it prove my point? Yes.

[bobliocatt]

You can think that all you want, but you still haven't answered the question. Every region of the country has a city that is more important than all of the others. Atlanta, therefore, would be the most important in the south. If you are trying to hint that Charlotte, which is a 1/3 the size of metro Atlanta, is on the same par as Atlanta, then buddy you need a touch of reality. There is no other city that can compare to Atlanta in the south just like no other city can compare to NYC, LA, and Chicago in their regions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thre are several cities in the South that can compare to Atlanta easily. They are Miami, Houston, Dallas, Baltimore & DC. Atlanta excells in certain areas, while the others excell in certain areas, as well. Since DC is the Nation's Capitol, I'd put it on a higher level of importance than the others. If Home Depot or Coca-Cola went belly up, nobody would care, outside of Atlanta and their employees elsewhere. However, if the White House or Pentagon got zapped, it would affect us all, big time.

Lets look at the other regions, shall we. NYC, LA, and Chicago are more than three times the size of any city in their region. No city in the South can claim this, especially Atlanta, since its the 4th largest metro in the South.

[bobliocatt]

Who the hell ever said that in order for a city to be the most important in a region it has to be on par with LA, NYC or Chicago? That statement literally contradicts the meaning of the phrase "the most important." The phrase doesn't mean "be on par with NYC, LA, and Chicago," it means "the city that has the most general importance." This doesn't mean that the most important city has to be important to every city, section, person, or speck in the region! Just that compared to the other cities of the region its the most important! This really isn;t a dificult concept. What you are doing is like if someone were to ask "who in this room has the most money on them?" Lets say tom is in the room and has 3 more dollars than everyone else in the room. Then, the answer is that Tom has the most money in the room! You wouldn't say Tom doesn't have the most money in the room because in another room Richard has 40 more dollars than Tom and Tom isn't on par with Richard when it comes to money now would you? Weird analogy? Maybe. But does it prove my point? Yes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You've already admitted that "your" South only includes GA and parts of SC, AL & TN. Yes Atlanta is the most important city in that particular region of the South. However, its absurd to place it on a higher level of importance than 3 metros larger than it. If you all must award a city as the "Most important in the South" (the true South that includes TX, FL, VA, MD, etc.) the award goes to DC.

[satalac]

And uh, theres a difference between me saying that atlanta is more important than memphis, nashville, new orleans,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

how is atlanta more important than these three culturally huge cities? these are the cities that define the south. atlanta is the city that these cities are trying to not become. if that's what you consider being important, then i guess it is.

[Spartan]

If Home Depot or Coca-Cola went belly up, nobody would care, outside of Atlanta and their employees elsewhere.  However, if the White House or Pentagon got zapped, it would affect us all, big time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But you can say the same thing about Houston, Dallas, Miami, Baltimore, etc. If one of their companies dissapeared tomorrow nobody would care. (The only exception might be Houston's oil, but seing as how we import most of our oil, it wouldn't be that drastic). DC with out the Fed is not an important city at all.

[monsoon]

You can think that all you want, but you still haven't answered the question. Every region of the country has a city that is more important than all of the others. Atlanta, therefore, would be the most important in the south. If you are trying to hint that Charlotte, which is a 1/3 the size of metro Atlanta, is on the same par as Atlanta, then buddy you need a touch of reality. There is no other city that can compare to Atlanta in the south just like no other city can compare to NYC, LA, and Chicago in their regions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually Charlotte is larger than Atlanta. It is Atlanta's metro that is a little over twice as large. Who cares if the Atlanta metro has twice as many Home Depots, Best Buys, yada yada, etc? Suburbs are suburbs and having more of them doesn't make Atlanta the Capital or more important than anything else. It only proves the Atlanta metro is in really bad shape in terms of regional cooperation, planning, and coherance.

DC or Miami are much more important to the people of NC than Atlanta, so I if you absolutely have to have an answer, I would go with DC.

[bobliocatt]

But you can say the same thing about Houston, Dallas, Miami, Baltimore, etc. If one of their companies dissapeared tomorrow nobody would care. (The only exception might be Houston's oil, but seing as how we import most of our oil, it wouldn't be that drastic). DC with out the Fed is not an important city at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree, that's why I've always stated that the South really has no true "most important city", including ATL. I think the Fed, in DC is a lot more important to the country, than Home Depot being headquartered somewhere out in the suburbs of ATL. If NYC didn't have Manhattan or if Chicago didn't have the Loop, they wouldn't be much to talk about either. You could make that argument against any place in the country. But since its here, just leave it at that. The Federal Government is much more important to every place in this country, than who has the most retail chains based out of their metro. Once again, the South just doesn't have a city that sits like an 800 lb. gorilla over every other city in the region. But if you can't accept that fact, then the award goes to DC, being the Nation's Capitol.

