Is Atlanta the most Important City in the South

[DHall]

Houston is the most important city in America south of I 80, and east of I 15, which is a lot of land.

Second most important? Dallas.

Third? Atlanta.

Fourth? Oklahoma City. (which I would consider the political capitol of the central and south U.S.)

Fifth? Charlotte. (may actually make more sense to tie it with OKC)

Sixth? New Orleans.

Seventh? San Antonio.

Eighth? Tulsa.

And so on.

[bande_originale]

I am not a fan of Atlanta and think it's one of the most overrated cities in the country, but if it isn't the capital of the Southeast, what is? As a previous poster pointed out, the Southeast does not have a Chicago or a New York, a city that totally dominates its region. But what is the hub of the location economy hierarchy? What is the highest-order goods center? The Southeastern region, culturally and economically, is distinct. It has elements in common with Texas but, excepting 1970s Louisiana, which had more in common with Texas anyway, lacks the natural resource wealth (i.e. oil) of the two dominant Texas urban areas. Its economy thus has developed from an agricultural-industrial complex and, in spite of bastions of the New Economy such as the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina and the banking concentration of Charlotte, still relies on trucking the agricultural and manufactured goods that are made here.

Miami is the only southeastern city that competes in terms of the scale of wealth and economic influence. And it is not a Southeastern city: culturally, economically, or even politically (in spite of the heavily Republican Cuban-American community, Miami-Dade county has been 'blue' for the past four election cycles). These days it is a Latin-American one; its current prosperity has come from South American investment and the concentration of a Hispanophone business community.

When the IKEA opens in Atlanta this coming summer, I will most certainly be making the 8-hour drive from Orlando. The only other southeastern location (outside of the Atlanta area) that has been investigated publicly has been outside of Fort Lauderdale. That may seem a flippant example, but what is a 'capital' if not the place you go to get what you can't get anywhere else? Where did Radiohead play its only southeastern shows until last year? Where, outside of South Beach, can you shop for Versace sunglasses and Prada bags? And most importantly, where in the South can black people participate in a relatively integrated political and business community and not need to base platforms on the representation of minority interests? In a region where several states have black populations over 35 percent (which is twice the amount of black citizens nationally), what is the only city where they have well-developed educational, professional, and institutional opportunities?

[DHall]

Uhhh... Florida is not near as wealthy, as even Little Rock IMO. And even if it is, Oklahoma City, while salaries are extremely low, has the nation's highest standard of living.

And, I thought it would be obvious that the answer is Houston, but I guess not. I think it is, did you not read my post?

[monsoon]

[DHall]

Very good argument, monsoon!

[DHall]

Oh, by the way, you forgot Arkansas.

[bobliocatt]

The Southeastern region, culturally and economically, is distinct.

[Twin Cities]

I can't understand why so many people insist on grouping Southeastern, Mid-Atlantic and Texas cities together, but whatever...

Top 20 Metro Areas Based on Gross Metropolitan Product - 2003

5. Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV - $255.0 billion

7. Houston, TX - $190.6 billion

8. Atlanta, GA - $188.2 billion

9. Dallas, TX - $172.0 billion

[benjamin]

You guys are simply not being honest with yourselves. Regardless of Atlanta's influence in NC, It is the most important city in the south on the grounds that no other city in the south even competes with it economically, commercially, industrially (this is on the grounds that i do not consider Miami, Houston, Dallas, or DC to be "The South") With my perception of the south being Georgia, Alabama, NC, SC, Tenn, North Florida, Kentucky, Parts of Virginia, Parts of Missisipi, Atlanta IS the most important city in my perception of the south, correct?

[bobliocatt]

I can't understand why so many people insist on grouping Southeastern, Mid-Atlantic and Texas cities together, but whatever...

All of these sub-regions, along with East Texas, make up the south. Its sort of like grouping cities like Minneapolis and Kansas City with Great Lake cities, like Detroit and Chicago, to represent the "Midwest".

