Charlotte VS Jacksonville VS Nashville

[Lexy]

If being a global city is not a deciding factor then what is. Also it is not just the banks. A lot of people think that all Charlotte is but it is home to a number of F500 companies and is a transportaion industry hub. Actually these cities are way to close for me to call. I think it is going to 5-10 years for the dust to settle and to see who comes out on top. I am going to sit back and watch with much anticipation...

If you want to use the global thingy to argue that Charlotte is better than any other city, then be my guest. But there is a hell of alot more to a city than just some crazy money hungry banks and F500's my friend. Quality of life, walkability, entertainment, education, job availability, etc. etc. I think all three cities are great on their own. Global recognition is hardly ANY indication that a certain place is "better" than another. If you honestly believe that that is the measuring stick, then your homerism and lack of education on the other locales show through. I doubt this is the case though. You have to understand that I like Charlotte alot, and Jacksonville, but I don't buy this global crap one bit. Riyadh is a global city, but I doubt it is any better than Dubai because it is more globally known. See my point?

[peaceloveunderstanding]

The objective of this thread was to find "Which city has the best chance to become the next "big city" of the south". Charlotte is already ahead of these other cities on becoming a big city in the grand scheme of things. Having a global positon will be important for the coming days of increased globalization.

The global recognition may not be THE measuring stick, but it is an important measuring stick. It is something more tangible than 'great entertainment', and something that can be discussed.

homerism and lack of education on the other locales show through.

come on...

But there is a hell of alot more to a city than just some crazy money hungry banks and F500's my friend.

[bobliocatt]

If we really go by the thread's title, I'll go on the record and say that they all will remain second tier Southern cities and never achieve the status of the big 4 or 5 (DC, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston) in our lifetimes. Thus none of them have the potential to be the next big city of the South, considering all of the big boys are still growing rapidly.

[krazeeboi]

Other: Rock Hill, SC

[sleepy]

Well, I'll just bump my worthless comments into the fray.

I suspect that Charlotte is the Next Big Thing due to its business and financial climate.

That's not to say I would or wouldn't want to live there or that I do or don't find it more attractive than the other cities. Just that as a business center and population growth-wise, it seems destined to become even larger than the other two.

[rocket9561]

Even if Charlotte is ranked as more globally "connected" I would bet anything that Nashville is still the most globally recognized city out of the 3...I'd put it up next to Dallas, Houston, or Atlanta even.

[it's just dave]

I don't want my homeboys to get angry with me, but I think Charlotte will get bigger and bigger as will Nashville and Jax. It will stay larger, in my opinion, than either Nashville or Jacksonville, not just because of the banks even though holding all that cash certainly doesn't hurt, but because of all the other factors in making it an attractive place to live. How much larger, who knows. Nashville and Jax will definately stay on its heels without doubt and that's fine with me. A couple of hundred thousand here and there won't matter much. We're growing in leaps and bounds similar to the way Charlotte started growing a few years ago. So who knows where that will lead us. We're just fine as we are. We have cranes dotting the landscape like pigeons on lamp posts and that's all I have time to keep up with, much less worry too much about what the sister cities are up to--but I try.

On Monday, Nashville, D.C., Detroit, Los Angeles and San Francisco will be the sites of the Iraqi parlimentary elections. Last January we were a site in the Iraqi Transitional National Assembly elections. Being called "Little Kurdistan" is a designation because we have the largest Kurdish concentration in the U.S. That doesn't exactly make us global, but gives us international importance, as does our major universities.

So, bigger isn't always better, but I'd say these three cities are definately among the cream of the second tier group. If we don't get as fat, then that's okay, being lean and mean is good enough for me.

[illliterate02]

Being from Orlando, I have visited Jacksonville many times, and I take it over Charlotte... I dont know much about Nashville, though I think I wouldn't like it too much. Charlotte in my opinion was a boring city with little to do. It always seemed like i was in the woods except when I was actually in the city core. I have lived in Tokyo for 3 years so I am used to the big city life... not even my hometown of Orlando can satisfy me really, but there is still a whole lot of things to do. Needless to say, Jacksonville has been big for years, I can't see it sustaining many more years of growth, and I think the same for Charlotte. According to some study by people at Penn State they say that Orlando MSA is on track to have over 7 million residents by 2050 and I just don't see the popluation to continue growwing that much. Once again I must say that I have never been to Nashville so I didnt put that into my vote consideration at all.

[Hankster]

Being from Orlando, I have visited Jacksonville many times, and I take it over Charlotte... I dont know much about Nashville, though I think I wouldn't like it too much.

