Does Atlanta's metro size balance it out as a premiere US city?

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by mthd

city limits really don't mean much. functionally it's really about the CSA in most places. if you'd asked me what atlanta's CSA was (as a person who has only been there twice) i'd have guessed around 6 million. it's a bit more than that, 6.5, and 11th in the country, right between miami and detroit, about what i'd have expected.

i don't know what a "premier" city is, but in the US the top 5 CSAs are fairly distinct in terms of international visibility, political importance, economic prominence, etc etc. it's a pretty big drop from there to the atlantas and miamis and detroits. doesn't make them any less interesting or vibrant, but more people and more money and more tourists and all that do mean something.

Agreed. Although I do think Miami is far more visible internationally than either Atlanta or Detroit. In terms of international visibility, I would put Miami on that tier with Chicago and SF. Latin Americans seem far more aware of Miami than Chicago, and everywhere else seems just as aware of Miami as Chicago.

[Tuckerman]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Agreed. Although I do think Miami is far more visible internationally than either Atlanta or Detroit. In terms of international visibility, I would put Miami on that tier with Chicago and SF. Latin Americans seem far more aware of Miami than Chicago, and everywhere else seems just as aware of Miami as Chicago.

However, I would argue that Miami is well known throughout the world because it is an international tourist center and was such even when the metro area was quite small. Similar to Hawaii in terms of universal recognition for tourism. But beyond that I would argue that most would not identify it as important. I think Atlanta has wide recognition as a civil rights center, television, the Olympics and airport. In the health world, because of CDC, it is an international center for public health.

[skyscraperpage17]

The main reason Miami punches above its weight on the international stage is because it's the gateway for Latin America into the US.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by skyscraperpage17

The main reason Miami punches above its weight on the international stage is because it's the gateway for Latin America into the US.

And, even outside Latin America, it's associated with a certain iconic, glamorous tropical beachfront imagery. Basically South Beach.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Tuckerman

However, I would argue that Miami is well known throughout the world because it is an international tourist center and was such even when the metro area was quite small. Similar to Hawaii in terms of universal recognition for tourism. But beyond that I would argue that most would not identify it as important. I think Atlanta has wide recognition as a civil rights center, television, the Olympics and airport. In the health world, because of CDC, it is an international center for public health.

Before we drop down this rabbit hole of insecurity lol, nobody is arguing that Miami is more important than Atlanta (or that Atlanta is more important than Miami). But I think we all agree that Miami is one of the most visible U.S. cities in international media.

[Tuckerman]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Before we drop down this rabbit hole of insecurity lol, nobody is arguing that Miami is more important than Atlanta (or that Atlanta is more important than Miami). But I think we all agree that Miami is one of the most visible U.S. cities in international media.

Not arguing that case at all. They are both.IMO, important second rank major cities in the US and both known internationally for different reasons.
As to the gateway from Latin America idea, most Latin American immigrants to
the US arrive through many ports of entry and the dominant Latin American immigration has been and continues to be from Mexico and the Western side of South America. However many flights from the Eastern part of South America come in through Miami, Atlanta and NYC. The immigration data is quite complex from Latin America over the years. In particular the Cuban migration heavily influenced the Miami area.

Having lived in three European counties over the year, including 10 in the UK and read the local papers and watched TV one can get a feeling about US city visibility. IMO beyond NYC, Hollywood and Washington the rest of the major US cities are rarely notable. One sees an occasional story on the others, but not consistently on any of the rest.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Before we drop down this rabbit hole of insecurity lol...

Oh, the irony...

[Tuckerman]

Of course the question “Does Atlanta's metro size balance it out as a premiere US city?” is not one that can really be answered. We have no definition of what is a premiere US city. We don’t know what the word “balance” means in the question. I don’t think this is anything beyond the fun of a bar discussion on what is the meaning of life. So we are free to throw out whatever beliefs, facts, or opinions that we like and have a reasonable discussion and conclude whatever we conclude.

[Denvergotback]

Originally Posted by Tuckerman

Of course the question “Does Atlanta's metro size balance it out as a premiere US city?” is not one that can really be answered. We have no definition of what is a premiere US city. We don’t know what the word “balance” means in the question. I don’t think this is anything beyond the fun of a bar discussion on what is the meaning of life. So we are free to throw out whatever beliefs, facts, or opinions that we like and have a reasonable discussion and conclude whatever we conclude.

To me (in my mind) there is a difference between a 'premier' city and a 'world class' city.

To me, in my own head, only three, maybe four cities in the USA actually meet the 'premier' city category.... being NY, LA, and Chicago, aaaannnddd maybe DC.

Other than that I wouldn't classify any other metros as 'premier'.

To me the word 'premier' refers to something like an opening act, something that changed the world. Have other US cities changed cultures or influenced the world in one way or another? Sure. But nothing like NY or LA... and the other two to a degree.

San Francisco may have influenced the world by technology, so one could argue that may very well be 'premier'.

