I think it would be interesting analysis to study real estate values and airport gate expansion.
Austin made a massive airport investment in the early 2000s. Where I am today (Watercolor / Destin) made several regional airport investments last decade), Dallas has been doing the same for six decades.
I feel like airport expansion gives a MSA, NFL city, or metro economic “legs.”
this is really interesting. and agree. capacity - or lack - really can be an enabler or hindrance to expansion and civic heft. curious as to the process that led to Austin investing in airport capacity. I've been struck by what seems to be consistent planning for growth from the Austin Chamber, whose materials I do read.....
I always thought Hartford was the dividing line (and therefor, I guess, the Connecticut River). West Hartford folks were Yankee fans. But that was the old school thinking. I love the fact that Facebook mapped it per Eric's note.
Major cultural institutions (art museums, symphonies, major regional theaters (like A.C.T., Berkeley Rep). These suggest a community that values culture and has the philanthropists that can invest in them. But otherwise, I like your major league lens (and college towns too!).
Thanks. Richard Florida (Rise of the Creative Class) refers to the SOBs: symphony, opera and ballet. As a former member of the Stern Grove Festival board, certainly they set the bar in a lot of ways. (Florida also posits that a diverse group of non profits is better indicator of civic health than pouring resources into big ticket venues for the ballet etc.) Agree that philanthropy and healthy civic peer pressure to engage in it is another metric.
there's the demand side (audience), and also the supply side (whether or not youth are learning ballet, piano etc). so if youth are still learning (I don't know numbers to support this), then that may nurture the next generation of fans. the point Florida was trying to make is that pouring civic $ into big ticket venues like opera halls isn't a great prioritization of funds - that generally, halls don't really don't function as hubs of civic activity.
Re: Yankees/Sox -- having gone to college in Central Connecticut, that was the borderland between people who felt connected to NYC ("tri-state area") and those who felt more connected to Boston (Connecticut being part of "New England," officially if not spiritually). In my experience, southwestern / south central coastal CT, which gets NYC television stations, is Yankee (and Giants/Knicks/Rangers) territory, and everything else in CT is Sox/Patriots/Celtics/Bruins territory.
I had hoped I would hear from you. Thanks for the FB fandom visualization. Had two interesting discussions along these lines during a recent visit to SLO: where is the line between Dodger fandom and Giant fandom; and where exactly does the Central Coast stop and SoCal begin?
I think it would be interesting analysis to study real estate values and airport gate expansion.
Austin made a massive airport investment in the early 2000s. Where I am today (Watercolor / Destin) made several regional airport investments last decade), Dallas has been doing the same for six decades.
I feel like airport expansion gives a MSA, NFL city, or metro economic “legs.”
this is really interesting. and agree. capacity - or lack - really can be an enabler or hindrance to expansion and civic heft. curious as to the process that led to Austin investing in airport capacity. I've been struck by what seems to be consistent planning for growth from the Austin Chamber, whose materials I do read.....
I always thought Hartford was the dividing line (and therefor, I guess, the Connecticut River). West Hartford folks were Yankee fans. But that was the old school thinking. I love the fact that Facebook mapped it per Eric's note.
Thanks. I had forgotten you were from the East Coast (or at least went to school there). Any other suggestions for metrics of civic heft?
Major cultural institutions (art museums, symphonies, major regional theaters (like A.C.T., Berkeley Rep). These suggest a community that values culture and has the philanthropists that can invest in them. But otherwise, I like your major league lens (and college towns too!).
Thanks. Richard Florida (Rise of the Creative Class) refers to the SOBs: symphony, opera and ballet. As a former member of the Stern Grove Festival board, certainly they set the bar in a lot of ways. (Florida also posits that a diverse group of non profits is better indicator of civic health than pouring resources into big ticket venues for the ballet etc.) Agree that philanthropy and healthy civic peer pressure to engage in it is another metric.
Would anyone like to make the case as to why SOB’s will be in existence in 30 years when you only see grey and blue hair in present audiences?
there's the demand side (audience), and also the supply side (whether or not youth are learning ballet, piano etc). so if youth are still learning (I don't know numbers to support this), then that may nurture the next generation of fans. the point Florida was trying to make is that pouring civic $ into big ticket venues like opera halls isn't a great prioritization of funds - that generally, halls don't really don't function as hubs of civic activity.
Put Ritz Carlton on the endangered list for similar reasons.
Re: Yankees/Sox -- having gone to college in Central Connecticut, that was the borderland between people who felt connected to NYC ("tri-state area") and those who felt more connected to Boston (Connecticut being part of "New England," officially if not spiritually). In my experience, southwestern / south central coastal CT, which gets NYC television stations, is Yankee (and Giants/Knicks/Rangers) territory, and everything else in CT is Sox/Patriots/Celtics/Bruins territory.
The NY Times mapped this in 2014 based on Facebook activity, back when that was a viable way to measure things. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/04/23/upshot/24-upshot-baseball.html
#Neverforget the Whalers.
and how could I forget the Whalers??
Is it appropriate for me to name drop that my college roommate owns the Whalers franchise?
I am all for name-dropping when it comes from you, Tex! (with my best Ted Knight face) Go on, do tell!
I had hoped I would hear from you. Thanks for the FB fandom visualization. Had two interesting discussions along these lines during a recent visit to SLO: where is the line between Dodger fandom and Giant fandom; and where exactly does the Central Coast stop and SoCal begin?