Just curious. Why would you presume that you wouldn't like Nashville too much even though you say that you don't know too much about the city? There must be some preconceived notions you have about Nashville that would lead you to this conclusion. I would like to know what they may be. It's possible your preconceived notions may not be correct. I certainly don't hold against anyone their opinions of an area since no one can possibly visit everywhere. It's always good to learn as much as you can about other places, because in many cases you find out that they're actually a lot different than you at first thought.

[illliterate02]

Just curious. Why would you presume that you wouldn't like Nashville too much even though you say that you don't know too much about the city? There must be some preconceived notions you have about Nashville that would lead you to this conclusion. I would like to know what they may be. It's possible your preconceived notions may not be correct. I certainly don't hold against anyone their opinions of an area since no one can possibly visit everywhere. It's always good to learn as much as you can about other places, because in many cases you find out that they're actually a lot different than you at first thought.

I dont like many cities in the US... they are boring and they lack infrastructure compared to Asian cities, European Cities and Australian Cities... except for cities like NYC, Chicago, D.C., Miami and a few other NErn Cities. Answer your question? Also I dont like the south.

[NcSc74]

I dont like many cities in the US... they are boring and they lack infrastructure compared to Asian cities, European Cities and Australian Cities... except for cities like NYC, Chicago, D.C., Miami and a few other NErn Cities. Answer your question? Also I dont like the south.

Everyone is has an opinion but I think you need look at the migration maps and see that most people are moving form the NE to live in the south and the west.

[illliterate02]

Everyone is has an opinion but I think you need look at the migration maps and see that most people are moving form the NE to live in the south and the west.

I never said that people from the NE arent moving to the south, trust me I live in Orlando where like 7 out of 10 people are from other states, mainly NY, NJ, Mass, Penn, Cali... It would be ignorant to say that... What I did say however is that I dont like the cities in the South, and I that I prefered the infrastructure of north eastern cities to that of the rest... besides Chicago and Seattle which are not in the NE. I dont think people read replys here because everytime that I say things that certain people dont agree with, they just take a few words out of my whole post and make some sort of argument that has nothing to do with what I said. Oh well... I guess its the American nature.

[Lexy]

I dont like many cities in the US... they are boring and they lack infrastructure compared to Asian cities, European Cities and Australian Cities... except for cities like NYC, Chicago, D.C., Miami and a few other NErn Cities. Answer your question? Also I dont like the south.

You don't sound like an American born and breed. Canadian perhaps? Or Asian??? Just wondering.

Anyways, opinions are like A**holes...everybody has one. Some just stink worse than others.

[illliterate02]

You don't sound like an American born and breed. Canadian perhaps? Or Asian??? Just wondering.

Anyways, opinions are like A**holes...everybody has one. Some just stink worse than others.

Nope, born and raised in Orlando, FL... but i have lived my last 3 years in Tokyo, visiting frequently: Hong Kong, Korea, Sydney, Perth, Singapore and booo Guam.

[Lexy]

Nope, born and raised in Orlando, FL... but i have lived my last 3 years in Tokyo, visiting frequently: Hong Kong, Korea, Sydney, Perth, Singapore and booo Guam.

Sounds like a great deal of fun to me. I have always wanted to visit those parts of the world. Who knows, maybe perhaps one day I will.

[illliterate02]

Sounds like a great deal of fun to me. I have always wanted to visit those parts of the world. Who knows, maybe perhaps one day I will.

I cant wait to go back to Tokyo... but my next place is Chile and Argentina.... next Agosto

[Hankster]

I cant wait to go back to Tokyo... but my next place is Chile and Argentina.... next Agosto

It is great fun to spend a portion of your life in such places. I had the great fortune to get to spend 2 1/2 years living in Seoul, Korea as an Engineer for a world wide auto parts manufacturing company, with frequent travel to Bangkok, Taipei, and Nagoya, Japan. These are truly exciting places to live in and it's a wonderful broadening experience to get to see other parts of the world, but I'm really glad to be living back here in the South. IMO, there's still no better place in all the world to live, and it's not the least bit boring either. We have a considerably higher quality of life, and a higher standard of living than any of those places. However, there are many aspects of them that I wish we were more like.

I think as you grow older and assuming that we don't screw things up here, you may starting thinking a little more along the same lines that I do. But, man, go ahead and see the world as much as you can. It's a wonderful opportunity.

Oh, by the way, it seems to me that based on your reasons for not probably liking Nashville, you probably wouldn't like Charlotte or Jacksonville any better.

