(03-11-2013 03:12 PM)Rebel Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 03:07 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 02:55 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  I love the underlying assumption that the tax base will long work in Atlanta. When this fligth started in Mo-Town the people still worked in the city to a large degree. Then the jobs eroded, that's how it works.

People leave for the burbs and then the jobs follow. What precisely is it about downtown Atlanta is there that can not be done from the burbs?

I just have to go off of the places I know, but I don't think most of the jobs will go to the suburbs unless the ITP community starts a serious slight out of the city. Of course the suburbs would have their own stuff but I don't know about large corporate relocation.

Three words, Cary, North Carolina.

They don't work in Cary. They work in Raleigh, RTP, Crapel Hill, and Durham. They have SAS and others, but they are still a bedroom community.

(03-11-2013 03:49 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 03:12 PM)Rebel Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 03:07 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 02:55 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  I love the underlying assumption that the tax base will long work in Atlanta. When this fligth started in Mo-Town the people still worked in the city to a large degree. Then the jobs eroded, that's how it works.

People leave for the burbs and then the jobs follow. What precisely is it about downtown Atlanta is there that can not be done from the burbs?

I just have to go off of the places I know, but I don't think most of the jobs will go to the suburbs unless the ITP community starts a serious slight out of the city. Of course the suburbs would have their own stuff but I don't know about large corporate relocation.

Three words, Cary, North Carolina.

They don't work in Cary. They work in Raleigh, RTP, Crapel Hill, and Durham. They have SAS and others, but they are still a bedroom community.

Butler Int'l was based in Cary. Company I worked for years ago.

(03-11-2013 02:52 PM)MileHighBronco Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 02:01 PM)firmbizzle Wrote:  1.) Atlanta is no where close to becoming Detroit. Detroit is a one trick pony town. Automobiles. They've had serious racial issues for over 40 years. So much that white flight is nearly half way across the state. Ann Arbor and Lansing is now considered "suburbs" of Detroit. The tax base no longer lives or works in Detroit.

How about sticking to something you actually know about? This might be your dumbest statement ever, and that takes some doing. AA is not and never has been considered a suburb of Detroit and Lansing is far, far from Detroit. That may qualify as a suburb in your (fact-free) fevered mind but doesn't make it true in reality.

I'll let those who know about the Atlanta area through first hand knowledge comment on that. But your assertion is weapons-grade stupidity.

How about I'm probably the most qualified person in this thread to offer an opinion? I was born in the city of Detroit, lived 12 years in metro Atlanta, graduated from a Dekalb county public high school near the area of this discussion, my first job was in Dunwoody, and I still have family in Detroit and Atlanta that I visit every year. So before you start name calling maybe you should know who and what you are talking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Detroit

(03-11-2013 03:04 PM)Rebel Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 02:55 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  I love the underlying assumption that the tax base will long work in Atlanta. When this fligth started in Mo-Town the people still worked in the city to a large degree. Then the jobs eroded, that's how it works.

People leave for the burbs and then the jobs follow. What precisely is it about downtown Atlanta is there that can not be done from the burbs?

I think ignorant people like Firm are assuming all Atlanta suburbs are like Cumming or Woodstock. There are tons of jobs in Smyrna, Marietta, Roswell, etc. Not everyone in Atlanta works in one of it's limited skyscrapers.

Where did you grow up? Cause I grew up in Metro Atlanta. It's funny that you are going to call me ignorant about my own home town.

Are you saying anything about the article being wrong, or that it's a great place to live?

(03-11-2013 03:54 PM)firmbizzle Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 02:52 PM)MileHighBronco Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 02:01 PM)firmbizzle Wrote:  1.) Atlanta is no where close to becoming Detroit. Detroit is a one trick pony town. Automobiles. They've had serious racial issues for over 40 years. So much that white flight is nearly half way across the state. Ann Arbor and Lansing is now considered "suburbs" of Detroit. The tax base no longer lives or works in Detroit.

How about sticking to something you actually know about? This might be your dumbest statement ever, and that takes some doing. AA is not and never has been considered a suburb of Detroit and Lansing is far, far from Detroit. That may qualify as a suburb in your (fact-free) fevered mind but doesn't make it true in reality.

I'll let those who know about the Atlanta area through first hand knowledge comment on that. But your assertion is weapons-grade stupidity.

How about I'm probably the most qualified person in this thread to offer an opinion? I was born in the city of Detroit, lived 12 years in metro Atlanta, graduated from a Dekalb county public high school near the area of this discussion, my first job was in Dunwoody, and I still have family in Detroit and Atlanta that I visit every year. So before you start name calling maybe you should know who and what you are talking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Detroit

Perhaps in your own mind you are the most qualified to comment on Detroit. I was born in Michigan, educated there and lived there for 25 years so I DO know what I'm talking about. Being born there is no qualification.