Most other US metros have had a much larger influence on domestic culture/influence to some degree. For example, Denver with outdoor culture/ Vegas with sin / Atlanta with the rising of Martin Luther King Jr./ Etc. Etc. Etc.

Now that being said, just because I don't believe many other US metros are 'Premier', doesn't mean that I don't think they aren't world class.

I believe Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Miami, Houston, etc, etc are definitely world class. But definitely not up their with the dominate 'premier' cities.

Before everyone jumps down my throat, remember, these are my opinions.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Tuckerman

As to the gateway from Latin America idea, most Latin American immigrants to
the US arrive through many ports of entry and the dominant Latin American immigration has been and continues to be from Mexico and the Western side of South America. However many flights from the Eastern part of South America come in through Miami, Atlanta and NYC. The immigration data is quite complex from Latin America over the years. In particular the Cuban migration heavily influenced the Miami area.

I'm actually speaking more about people who may not ever come to the U.S., or may come once or twice in their entire life, not immigrants. Miami is very well-known throughout Latin America. Far more well-known than most Americans probably realize. I go to Argentina about once a year, and know a lot of Argentinians, and they pretty much know two places: New York and Miami.

Last year when I was in Argentina, I was talking to my friend (Argentinian) about places in the U.S. besides New York and Miami. I mentioned Atlanta as another big city in the U.S., but he wasn't sure he had ever heard of it, even though he's been to NYC at least four times. When I mentioned the airport, he vaguely recalled it and said that he might've changed planes there once when coming to NYC but wasn't sure.

[Tuckerman]

[QUOTE=
Last year when I was in Argentina, I was talking to my friend (Argentinian) about places in the U.S. besides New York and Miami. I mentioned Atlanta as another big city in the U.S., but he wasn't sure he had ever heard of it, even though he's been to NYC at least four times. When I mentioned the airport, he vaguely recalled it and said that he might've changed planes there once when coming to NYC but wasn't sure.[/QUOTE]
As to international awareness of cities so much depends on how much one travels and, perhaps more importantly what one does for a living. Certainly Atlanta is probably best known globally because of the Olympics. However, most people I know, here and abroad, are in public health and so everyone I meet, whether in Asia or Europe or Latin America knows the CDC and the Carter Center, and if they work internationally they most likely have spent time here. Probably every major metro in the US has some such feature that would be known because of a person’s occupation. Whereas a city Like NY has so many dimensions in so many fields and is so commonly in the news that it would be hard to find anyone in any country that was unaware of its existence and importance. (Maybe in the deep Brazilian jungle)

Probably most well educated people abroad would be aware of the existence of a city like Atlanta, but at best would have little depth of knowledge about the city. Once outside English-speaking countries this knowledge would probably be even less. Since those of us who read this forum are interested in cities, we probably have an outsize knowledge of cities and their relative importance. Still, what would most forum participants know about secondary major cities abroad, e.g. Dusseldorf, Turin, Lyon, Nagano, Fortaleza, Chengdu, Melbourne, Manchester, Antwerp, etc.?

[Labtec]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I'm actually speaking more about people who may not ever come to the U.S., or may come once or twice in their entire life, not immigrants. Miami is very well-known throughout Latin America. Far more well-known than most Americans probably realize. I go to Argentina about once a year, and know a lot of Argentinians, and they pretty much know two places: New York and Miami.

Last year when I was in Argentina, I was talking to my friend (Argentinian) about places in the U.S. besides New York and Miami. I mentioned Atlanta as another big city in the U.S., but he wasn't sure he had ever heard of it, even though he's been to NYC at least four times. When I mentioned the airport, he vaguely recalled it and said that he might've changed planes there once when coming to NYC but wasn't sure.

If he was a younger person, he would know about Atlanta purely based on rap music.

[tdawg]

I would imagine that the success of Atlanta United would resonate in countries with large football/soccer fan bases.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by tdawg

I would imagine that the success of Atlanta United would resonate in countries with large football/soccer fan bases.

Soccer fans outside the U.S. don't care about MLS.

[mhays]

True, we're on the third tier or whatever. But I do enjoy the friendlies with top clubs, which at least show little segments of the world that we have a soccer culture.

[Ric 0_0]

I think Atlanta gets some recognition in Latin America because of Georgia Tech. It is a top engineering school. i remember reading somewhere that a former presidents of Panama and a couple other business execs and politicians from Latin America had all gone to Georgia Tech.

[Sun Belt]

Who cares about fútbol, Atlanta is hosting the biggest game of Football today.
[I love soccer, btw. Played it for 10 years.]

The Olympic city of Atlanta is a premier city, the haters are just going to have to come to grips with this and move on.

[isaidso]

Atlanta is certainly a big US metro but it doesn't register internationally. It's the Chengdu of the United States. I think most people around the world would be stunned if you told them over 5 million people live there.

[Tuckerman]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Soccer fans outside the U.S. don't care about MLS.

What a Trumpian statement

[skyscraper]

Originally Posted by Tuckerman

What a Trumpian statement

?