[Mr.Marc]

Thre are several cities in the South that can compare to Atlanta easily.  They are Miami, Houston, Dallas, Baltimore & DC.  Atlanta excells in certain areas, while the others excell in certain areas, as well.  Since DC is the Nation's Capitol, I'd put it on a higher level of importance than the others.  If Home Depot or Coca-Cola went belly up, nobody would care, outside of Atlanta and their employees elsewhere.  However, if the White House or Pentagon got zapped, it would affect us all, big time.

Lets look at the other regions, shall we.  NYC, LA, and Chicago are more than three times the size of any city in their region.  No city in the South can claim this, especially Atlanta, since its the 4th largest metro in the South.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Baltimore and DC are not southern cities.

[bobliocatt]

^Tell that to the US Government & +200 years of US Historical documents. We've had this debate too many times.

[HOTSPOTTNY]

Hello forum!!!!! I just wanted to say that there is no city in the south that is overly important than other cities in the south like NY is in the northeast.......I'm very shocked though that some people in this forum think that ATL is that important, especially with the south consisting of so many states and cities with equally importance. Just because your city metro is bigger doesn't mean that you are more important than another city with a smlaller metro, which that seems to be alot of ATL residences argument.I'm from NY and I know it is very important but you still have to remember that CHI -TOWN and PHILLY is very important too......Really to be honest I hear about Charlotte,Miami,Dallas,Houston, jacksonville(now) nashville just as much as ATL but I guess it's a matter of opinion and I must say they are all in the south the last time I checked....................

[paulblackgsx]

Wow, some of the Atlanta forumers went off the deep end here at the end of this thread. No other southern city can compare to Atlanta like nothing in the NE can compare to NYC? That crazy talk. Even in the deep south... Miami in the deep south alone is a peer to Atlanta in terms of size (and every other category).

Please stop making Atlanta forumers look so bad with comments like that. Atlanta has it's significance, but there just simply isn't a dominate city in the south (as has been said many times). Even I brought it up back on page like 12 or something of this thread.

Also, for all this junk about Atlanta importance some of the Atlanta forumers keep talking about, there are numerous posts on this thread that almost seem like bashes on Atlanta over various things (which is generally only encouraged when forumers from a city toss out wild statements without support). Rather than researching these bashes and painting the positive sides of Atlanta in recent years, you guys want to continue to argue that Atlanta is somehow on a level along with NYC?

And I'm an Atlanta forumer, come on guys, pull it together. If your at least going to make claims, come with some facts. There enough attempt to portray Atlanta negatively here without you throwing in unsupported and crazy notions of Atlanta place in the south and the country.

[benjamin]

I agree, that's why I've always stated that the South really has no true "most important city", including ATL.  I think the Fed, in DC is a lot more important to the country, than Home Depot being headquartered somewhere out in the suburbs of ATL.  If NYC didn't have Manhattan or if Chicago didn't have the Loop, they wouldn't be much to talk about either.  You could make that argument against any place in the country.  But since its here, just leave it at that.  The Federal Government is much more important to every place in this country, than who has the most retail chains based out of their metro.  Once again, the South just doesn't have a city that sits like an 800 lb. gorilla over every other city in the region.  But if you can't accept that fact, then the award goes to DC, being the Nation's Capitol.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And what about the federal reserve bank in Atlanta? The point is of course you can argue that Miami, Houston, Dallas, and DC rival Atlanta in importance, but considering some people dont consider these cities to be southern at all, doesn;t it make sense for someone to say atlanta is the most important city in the south?

[bobliocatt]

And what about the federal reserve bank in Atlanta? The point is of course you can argue that Miami, Houston, Dallas, and DC rival Atlanta in importance, but considering some people dont consider these cities to be southern at all, doesn;t it make sense for someone to say atlanta is the most important city in the south?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about the Federal Reserve in Atlanta? It doesn't amount too much considering DC is the Nation's Capitol. It doesn't matter what people consider Southern or not. Opinions will vary from person to person. However, history books and the US Government and these cities, themselves identify themselves as Southern, by location, and at least mixed by culture. Based on this, I'll just stick with those solid decades old notions, inside of what forumers wish to believe around here.