Maybe Motown Bronco will weigh in on this.

Is the article surmising that Detroit is the pinnacle of shitholes that all other shitholes should avoid emulating? Say what you want about Atlanta, but if Detroit has the status of establishing the shithole baseline, then the conversation should about it rather than Atlanta.

(03-11-2013 04:20 PM)MileHighBronco Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 03:54 PM)firmbizzle Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 02:52 PM)MileHighBronco Wrote:  

(03-11-2013 02:01 PM)firmbizzle Wrote:  1.) Atlanta is no where close to becoming Detroit. Detroit is a one trick pony town. Automobiles. They've had serious racial issues for over 40 years. So much that white flight is nearly half way across the state. Ann Arbor and Lansing is now considered "suburbs" of Detroit. The tax base no longer lives or works in Detroit.

How about sticking to something you actually know about? This might be your dumbest statement ever, and that takes some doing. AA is not and never has been considered a suburb of Detroit and Lansing is far, far from Detroit. That may qualify as a suburb in your (fact-free) fevered mind but doesn't make it true in reality.

I'll let those who know about the Atlanta area through first hand knowledge comment on that. But your assertion is weapons-grade stupidity.

How about I'm probably the most qualified person in this thread to offer an opinion? I was born in the city of Detroit, lived 12 years in metro Atlanta, graduated from a Dekalb county public high school near the area of this discussion, my first job was in Dunwoody, and I still have family in Detroit and Atlanta that I visit every year. So before you start name calling maybe you should know who and what you are talking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Detroit

Perhaps in your own mind you are the most qualified to comment on Detroit. I was born in Michigan, educated there and lived there for 25 years so I DO know what I'm talking about. Being born there is no qualification.

Maybe Motown Bronco will weigh in on this.

I've spent considerable amount of time in both cities. This thread is a comparison of cities. How much time have you spent in Atlanta that wasn't a layover?

BTW ... the assertions that Atlanta is all commute to the urban core from workers who live in the suburbs is false. Alot of the commute is suburb to suburb. If the retards didn't create the Connector you'd likely find Interstate perimeter traffic HEAVIER than core traffic. The layout of Atlanta is such:

Downtown .... the Connector of I-75/I-85 and I-20. This is truly one of the most dangerous places in the country. This is where the Georgia Dome, Phillips Arena, and Clark Atlanta University are. Your annual risk of being involved in crime in this area (if you live here) is 1 in 3. Due just east is Georgia State University, City Hall, and the State House. Just south is the Braves.

Moving North ... you reach Midtown. This is where the skyscrapers are most abundant, and where you have major corporate buildings. This is where Georgia Tech is. But the creep of crime from Downtown touches here. I wouldn't go many blocks south of North Avenue unarmed. Home Park is just north of Georgia Tech and it is a huge source of crime.

Moving further north (by a good bit) you reach Uptown AKA Buckhead. This is very affluent and relatively crime free. Also home to some skyscrapers and businesses.

Now ... everything I list below is a large community with large traffic unto itself:

If you move South of these areas until you hit the perimeter you hit Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International and College Park.

If you move West until you hit the perimeter you hit Grove Park and Collier Heights.

If you move Northwest until you hit the perimeter you hit Smyrna and Marietta and Kennesaw.

If you move North until you hit the perimeter you hit Alpharetta, Sandy Springs, and Dunwoody.

If you move Northeast until you hit the perimeter you hit Chamblee, Spaghetti Junction, Norcross, Duluth ... VERY HEAVY freight and warehousing for miles and miles here.

If you move East until you hit the perimeter you hit Decatur, North Decatur, Stone Mountain, Lithonia, and Conyers.

If you move South past ATL you hit Riverdale, Jonesboro, Stockbridge, Fayetteville, Forest Park, and McDonough.


The interconnect from all these places far exceeds the traffic demands of the core itself. Also, there is very very heavy transient traffic. I-85 is the main artery of the southeast. It connects Richmond to Raleigh-Durham to Greensboro to Charlotte to Greenville-Spartanburg to Atlanta to Montgomery. From Atlanta to Charlotte is home to big time manufacturing, freight, and warehousing. There is no quiet time on I-85. Even at 3 AM there's still alot of freight.


Rebel's point about MARTA is well founded. Downtown is unquestionably where the crime is, and one of the worst places in the country for crime. MARTA is designed to bring traffic in and out of that area. If you're MARTA convenient ... you're criminal convenient. The safest time to ride MARTA is to a sporting event when security is stepped way up and the law abiding citizens far outnumber the shadier element.