[NcSc74]

I moved back to the US from Japan. I lived there for four years and yes the infrastucture is great there but it has to that way. Tokyo has over 50 million people living in its metro area that is very concentrated around urban cores. Most of the cities in the south just now started to boom in relative terms to time. A 20 year boom of population is nothing compared to a cities who have been large since the birth of our counrty. I can understand why Charlotte and the other boom cities of the south have not built up there imfrastructure yet.

With all of that said there people who treasure the southern style of city. With the intorduction of light rail and intercity rail I think southern cities will densify but never be the NE style of city. I do wish there was a separate inter-region rail option. I would love to get on the Carolinian and take a ride to ATL or take a quik trip to Charleston. I have done a lot of traveling because of my occupation and American cities are not that bad. A little to reliant on cars but if you add in the cost of living the price of land and the quality of amenities I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

[Charlotteman]

I hope this doesn't make anyone angry:) but I've lived in Charlotte and in Jax. Comparing the two is a joke. It's like this: Cosmopolitan splendour vs. Honky Tonk. Low key religiosity vs. religious zealotry. A proud civic attitude vs. an immense city-wide inferiority complex.

When I see one of those 50 story buildings actually break ground in Jax, I will be glad to EAT MY HAT. I know Jax---all those proposals will collapse before a shovel full of dirt is ever lifted. I lived there 16 years. I know.

I lived in Charlotte 24 years, and it is a city PROUD OF ITSELF. Always has been. Never trifling or low classed, but things are almost always done with finesse and good style:)

Go Charlotte!---from Jacksonville, Florida you have absolutely no competition!

[cheeriokid61]

I'm sorry, but that sounded really really biased. When was the last time that you lived in Jacksonville? Times change. A couple of years ago, many Southern cities wouldn't expect a 50 story tower to be a reality, but now, they're booming. You never do know.

[simms3]

Yea, and Charlotte only recenty has started residdential construction and proposals, as has Jax...both lead Nashville on that. Charlotte better not turn it's back too boldly because Jax is a different city and has taken a different turn that people five years ago may not have expected at all. Jax has some distinct advantages that Charlotte cannot boast: WATERFRONT-beach and river, and being in FLORIDA-vacation, tourism, climate, homestead act, etc.

Plus your team just lost badly, i don't read much into things, but prophecy of things to come...bwahahaha. JUST KIDDING!

[monsoon]

I consider being in Florida a disadvantage myself as do the tens of thousands that leave Fla for NC every year.

In regards to the lack of waterfront living in Charlotte, we have this thread which would indicate otherwise. (and this is just 1 of 3 lakes next to the city)

Charlotte has the advantage of only being 90 minutes from the tallest mountains eastern North America. It means easy place to escape the heat of the summer and good snow skiing in the winter.

[Rural King]

Yea, and Charlotte only recenty has started residdential construction and proposals, as has Jax...both lead Nashville on that. Charlotte better not turn it's back too boldly because Jax is a different city and has taken a different turn that people five years ago may not have expected at all. Jax has some distinct advantages that Charlotte cannot boast: WATERFRONT-beach and river, and being in FLORIDA-vacation, tourism, climate, homestead act, etc.

Plus your team just lost badly, i don't read much into things, but prophecy of things to come...bwahahaha. JUST KIDDING!

Are Jacksonville and Charlotte very much ahead of Nashville? It seems that all I read about in Nashville are condo buildings and/or towers being proposed, started, or underway all over the city.

[UrbaniDesDev]

It's the beach. There will be no stopping it. The superbowl has little to do with it. Charlotte might be a great place to do business but Jacksonville would be a great place to live. It seems Charlotte is sprawling, miles and miles of generic "McMansions". Jacksonville is concentrating, dozens of high rise apts/condos and urban parks. The fact that there is a lot of nature preserves and swamps will become a draw, for it's quality of life

[monsoon]

It's the beach. There will be no stopping it. The superbowl has little to do with it. Charlotte might be a great place to do business but Jacksonville would be a great place to live. It seems Charlotte is sprawling, miles and miles of generic "McMansions". Jacksonville is concentrating, dozens of high rise apts/condos and urban parks. The fact that there is a lot of nature preserves and swamps will become a draw, for it's quality of life

Sprawl? (people/sq mile)

Charlotte = 242 sq/miles = 2234 people/sq mile

Jacksonville = 758 sq/miles = 758 people/sq mile

Mecklenburg County = 526 sq/miles = 1321.5 people/sq mile

Duvall County = 774 sq/mile = 1006 people/sq mile.

From what I can see, Jacksonville sprawls over much more territory than Charlotte and is 3x less dense. If you do your research you will also find that Charlotte includes 3 sizeable lakes, swamps, rivers and offers waterfront living as well.