Top 20 Metro Areas Based on Gross Metropolitan Product - 2003

5. Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV - $255.0 billion 

7. Houston, TX - $190.6 billion

8. Atlanta, GA - $188.2 billion 

9. Dallas, TX - $172.0 billion

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where does Miami rank on this list?

[bobliocatt]

You guys are simply not being honest with yourselves. Regardless of Atlanta's influence in NC, It is the most important city in the south on the grounds that no other city in the south even competes with it economically, commercially, industrially (this is on the grounds that i do not consider Miami, Houston, Dallas, or DC to be "The South") With my perception of the south being Georgia, Alabama, NC, SC, Tenn, North Florida, Kentucky, Parts of Virginia, Parts of Missisipi, Atlanta IS the most important city in my perception of the south, correct?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If that's what you consider the south, then you may be right, although I'm sure people in New Orleans, Jackson, Tampa, Memphis, Little Rock & Norfolk will disagree with you.

[Twin Cities]

All of these sub-regions, along with East Texas, make up the south.  Its sort of like grouping cities like Minneapolis and Kansas City with Great Lake cities, like Detroit and Chicago, to represent the "Midwest".

I think it would be better for people to compare sub-regions

Where does Miami rank on this list?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All I could find was the top 20 for 2003. However, I do have the list for 2002 and Miami ranks #30. Here's the 2003 list:

1 New York, NY - $488.8

2 Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA - $410.8

3 Chicago, IL - $366.3

4 Boston, MA - $298.0

5 Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV - $255.0

6 Philadelphia, PA-NJ - $201.0

7 Houston, TX - $190.6

8 Atlanta, GA - $188.2

9 Dallas, TX - $172.0

10 Detroit, MI - $161.7

11 Orange County, CA - $153.8

12 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI - $135.0

13 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ - $129.1

14 San Diego, CA - $129.0

15 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA - $135.0

16 San Francisco, CA - $125.4

17 Nassau-Suffolk, NY - $122.9

18 Baltimore, MD - $107.6

19 Oakland, CA - $105.8

20 Newark, NJ - $105.1

[monsoon]

[blueize74]

I'd say Charlotte - Financially definitely, but what doesn't come down to money

[DHall]

I would say that OKC would be ahead of Charlotte.

[Twin Cities]

Uhh no,

[bobliocatt]

Umm.

[Twin Cities]

Actually he's right in some instances, I looked up Miami myself and found out the list has Miami's metropolitan area divided into three separate cities (Miami, Fort Lauderdale & West Palm Beach).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree breaking up metro Miami doesn't make any sense. Obviously it would be like separating Minneapolis and St. Paul (WI counties included), which wouldn't be right.

[monsoon]

[Twin Cities]

Of course.  If you can include the huge area encompassed by the sprawl of the Twin cities, then you really ought to include the actual metro of Miami .  This is Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and W. Palm and for 2002 the GDP is $164 M.  Like wise it is quite silly to separate Orange county from Los Angeles when they are clearly in the same region and metro.  There is no consistancy in that list.  The only one who doesn't know what is going on is the one who made it up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, what would be your suggestions as far as compiling an accurate list?

[monsoon]

[Twin Cities]

So, why did you bring up other states (i.e. Minnesota) and metro areas (i.e. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI)??

[Brickell]

It would be helpful to talk about the sphere of influence for these cities. Atalanta's sphere probably does encompass a greater portion of the deep south than any other city. I would say that calling it a capitol is stretch though.

So what are the major metros that would be up for competition?

Atlanta clearly.

I don't think charlottes extens much past the Carolinas.

New Orleans covers a lot of the gulf states.

Miami has very little influence locally in my opinion.

DC, I know very little about.

The south has always been a collection of states and cities without a clear leader. i think the regionalism is really a part of the culture.

[monsoon]

[Twin Cities]

Uhh, hello?