There are valid comparisons between Atlanta and Detroit. Both have had several past Mayors convicted of corruption, both have present political leaders being investigated by Feds, etc.

Atlanta presently isnt equivalent to Detroit, but it has all the hallmarks of going there in the next 10 years.

(03-11-2013 08:23 PM)WMD Owl Wrote:  There are valid comparisons between Atlanta and Detroit. Both have had several past Mayors convicted of corruption, both have present political leaders being investigated by Feds, etc.

Atlanta presently isnt equivalent to Detroit, but it has all the hallmarks of going there in the next 10 years.

Way to blur reality.
-Detroit has had a past mayor that was convicted of corruption. Atlanta has had a past mayor convicted of tax evasion after he was mayor.

-Atlanta is mostly in Fulton county, with a very small portion in Dekalb county. Dekalb county is being investigated by the Feds not Fulton county, nor the city of Atlanta.

-Detroit has seen a massive population decline, 1.8 million in 1950 to 700,000 in 2010. The city of Atlanta has seen its population increase in that same time from 330,000 to 420,000 (metro has grown nearly 6 times to 5.7 million)

-Detroit's unemployment rate 19.6%. Atlanta's 8.3%

-Detroit violent crime rate is 2137/100,000. Atlanta's is 1071/100,000.

-Median income in Detroit is $26,000. Atlanta is $49,900.

Bottom line is that Detroit is dying while Atlanta is thriving. The cities are moving in completely different directions.

All of this makes me damn glad I don't live in any Metro area. The country life does have its perks of very little crime, light traffic and sense of community.

Ill take my 4 minute drive to work over any perks of city life any day. Being able to come home and catch a nap during lunch is simply wonderful.

(03-12-2013 10:14 AM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  All of this makes me damn glad I don't live in any Metro area. The country life does have its perks of very little crime, light traffic and sense of community.

Ill take my 4 minute drive to work over any perks of city life any day. Being able to come home and catch a nap during lunch is simply wonderful.

Or one could just crawl under a desk Costanza style.

(03-12-2013 10:23 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(03-12-2013 10:14 AM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  All of this makes me damn glad I don't live in any Metro area. The country life does have its perks of very little crime, light traffic and sense of community.

Ill take my 4 minute drive to work over any perks of city life any day. Being able to come home and catch a nap during lunch is simply wonderful.

Or one could just crawl under a desk Costanza style.

(03-12-2013 10:14 AM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  All of this makes me damn glad I don't live in any Metro area. The country life does have its perks of very little crime, light traffic and sense of community.

Ill take my 4 minute drive to work over any perks of city life any day. Being able to come home and catch a nap during lunch is simply wonderful.

I also like rural areas. I can fish, shoot in my backyard, and get back and forth of where I need to be really quickly. I'd like to be near a bigger city for practical reasons though. Since I only remember living in Quebec City, Henderson, Greenville, Kodiak, and Ft Myers I've only had experience with mid-sized to small city culture. Don't know if I could go much bigger than Raleigh.

To say that Atlanta is on the road to Detroit is just ignoring reality. Do they have political divisions? Sure, but name any political environment in the US that doesn't. The economics of Atlanta vs. Detroit are just apples to oranges.

(03-12-2013 04:19 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  To say that Atlanta is on the road to Detroit is just ignoring reality. Do they have political divisions? Sure, but name any political environment in the US that doesn't. The economics of Atlanta vs. Detroit are just apples to oranges.

Like any other Metro area...You don't travel the less beaten paths. There are some scary as hell spots in Hotlanta.

(03-12-2013 04:50 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(03-12-2013 04:19 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  To say that Atlanta is on the road to Detroit is just ignoring reality. Do they have political divisions? Sure, but name any political environment in the US that doesn't. The economics of Atlanta vs. Detroit are just apples to oranges.

Like any other Metro area...You don't travel the less beaten paths. There are some scary as hell spots in Hotlanta.

Such as the area around the Georgia Dome before, during and after any sporting event.

(03-12-2013 05:29 PM)WMD Owl Wrote:  

(03-12-2013 04:50 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(03-12-2013 04:19 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  To say that Atlanta is on the road to Detroit is just ignoring reality. Do they have political divisions? Sure, but name any political environment in the US that doesn't. The economics of Atlanta vs. Detroit are just apples to oranges.

Like any other Metro area...You don't travel the less beaten paths. There are some scary as hell spots in Hotlanta.

Such as the area around the Georgia Dome before, during and after any sporting event.

Yeah, those Georgia State fans can be real scary. (kidding)

Atlanta is the Dallas of the Southeast.

But Dallas is bigger and better.