[JunktionFET]

Oh boy, now we're getting to the good stuff. Declaring Atlanta "the most important city in the south" by way of semantics is completely moot. It looks almost like a desperate act. If everyone tries to get in the last word, this thread will be the longest one in the recorded history of threads.

[BRONX BOY]

And what about the federal reserve bank in Atlanta? The point is of course you can argue that Miami, Houston, Dallas, and DC rival Atlanta in importance, but considering some people dont consider these cities to be southern at all, doesn;t it make sense for someone to say atlanta is the most important city in the south?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Benjamin,

You are fighting a losing battle here man........ I enjoying visiting Atlanta,and I think Atlanta is one of the great cities in our country. But the "Most Important City In The South" it is not! I've watch this particular thread since it was created, and though I already knew my answer, I thought I would just "Fall Back" and see the other responses from posters that reside in "The South". Just like I suspected, I wasn't alone in thinking that this claim you are making is totally false.

I agree that Atlanta plays an "Important Role" to the region, but so does D.C., Charlotte, Richmond, Norfolk, Miami, Dallas, Houston etc.. Also I would like to comment on "your" map of the south.First of all don't take this the wrong way, but

how old are you? I ask this because when you were in school I'm sure your Social Studies / History teacher taught you that the south is MUCH bigger than what you outlined on that map.

IMO......I think you are being a little stubborn, and not very open-minded to the other posters comments. And you are keeping this pointless thread going by continuing to post just to prove your point & "Opinion". Please go back and read some of the other post, because this could've been wrapped up 20 pages ago. I don't think anybody here is trying to discredit the city of Atlanta and it's importance, we just want you (A Northern Transplant) to understand that it's not the "Most Important City in the South".

[BRONX BOY]

monsoon,

Can I please ask you to close this thread? I think we all agree that this is going nowhere. I hope I'm not being to pushy.

Thanks,

Bronx Boy

[satalac]

monsoon,

Can I please ask you to close this thread? I think we all agree that this is going nowhere. I hope I'm not being to pushy.

Thanks,

Bronx Boy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the boy from the boogie down(i love krs one!) has a point. i wouldn't mind seeing this one closed either.

[Brickell]

y'all could just stop responding to it...

oops, i did it again.

[monsoon]

Actually any moderator on the site can close it (or ask for it to be closed) if it gets out of hand. By its very nature this is a thread about opinions. We expect there will be some friction because some people have trouble when other people's opinions differ from theirs. For those who choose to participate in this thread we expect them to follow the forum rules and as such I am not inclined to close this thread because we have a few bad apples. We will deal with them as need be rather than close it for the 95% who do follow the rules.

I appreciate the chance that you gave me to explain this Bronx Boy and welcome to the forum as I don't ever remember telling you that.

[Mr.Marc]

Actually any moderator on the site can close it  (or ask for it to be closed) if it gets out of hand.  By its very nature this is a thread about opinions.  We expect there will be some friction because some people have trouble when other people's opinions differ from theirs.  For those who choose to participate in this thread we expect them to follow the forum rules and as such I am not inclined to close this thread because we have a few bad apples.  We will deal with them as need be rather than close it for the 95% who do follow the rules. 

I appreciate the chance that you gave me to explain this Bronx Boy and welcome to the forum as I don't ever remember telling you that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't close it, I am enjoying this!!!!!!!!!

[HOTSPOTTNY]

Well I dont see why it's still open because, as u can see, the answer is NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tomahawkn]

While I agree that Atlanta may not be as dominating as New York, Chicago, and LA are in their regions, the city is the closest to making that claim than any other southern metro. That is, if you define "The South" as more than just a geographic region, but also culturally, economically, and philosophically. For instance, Houston and Miami could also make a legitamit claiim, but I think they are too far on the fringes to be considered. This in no way dimishes their importance to the rest of the country/world as a whole.

For Atlanta's sake, it is the center of transportation, with the largest and busiest airport--many southerners say that when you die, you'll change planes at Hartsfield on your way to Heaven. As a matter-of-fact, Hartsfield competes each year with O'Hare for the title of "Worlds Busiest Airport".

Atlanta is home to the largest number of out-of-state alumni for all SEC schools, obviously it is a magnet for southern college grads. I'd be willing to bet that also holds true for a number of ACC schools, but probably not all of them.

Next to Houston, Atlanta has the largest number of F500 HQ's in The South, and probably the most diverse mixture of industry, not relying on any one in particular. Its the HQ for the Federal Reserve in The South, and it's also home to the 6th District Court of Appeals, which represents a number of southern states, but I can't remember which ones off the top of my head. On a global perspective, Atlanta is the most important, by far, in the southeast and in the top 3 when you include Houston and Miami.

While Charlotte is the "banking capital", each of the large banks have huge offices and regional HQ's in Atlanta, plus the city also is the HQ for SunTrust and Equifax (the credit rating giant), which makes it a very important banking and finance center.

Then of course, you've got communications, and with CNN, the Turner Networks, Weather Channel, and southern regional offices for the major networks, Atlanta is the center for communications in the South.

Atlanta has hosted all the major sporting events, and every year plays host to the SEC Championship game and Peach Bowl-which pitts the top SEC and ACC schools not in the BCS against eachother. And with two major colleges within an hours drive of the city, it has great college sports, too.

The point is, if their is a "Most Important City" in The South, that city is Atlanta, and no other.

[tomahawkn]

^Just so my thread isn't taken the wrong way, I don't trully think Atlanta is "the most important in the south".... The South is too large a geographic region and many people debate over what is an isnt "The South", but my point is that Atlanta is probably the closest to making that claim. And, yes, I didn't include DC, because it is the Capital of the USA, not "The South".

[HOTSPOTTNY]

While I agree that Atlanta may not be as dominating as New York, Chicago, and LA are in their regions, the city is the closest to making that claim than any other southern metro.  That is, if you define "The South" as more than just a geographic region, but also culturally, economically, and philosophically.  For instance, Houston and Miami could also make a legitamit claiim, but I think they are too far on the fringes to be considered.  This in no way dimishes their importance to the rest of the country/world as a whole. 

For Atlanta's sake, it is the center of transportation, with the largest and busiest airport--many southerners say that when you die, you'll change planes at Hartsfield on your way to Heaven.  As a matter-of-fact, Hartsfield competes each year with O'Hare for the title of "Worlds Busiest Airport". 

Atlanta is home to the largest number of out-of-state alumni for all SEC schools, obviously it is a magnet for southern college grads.  I'd be willing to bet that also holds true for a number of ACC schools, but probably not all of them. 

Next to Houston, Atlanta has the largest number of F500 HQ's in The South, and probably the most diverse mixture of industry, not relying on any one in particular.  Its the HQ for the Federal Reserve in The South, and it's also home to the 6th District Court of Appeals, which represents a number of southern states, but I can't remember which ones off the top of my head.  On a global perspective, Atlanta is the most important, by far, in the southeast and in the top 3 when you include Houston and Miami. 

While Charlotte is the "banking capital", each of the large banks have huge offices and regional HQ's in Atlanta, plus the city also is the HQ for SunTrust and Equifax (the credit rating giant), which makes it a very important banking and finance center. 

Then of course, you've got communications, and with CNN, the Turner Networks, Weather Channel, and southern regional offices for the major networks, Atlanta is the center for communications in the South. 

Atlanta has hosted all the major sporting events, and every year plays host to the SEC Championship game and Peach Bowl-which pitts the top SEC and ACC schools not in the BCS against eachother.  And with two major colleges within an hours drive of the city, it has great college sports, too. 

The point is, if their is a "Most Important City" in The South, that city is Atlanta, and no other.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THANK YOU Tomahawkn.........but now that he posted some good qualities about Atlanta now people from the other cities post the good qualities about their city.......that info alone still doesn't prove why it should be the " MOST IMPORTANT CITY IN THE SOUTH" like it has been said 100 times , there are alot of cities with alot of good qualities that u could compare or at least be on the same page with Atlanta...size and population doesn't make the cut , as u can see, because if that was the case then this would not be a topic . Atlanta is a very important city in the south along with a few others , so maybe that is the best way to put it. Major sporting events and important sporting events is something ,again, that alot of other cities in the south have ...........especially the Bowl games and etc......and there are plenty of"'MAJOR COLLEGES " in the south other than "Atlanta"......MOST IMPORTANT CITY IN THE SOUTH ( NO IT ISN'T), MOST IMPORTANT CITY IN ITS STATE AND MAYBE REGION OF GA,AL AND PARTS OF SC(MAYBE).............